Current vacancies

Contract Duration – 12.5 months

Working arrangement: Office  Based with trip

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.

                                                         TERMS OF REFERENCE

The tremendous gains in child development over the past 30 years are being threatened by climate change and environmental degradation. Patterns of deprivations among children are changing and children face multiple overlapping risks from extreme weather events, changing climate patterns, air pollution and vulnerable social services. A billion children globally are at extremely high risk of the impacts of the climate crisis, threatening their ability to survive, grow and thrive, and deepening existing inequities. Multiple studies point to the impact of climate change on children’s health, education, social security and protection and migration related deprivations. In China, more than 200 million children are exposed to climate change and environmental impacts.

UNICEF is working with Ministry of Ecology & Environment to address these challenges through multiple program interventions. This is supported by the global framework of the Sustainability & Climate Change Action Plan (SCAP). UNICEF has successfully advocated with the Government of China for establishing partnerships for child focused climate action and is working with them to develop a child-focused framework for implementation of existing national adaptation policies.

This consultancy is designed to provide technical support to the Climate section for the planning, implementation, documentation and quality assurance of the research activities about to be undertaken with the UNICEF partners, as part of the approved work plan for 2026 and 2027. The consultant will primarily engage with Ministry of Ecology and Environment, specifically National Center for Climate Change Strategy & International Cooperation under MEE, Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy of MEE, Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center of MEE, Environmental Development Center of MEE, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences of MEE, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Normal University.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  Tor x TMC0007405.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master`s university degree in Climate/ Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences, Social Research, Development Studies and/or any related disciplines
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of research experience in climate change and/or environmental sciences
• Skills (optional):  
• Demonstrated research experience or collaborative research with government institutions, particularly with the MEE
• Good analytical and report writing skills
• Language Requirements: English & Chinese
• Desirables:
• Demonstrated field experience of working in climate change or environmental programs, especially involving social sectors
• Candidates with a Ph.D in the relevant disciplines will be preferred

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 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 reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 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.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter
• A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template)  Financial proposal TMC0007405.docx

Remarks:  If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not downloadable on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers.

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.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.