Current vacancies

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 peace 

PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT:

This remote international consultancy is designed to deliver high-quality content and strategic advice on climate-resilient initiatives, helping UNICEF strengthen its private sector engagement on climate action and establish itself as a leading convener in this space.

The consultant will contribute to shaping and advancing UNICEF’s global climate partnerships agenda by ensuring that adaptation and resilience-building approaches are well articulated, evidence-based, and effectively integrated into private sector climate strategies.

By providing thought leadership, technical inputs, and advocacy support, the consultancy will help position UNICEF as a key partner in climate adaptation for children, particularly within the frameworks of global climate finance, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process, and high-level events such as the Conference of the Parties (COP). The assignment will directly support the Climate Partnerships team in the Private Sector Fundraising and Partnerships (PSFP) Section in Geneva, in developing compelling narratives, tools, and mechanisms that attract and sustain private sector investments in climate-resilient social services, with a focus on ensuring safe and sustainable services for every child in a changing climate.

How can you make a difference? 

SCOPE OF WORK:

The Climate Partnerships team sits within the PSFP section in the UNICEF’s Private Fundraising and Partnerships Division (PFP). Leveraging insight and working across the UNICEF ecosystem, the Private Sector Climate Partnerships team is responsible for the coordination, development, and realization of the private sector elements of UNICEF’s global climate partnerships strategy. The team equips UNICEF to attract and retain climate partnerships, as well as positions the organization in the climate space by:

-  Unlocking new strategic opportunities to attract private sector climate partners.

-  Creating an enabling internal environment to successfully engage with existing climate partnerships and platforms.

-  Working with teams to develop and test new audience-centric climate offers.

Under the guidance of the Chief of Climate Partnerships, and in close coordination with other teams, the selected candidate will be responsible for providing strategic advice on ways to position UNICEF on climate adaptation, linking with new strategies and mechanisms. The consultant will:

-  Provide strategic support to the Chief on issues related to the UNFCCC, including constituted financial bodies (e.g., the Standing Committee on Finance, the Private Sector Initiative, the Needs-Based Finance), by preparing technical inputs, briefings, and participating in key meetings and forums as required.

-  Support UNICEF’s strategic engagement at global and regional climate events such as COP, Regional Climate Weeks, and Climate Weeks, including developing key messages, event concepts, and talking points for senior leadership.

-  Support UNICEF’s engagement in global climate finance dialogues and private sector initiatives, helping to identify strategic opportunities to position UNICEF as a key partner in climate adaptation for children.

-  Contribute to the development and implementation of monitoring and reporting systems that track UNICEF’s private sector climate partnerships in relation to the Global Goal on Adaptation and the Global Stocktake process.

-  Design and deliver internal capacity-building initiatives, including webinars and training sessions, to strengthen understanding and engagement among UNICEF National Committees, fundraising managers, and other relevant teams on climate adaptation and partnerships.

The consultant will work closely with the PFP Climate Partnerships team and the Public Partnerships Division to ensure coherent positioning and messaging across the organization while supporting the Chief in engaging with key stakeholders and representing UNICEF in high-level climate fora.

WORK ASSIGNMENTS:

1.  Strategic support to the Chief on global climate policy processes.

2.  Preparation for COP30 and COP31.

3.  Support for Climate Weeks.

4.  Engagement with private and public sector climate initiatives.

5.  Development of monitoring and reporting frameworks.

6.  Capacity-building and training activities.

7.  Strategic advisory support for UNICEF’s internal and external communication with partners.

8.  Ongoing technical advice and coordination.

DELIVERABLES:

The consultant will submit monthly deliverables throughout the contract period and payments will be processed at the end of each month, upon acceptance of deliverables by the supervisor.

Deliverable 1: by April 2026

• Technical inputs, briefs, and talking points for the Chief and PFP leadership related to UNFCCC processes (e.g., Standing Committee on Finance, Adaptation Committee) and global agreements (Paris Agreement, SDGs).

Deliverable 2: by November 2026 (COP31)

• Key messages, event briefs, background notes, and talking points for UNICEF’s participation in COP31 (November 2026).

Deliverable 3: by March 2026

• Strategic briefs, UNICEF messaging, and coordination inputs for relevant events to align UNICEF’s presence with global priorities on adaptation and partnerships.

Deliverable 4: by June 2026

• Identification of new partnership opportunities and preparation of concept notes or briefs to enhance UNICEF’s positioning with private sector actors on climate adaptation.

Deliverable 5: by July 2026

• Concept note and draft monitoring framework aligned with the Global Goal on Adaptation and the Global Stocktake to support UNICEF’s internal tracking and reporting.

Deliverable 6: by October 2026

• Two webinars and one in-person (or hybrid) training session developed and delivered for National Committees and fundraising managers on climate adaptation partnerships.

Deliverable 7:  Ongoing from December 2025 to December 2026

• Drafts of technical notes, success stories, and messaging materials to support UNICEF’s leadership communication on adaptation and partnerships.

Deliverable 8: by December 2026

• Ad-hoc technical support, coordination with the Public Partnerships Division, and review of strategic documents as required by the Chief.

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

Education:

• An advanced degree or higher qualification in engineering or science (including geology or earth sciences, climate change adaptation, water resource management, or engineering.
• Alternatively, a first-level degree with an additional 5 years of relevant work experience will be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 15 years of professional work experience in the UN or other international development organizations, national governments or the private sector.
• Background/familiarity to UNICEF climate programmes, operational implementation and management of climate resilient approaches.
• Experience in high level engagement in key climate forums such as COP and others.
• Experience working at a senior level with key sector stakeholders such as UNFCCC, UN-Water, others.
• Demonstrated experience in international development, with expertise in climate-resilient WASH and UNICEF programming, is an asset.
• Strong Verbal and written) and excellent communication skills, is required.
• Strong communicator with training experience, is a requirement.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

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. 

Remarks:  

Please indicate your all-inclusive (lump sum) fees against the deliverables listed above, including all associated administrative and travel costs (if applicable), in the cover letter. The office selects the individual based on best value for money.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

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. 

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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background 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.