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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
For every child, a superhero
Humanitarian action is of fundamental importance to UNICEF and encompasses interventions aimed at saving lives, alleviating suffering, maintaining human dignity, and protecting the rights of affected populations wherever there are humanitarian needs, as well as interventions addressing underlying risks and causes of vulnerability to disasters, fragility and conflict. UNICEF’s humanitarian action is guided by the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs) which set organizational, programmatic and operational commitments and benchmarks against which UNICEF holds itself accountable for the coverage, quality and equity of its humanitarian action and advocacy and which are mandatory for all UNICEF personnel.
Furthermore, UNICEF is committed to support humanitarian coordination through the cluster approach. Introduced as part of the humanitarian reform, the cluster approach, aims at ensuring clear leadership, predictability and accountability in international responses to humanitarian emergencies by clarifying the division of labor among organizations and better defining their roles and responsibilities within the different sectors involved in the response. As a member of the IASC, UNICEF works along with national and local stakeholders (including national and local authorities, CSOs, and communities) to support humanitarian coordination and to improve the collective impact of humanitarian response. Whether the cluster approach is activated or not, UNICEF plays a key role in both global and country-level interagency coordination for its areas of programmatic responsibility. As Cluster Lead Agency (CLA) for Nutrition, WASH, Education (co-led), and Child Protection Area of Responsibility (AoR) within the Protection Cluster, UNICEF is committed to fulfil the core functions defined by the IASC when the clusters are activated or when UNICEF is asked to support sectoral coordination. A well-run Cluster/Working Group coordination team is a formal deliverable of the Cluster Lead Agency and forms a part of the agency’s work.
How can you make a difference?
Under the overall direction and guidance of the Nutrition chief and the UNICEF representative, the Nutrition Specialist Cluster Coordinator will provide leadership and representation of the Cluster/ Working Group. They will facilitate the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response by participants in the national Cluster/ Working Group that is accountable to those who are affected by the emergency. In their effort to provide an efficient and effective response to the humanitarian crisis, the Nutrition Specialist Cluster Coordinator is responsible for building relationships with stakeholders, for securing the overall coordination of sectoral responses and for ensuring inter-sectoral collaboration at the sub-national level and for ensuring adequate coordination with the national level.
The post holder is responsible for providing predictable, timely and strategic leadership and representation for the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group at sub-national level to ensure a timely and effective sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group response. The post holder is responsible for leading a range of stakeholders, beyond their immediate direct reports, to work collectively towards the realization of a shared goal based on evidence.
The post holder's main tasks and responsibilities will include but not be limited to:
- Coordination, representation and leadership
- Needs assessment and analysis
- Strategic response planning
- Resource mobilization and advocacy
- Implementation and monitoring
- Operational peer review and evaluation
- Accountability to affected populations
- Strengthen national and local capacity
Working in partnership with sub-national Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group participants, the Nutrition Specialist Cluster Coordinator provides leadership and representation for the Cluster/ Sector/ Working Group at sub-national level. This contributes to the predictability and accountability of humanitarian action, in line with the aims of the cluster approach and IASC principles, and ensures that the humanitarian response is well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, effective and builds the resilience of the affected population. It also contributes to maintaining and enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to fulfil its commitments as Cluster Lead Agency, in line with the CCCs.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
Nutrition Specialist Cluster Coordinator Level 3 TMS.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
[Include the vacancy requirements aligned to the category and level of the position. You can see examples in the branded VA example.]
- Education: An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: nutrition, public health, nutritional epidemiology, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management, health sciences, humanitarian assistance and development or another health-related social science field.
- A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in one of the following areas is required: nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management, or maternal, infant and child health/nutrition care. Relevant experience in health/nutrition programme/project development and management in a UN system agency or organization is considered an asset.
- Experience of working in the humanitarian coordination system is required.
- Experience in humanitarian contexts is required. Experience in development contexts is an added advantage.
- Direct, practical experience in the design, implementation and/ or coordination of nutrition interventions through community-based platforms, and effective intersectoral collaboration is strongly desired.
- Prior experience in partnership development and management, including bilateral donors, foundations and civil society is an asset.
- Experience in effective management of human resources/teams in high stress/risk environments is an advantage
- Language Requirements: Fluency in French and English are required
Desirables:
- Developing in field office experience and/or familiarity with emergency 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 is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.
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’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates and candidates 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.
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.