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 Chance

UNICEF’s new Strategic Plan (2026–2029) positions young people as key partners, co‑creators, and advocates in shaping solutions affecting their lives. It emphasizes meaningful youth engagement, opportunities for skills development, participation in decision making, and influence over policy reform.

In Mozambique, where 65% of the population is under 24, expanding adolescents’ opportunities to learn, engage, and earn is fundamental to UNICEF’s equity agenda and to increasing young people’s life chances. With one of the fastest growing youth populations, the country stands at a pivotal moment: this demographic shift can drive growth and stability, or deepen inequality and exclusion if young people lack the skills, agency, and viable pathways to succeed.

Young people in Mozambique face deep structural barriers that limit their ability to reach their full potential. Despite significant expansion of the education system, outcomes remain weak: only about half of children complete primary school, and just one in four finishes secondary education. Many start school late, drop out early, or fall well behind their expected grade level,  leaving the majority without the foundational skills required to progress.

The transition from learning to decent work is equally constrained. A persistent mismatch between the skills young people acquire and those demanded by the labour market—combined with slow economic growth, a largely informal economy, rapid population growth, and limited support for entrepreneurship—means that most youth struggle to access stable and meaningful employment.

At the same time, young people report feeling excluded from decision making processes, with limited voice or influence over the issues shaping their lives. This lack of agency reinforces cycles of marginalization, keeping many on the margins of social, civic, and economic participation.

For more information about UNICEF Mozambique's work please follow this link

You can also access and explore all new UNICEF vacancies via the UNICEF Mozambique website link herein.

The Youth Engagement Manager (Learning and Skills) P4, under the leadership of Chief Education (P5) is responsible for shaping the adolescent learning, skills, engagement, and earning agenda, positioning adolescent development as a cross-sectoral priority and ensure coherence, scale, and impact across sections, while accelerating pathways that prepare young people for lifelong learning, future livelihoods and meaningful civic/social engagement and action. Specific focus is on the most vulnerable amongst young people, including those affected by crisis, adolescent girls and young people living with disabilities.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities: 

1. Strategic Leadership & Programme Coherence
2. Strengthening Adolescent Learning & Skills
3. School-to-Work Transition & Economic Inclusion
4. Youth Engagement & Civic Participation
5. Partnerships, Advocacy and Resource Mobilization
6. Programme Management & Team Leadership 

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  JD Youth Engagement Manager P4.docx

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in social sciences, education, communication, development studies, or a related field relevant to youth engagement, skills development, or the Learning-to-Earning (L2E). A Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in a relevant area combined with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. This is applicable to internal (FT, Continuing and Permanent) staff only.
• Work Experience: At least 8 years of progressively responsible experience in youth engagement, skills development, advocacy, communication, or program management within international or development contexts is required. Demonstrated experience designing or implementing youth focused programmes, including digital platforms, youth participation mechanisms, or skills-building initiatives is required. Proven track record in shaping or managing multi stakeholder partnerships, including with government, youth led organizations, civil society, private sector, or UN agencies is required.
• Skills: Strong communication skills, leadership skills, knowledge of children’s rights, public policy, international development and humanitarian issues, knowledge of child safeguarding and ethics of working with children and youth is required.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish),
• Knowledge of Portuguese is a very strong asset,
• Experience in design and management of projects, including budget management and monitoring and evaluation of results,
• Experience in advocacy at the international level,
• Experience in training and facilitation,
• 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.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children's data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

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.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.