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UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to a safe and clean environment. 

How can you make a difference? 

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical expertise and operational support to UNICEF and its national partners in strengthening, expanding and institutionalizing the Green School Programme and school-based DRR interventions across Turkmenistan.

Specifically, the consultant will support the effective implementation and scale-up of interventions related to sustainable school governance, climate change education and youth engagement, and community outreach, ensuring alignment with national education priorities, climate and DRR policies, and child rights commitments.

The consultancy aims to:

• Support implementation of the pilot schools (18 for DRR and 20 for Green School Programme)
• Contribute to the expansion of the Green School and DRR initiatives to 100 schools nationwide in 2026, building on lessons learned from the pilot phase;
• Support the development and operationalization of a Green School certification process to promote standardized criteria, quality assurance and long-term sustainability;
• Strengthen institutional capacities of school administrations, teachers and local stakeholders in integrating DRR and climate adaptation into school governance and planning processes;
• Enhance the integration of climate change and DRR education into teaching and learning practices, including the promotion of youth participation and leadership;
• Facilitate community engagement and awareness-raising activities that reinforce school-community linkages and promote a culture of preparedness and environmental stewardship;
• Contribute to improved preparedness, resilience and environmental sustainability within the education system, thereby reducing disaster risks and safeguarding children’s rights to safe, inclusive and quality education.

Through this assignment, the consultant will support UNICEF and its partners in advancing a comprehensive, child-centred and climate-resilient education model that strengthens the capacity of schools and communities to anticipate, withstand and recover from climate-related and natural hazards, while promoting sustainable development outcomes for children and adolescents in Turkmenistan.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  ToR NC_DRR Green Schools.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• University degree in Law, Social Sciences, Environment, Construction, or other relevant field; advanced degree in the same fields will be an asset. 

Work Experience: 

• Proven experience supporting government partners and school administrations on climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction (DRR), emergency preparedness, school safety, WASH, and gender-sensitive education. 
• Technical expertise in designing, implementing, and monitoring DRR, climate change adaptation, and school safety projects at community and school levels. 
• Strong skills in interactive training, facilitation, and stakeholder coordination, with knowledge of Turkmenistan’s government structures and operational context. 

Language Requirements:

• Proficient knowledge of Turkmen and Russian.

Desirables:

• Past experience working with international organizations on development projects in CCA, DRR, emergency preparedness, and school safety is an asset. 

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.