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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, resilience 

UNICEF's Children's Climate Risk Index (CCRI) showed that nearly 15 million children in Central Asia are vulnerable to climate change and 10 million children are classified as extremely vulnerable to climate change and environmental degradation. This threatens every aspect of their health and well-being - from pregnancy to adolescence.

The negative effects of climate change in Central Asia are alarming – the rise in air temperature in Central Asia is twice the global average, and a third of the glaciers have melted. Nearly every child – 93 per cent of all children in the region – is exposed to excessive levels of air pollutants detrimental to their health and development.

Considering the scale and severity of the problem, comprehensive child- and youth-centered action is urgently needed to address the climate-related vulnerabilities of children and young people in Central Asia. Strengthening UNICEF's role and influence in shaping national and regional climate policies and investments – utilizing evidence generated by studies such as Climate Landscape Analyses for Children (CLAC) and Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) – will be crucial to ensure that the needs and rights of children and young people are prioritized in response to this global crisis, including in terms of protecting and forming human capital.

As part of UNICEF’s 2023-2030 Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan (SCAP), UNICEF is committed to making children and young people a focus of climate plans and policies through measures to protect children and young people, enhance resilience and sustainability of child-critical services, and empower children and young people to meaningfully participate in sustainability and climate action. The main purpose of the assignment is to support UNICEF in effectively enhancing the eco-efficiency of social infrastructures for children and youth in Central Asia.

How can you make a difference? 

UNICEF continue to promote a safe learning environment, contributing to the development of a national strategic action plan on climate-adaptive Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in schools. In close collaboration between UNICEF Country Offices (COs) in Central Asia, government representatives of 5 countries signed a regional pledge to enhance the Comprehensive School Safety Framework (CSSF) 2022–2030, providing a holistic approach to making the education systems in Central Asia resilient to all hazards and risks, including rising threats such as climate change and natural disasters.

The consultant is expected to provide technical assistance, contribute and/or develop guidance, roadmaps, advocacy and capacity building tailored to Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan country contexts to enhance sustainability considerations in school and health facilities.

The key objectives of the assignment include:

1. Provide technical support and oversight in conducting pre-energy and energy audits in school and health infrastructures in Central Asia;
2. Provide strategic and technical oversight to UNICEF Country Offices in Central Asia in energy efficiency, renewable energy, ventilation measures (improved insulation practices of windows and doors, reduced energy consumption, enhanced air quality, RSE/Solarization), national green building standards;
3. Develop technical guidelines for UNICEF based on experience of implementing infrastructure greening models in Central Asia;
4. Develop evidence-based business model advocacy package to support promotion and scale up, demonstrating the feasibility, environmental saving, sustainability and social benefit of education and health facilities greening in Central Asia;
5. Support UNICEF Country Offices in Central Asia and Business Model Initiative Steering Committee as requested.

For more information, please refer to Terms of Reference. TOR __Technical Consultant – Educational & Health Facilities Sustainability Auditing _.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Advanced university degree in environmental science, engineering, energy auditing or a related discipline
• Minimum eight (8) years’ work experience in energy efficiency and sustainability, leveraging renewable resources, building inspection, construction oversight and/or HVAC with focus on sustainability and eco-efficiency buildings
• Previous experience working in the Central Asia region is an asset;
• Knowledge of the United Nations system or other international organizations is an asset;
• Knowledge of international development, humanitarian issues and children’s rights is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other languages relevant to the Central Asia region is an added advantage.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.