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, resilience.

The efficiency and efficacy of emergency preparedness and response, planning and implementation of nutrition programs/projects contributes to and accelerates the achievement of the Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies ( CCCs) and the national development efforts to prevent excess mortality due to malnutrition, improve the nutritional status of mothers, infants and children in the country, and this in turn contributes to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to continue to provide program services for mothers and children that promotes greater social equity in the country.

How can you make a difference? 

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Provide timely and state-of-the-art technical in Nutrition for Child Survival and Development in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery to UNICEF Country Programs and countries in key nutrition technical areas of the continuum of care for newborns, mothers and young children, so as to fulfill the UNICEF Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) in Humanitarian Action:

• Effective leadership is established for nutrition cluster interagency coordination, with links to other cluster/sector coordination mechanisms on critical inter-sectoral issues.
• Support for Timely nutritional assessment and surveillance systems are established and/or reinforced.
• Support for appropriate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) is accessed by affected women and children in humanitarian situations.
• Children and women with acute malnutrition access appropriate management services
• Children and women access micronutrients from fortified foods, supplements or multiple-micronutrient preparations.
• Children and women access relevant information about nutrition programme activities.

The CCCs for nutrition aim to address major causes of nutritional deterioration and death by protecting the nutritional status of children and women, including their micronutrient status, and by identifying and treating those already suffering from undernutrition using evidence-based interventions and according to inter-agency agreements and existing inter-agency standards (e.g., Sphere Standards).

2. Provide timely and quality program support in Nutrition for Child Survival and Development in Preparedness, Emergency and recovery situations to UNICEF Country Programs in six key program areas:

• Policy dialogue and policy development;
• Program planning, monitoring and evaluation;
• Knowledge generation, dissemination, and management;
• Capacity building and strengthening;
• Partnerships development and resource mobilization;
• Cluster leadership and coordination in humanitarian response;
• Short-term surge support to countries in emergencies;
• Oversight by delegation of the regional director.

3. Conceptualizes, develops, and disseminates regional technical analyses, reports and publications by compiling and scrutinizing information, tabulating and analyzing data, and presenting findings and results. Support regional institutions (CILSS, ECOWAS) in analyzing nutrition information and data and represent the section in the regional resilience effort.
4. Develops and submits quality progress and financial reports to donors and resource mobilization proposals for Nutrition and Child Survival and Nutrition for Preparedness, Emergency Response, and recovery programming.
5. Participates in intersectoral collaboration with other sectors in the Regional Office (particularly Supply, Resilience / DRR, Health, WASH, Education, HIV/AIDS, and Emergencies) and in the regional coordination mechanisms for crisis management and prevention (intersector / OCHA; and The Regional Network for Food Crisis Prevention / RPCA); advocate for Nutrition and support analysis and programming within those fora.

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: An Advanced University Degree in nutrition, nutritional epidemiology, public health, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management, or other health related science field is required.
• Work Experience: A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in public health/nutrition planning and management and/or in relevant areas of maternal, newborn and child nutrition health care at the international level some of which preferably in a developing country is required.
• Relevant experience in health/nutrition program/project development and management in any UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in French and English (oral and written) required.
• 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:

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 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.

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.

Special Notice on UNICEF office relocation:

UNICEF and other UN Agencies will be moving soon to the new United Nations House in Diamniadio, 30 kilometers from downtown Dakar. The name of the duty station for this position will remain Dakar, Senegal.