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 childwood

UNICEF's mission is to ensure every child’s rights are realized, fostering equitable and sustainable development. Addressing climate change, environmental sustainability, and disaster risk reduction are integral to safeguarding children’s futures, as highlighted in the UNICEF Strategic Plan (2022–2025) and the Chile Country Programme (2023–2026).

This position is central to ensuring that UNICEF Chile incorporates environment and climate change considerations into its programs and advocacy. It will support the organization’s strategic alignment with national frameworks such as Chile’s Climate Change Framework Law and global frameworks like the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Programme Officer (Environment and Climate Change) plays a pivotal role in ensuring that UNICEF Chile's programs address the pressing challenges of environmental sustainability, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and climate resilience. This includes leading the integration of these critical themes into existing and future programs, with a focus on protecting children and their communities from environmental and climate-related risks. The incumbent will provide technical guidance to internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that interventions are evidence-based, child-focused, and aligned with both national frameworks and global priorities such as the Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and UNICEF’s Climate Change Action Plan.

The role requires fostering cross-sectoral collaboration within UNICEF’s program areas, including health, education, social protection, and child protection, to maximize impact and sustainability. By engaging with government agencies, civil society, private sector, and international partners, the Programme Officer will advocate for inclusive and child-sensitive climate policies and interventions. The role also involves generating data, evidence, and tools to strengthen programming and influence public and private investment in climate resilience. Furthermore, the incumbent will identify and promote innovative solutions, advocate for sustainable practices, and empower children and youth as key actors in climate action, ensuring that the most vulnerable populations are prioritized and protected.

How can you make a difference? 

Programme Development and Planning:
• Policy Integration: Assist in the design and integration of environment, climate change, and disaster risk reduction (DRR) considerations into UNICEF’s programs, ensuring alignment with national strategies, including Chile’s Framework Law on Climate Change, and global frameworks such as the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Needs Assessment: Research and analyze environmental, social, and economic trends affecting children, identifying priorities and opportunities for UNICEF interventions in the areas of environment and climate.
• Resource Mobilization: Prepare proposals and concept notes to mobilize resources for environment and climate-related programs, ensuring gender and equity considerations are incorporated.

Programme Implementation and Coordination:
• Collaboration: Work closely with other programme sectors (health, education, social protection) to integrate climate resilience and environmental sustainability into cross-sectoral programming.
• Capacity Building: Organize training and workshops for government partners, civil society, and UNICEF staff on climate-sensitive programming and DRR strategies.
• Technical Support: Provide operational and technical guidance for implementing climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable initiatives, ensuring adherence to UNICEF policies and standards.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting:
• Performance Metrics: Develop and monitor program-specific indicators to assess the impact of climate and environment-related interventions on children and communities.
• Data and Evidence: Collect, analyze, and synthesize data on climate and environmental impacts on children, contributing to evidence-based advocacy and decision-making.
• Progress Reporting: Prepare high-quality reports for internal and external stakeholders, showcasing program achievements and lessons learned.

Partnership Building and Advocacy:
• Stakeholder Engagement: Establish and maintain partnerships with government agencies, academia, civil society organizations, and the private sector to foster collaboration on child-sensitive climate and environmental policies.
• Public Advocacy: Advocate for increased investment in climate resilience, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of environmental challenges on children, especially those from vulnerable communities.
• Regional and Global Linkages: Facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices with regional and global UNICEF teams and external partners to enhance the effectiveness of local initiatives.

Innovation and Knowledge Management:
• Innovative Solutions: Promote the adoption of innovative technologies and approaches for addressing climate and environmental challenges affecting children.
• Knowledge Sharing: Develop training materials, policy briefs, and toolkits to disseminate learnings and empower stakeholders to act on climate and environmental issues.

Impact of Results

The Programme Officer's work will ensure that UNICEF Chile effectively addresses climate and environmental challenges, leading to:
• Enhanced resilience of children and their communities to climate and environmental risks.
• Strengthened cross-sectoral collaboration on climate and DRR initiatives.
• Increased visibility of UNICEF's leadership in promoting sustainable development and climate justice for children in Chile.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here.

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education:

  Required: A university degree in environmental science, natural resource management, environmental engineering, public policy, geography, or another relevant field.

  Desirable: Advanced studies in climate change, disaster risk reduction, or sustainability are an asset.

• Work Experience: 

  Required:
  • At least 1 year of professional experience in areas related to climate change, environmental management, or disaster risk reduction.

  • Demonstrated experience in program planning, implementation, and evaluation, particularly in integrating environmental concerns into broader development or humanitarian initiatives.

  Desirable:
  • Experience working with or for international organizations, government agencies, or NGOs on climate or environmental programming.

  • Familiarity with child-centered approaches to environmental and climate resilience, including evidence generation and advocacy.

  • Proficiency in designing training programs or workshops on environment and climate change topics.

• Skills (optional):
• • Strong understanding of climate change, environmental sustainability, and disaster risk reduction.
  • Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, and private sector actors.
  • Proficient in data analysis and evidence-based policy advocacy.
  • Excellent communication and training skills.
  • Capacity for strategic thinking and problem-solving.
  
  
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Spanish is required.
  
  
• Additional requirements: Chilean Nationality is Required for this position. National Professional Officers are nationals of the country in which they are serving, and their functions must have a national context, i.e. functions that require national experience or knowledge of the national language, culture, institutions, and systems.

Desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency. 

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 committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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:

This is a Temporary Appointment with a maximum of two-year contract.

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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 disversity profiles 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.