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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 Opportunity

UNICEF Ethiopia’s Country Programme places a strong emphasis on strengthening climate resilient, inclusive and shock-responsive social services as a core strategy to safeguard children’s rights in the context of escalating climate and disaster risks. In line with UNICEF’s global climate and environmental sustainability commitments and the Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), the Country Office supports the Government of Ethiopia to integrate child-centred climate change adaptation, environmental sustainability and disaster risk reduction across national policies, sector plans and financing frameworks, while ensuring coherence between humanitarian, development and resilience programming.

How can you make a difference?

The Climate, Environment and DRR Specialist (NO‑3) provides technical leadership, programme support and coordination to advance child‑centred climate change adaptation, environmental sustainability and disaster risk reduction within UNICEF Ethiopia’s Country Programme. Reporting directly to the Deputy Representative (Programme), the incumbent is accountable for supporting the design, implementation, monitoring and reporting of climate‑ and DRR‑responsive programmes; contributing technical inputs to national climate and environmental policy processes; supporting climate finance development; and strengthening the systematic mainstreaming of climate, environment and disaster risk reduction across UNICEF‑supported programmes.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

1. Technical Support to the country office and sectors on climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives.

• Provide technical support to UNICEF sectors to mainstream climate and environment in their programming.
• In collaboration with sectoral colleagues, provide technical support for ensuring the use of sustainable energy in all sectors.
• Support sectoral colleagues with adopting and implementing UNICEF’s Social and Environmental Standards and Procedures.
• Provide monitoring and backstopping of implementation of approved proposals.

2. National and global climate policy engagement and advocacy

• Provide technical assistance to the Government of Ethiopia to ensure that climate adaptation and mitigation policies are child sensitive and include specific actions for climate resilient social service delivery.
• Provide technical assistance to acquire child sensitive data and evidence necessary for climate policy development and implementation.
• Liaise with key Government Officials and inter-governmental climate processes to ensure inclusion of key social sectors in inter-governmental climate processes and policies.
• Provide technical assistance to key sectoral ministries to develop their capacity and understanding of inter-governmental climate processes such as the Conference of Parties.

3. Leverage partnerships and finance opportunities for climate-resilient social services

• Identify and build strategic partnerships to strengthen in-country sectorial capacity on climate, environment, renewable energies, and financing, and to leverage climate finance for children.
• Develop and implement climate finance strategies for Ethiopia Country Office.
• Coordinate and develop bankable climate finance proposals for the Ethiopia Country Office in collaboration with sectoral colleagues and relevant Government Ministries.
• Liaise with national focal points for global climate and environmental funds such as Adaptation Fund, GEF and GCF in coordination with country office colleagues.
• Identify and implement innovative climate finance strategies for UNICEF Ethiopia in collaboration with Government Ministries, private and public sector actors, and UNICEF sectoral colleagues.

4. Development of tools, guidance and technical support on climate risk assessment, climate change adaptation and DRR

• Provide technical assistance to relevant Government Ministries to strengthen data, analysis and evidence on the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on children and social service delivery.
• Support the integration of climate risk analysis, adaptation and DRR considerations into UNICEF programme planning, implementation and monitoring processes across sectors.
• Contribute to the adaptation and application of tools, guidance and methodologies related to climate risk assessment, DRR and climate resilient programming.

5. Knowledge Management

• Contribute to lessons learned and knowledge sharing on climate change adaptation and mitigation.
• Encourage south-south collaboration between countries on climate change adaptation and mitigation
• Collect and codify case studies related to children, climate change adaptation and mitigation.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  Job Description - Climate, Environment and DRR Specialist.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in relevant areas of work such as environment, social and economic development, and/or international cooperation is required. 
• Work Experience: At least five (5) years of relevant work experience focused on developing countries related to development cooperation in climate change adaptation and mitigation, environment and socio-economic development is required. 
• Skills:
• Specific expertise in programme/project formulation, implementation, monitoring and review and evaluation related to climate change adaptation, mitigation and disaster risk resilience work in developing countries is required.
• Specific expertise in developing and implementing bankable climate finance proposals for the Adaptation Fund, GEF, Green Climate Funds and/or other sources of climate change funds is required.
• Prior experience undertaking climate risk and vulnerability assessment is required.
• Knowledge on climate change impacts, climate risk assessments and adaptation solutions is required.
• Experience engaging in inter-governmental climate processes including the Conference of Parties and the Subsidiary Bodies process is required.
• Experience directly engaging with Government Ministries on climate action is required.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• Specific expertise on implementing global Environmental and Social Standards (ESS) is an asset.
• Experience working with UNICEF on climate mitigation and adaptation programming is a strong asset.
• Knowledge of Green House Gas emissions and climate change mitigation solutions, especially related sustainable energy, including market assessments, is an asset.
• Expertise in government capacity building, developing tools and providing training is an asset.
• Familiarity with children’s rights and gender in the context of climate change adaptation and mitigation and/or natural resources management is an asset.
• Excellent analytical and writing skills, advocacy and presentation skills are an asset.
• Ability to work harmoniously in a multi-cultural environment and to establish harmonious & effective working relationships both within and outside an organization is desired.
• Relevant experience in program/project development and management in related areas in a UN system agency or organization and Civil Society Organization is an asset.
• Developing country experience, experience from the UN system, and humanitarian response experience is an asset.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

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

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, discrimination, fraud, corruption and other forms of serious misconduct.

UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference, safeguarding and background verification checks. These checks may include verification of academic credentials and employment history, screening against relevant United Nations misconduct databases, and requests for misconduct disclosures from current and former employers, professional associations, other relevant organizations and participating organizations under inter-agency safeguarding initiatives, including the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), where applicable.

Appointment, selection and continued engagement are subject to the satisfactory completion of all required checks. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information and consent to enable UNICEF to undertake these checks. 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 are conditional on the selected candidates' willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

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 female applicants and people with disabilities 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.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

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.