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, Diversity

Since 1950, UNICEF has supported the most important transformation for children and adolescents in Brazil. UNICEF Brazil with its main office in Brasília and nine field offices works in close partnership with national and sub-national governments, corporate partners, youth, and civil society organizations.

The UNICEF Gender Action Plan (GAP) 2022–2025 is designed to promote gender equality across all UNICEF programmes and workplaces, aligning with the UNICEF Gender Policy 2021–2030. It emphasizes that everyone in the organization is responsible for advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. The GAP outlines steps to accelerate progress on gender equality within the five Goal Areas of the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022–2025, incorporating lessons learned from previous plans and current evidence, including the impacts of COVID-19. It also highlights the importance of addressing gender discrimination throughout the life course and focuses on empowering adolescent girls. The plan includes engaging boys and men as allies, supporting girls' agency, and advancing policy solutions. Additionally, UNICEF Brazil is adopting an intersectional approach to tackle overlapping inequalities related to gender, race, and ethnicity.

For information on the work of our organization in Brazil, please visit our website: UNICEF Brazil.

How can you make a difference? 

This is a senior strategic position which is reporting to the Representative but collaborating very closely the Deputy Representative for Programmes given the overarching and cross-cutting importance of gender in all programme components. The Gender & Development Manager plays a crucial role in aligning the Country Programme 2024-2028 with the Gender Action Plan (GAP) 2022-2025. This role involves providing technical advice to the Representative and Senior Management Team, integrating gender, race, and ethnicity (GRE) approaches across UNICEF programmes, and advocating for GRE inclusion in national child rights policies. The Manager supports all stages of programming to ensure the delivery of results that contribute to gender equality, advances anti-racist strategies, and implements interventions for indigenous and traditional populations. Additionally, the Manager oversees the development, implementation, and monitoring of high-quality GRE programming in line with the GAP and national policies. She or he will:

1. Support senior programme colleagues and management of the Country Office to advance one or more of the five Targeted Gender Priorities in the Gender Action Plan. S/he also plays a role in working with one or more of the five UNICEF sectors to mainstream gender by prioritizing key gender results within the sector(s) with a strong gender relevance;
2. Support senior programme colleagues and management in designing and implementing a gender, race and ethnic equality strategy in support of programme results, ensuring that gender priorities are complemented by racial equity strategies and interventions, and by dedicated strategies for indigenous people.
3. Lead cross-sectional collaboration and coordination on key programmatic results on gender, race and ethnicity, ensuring coherence, maximization of synergies and efficiency in utilization of resources and delivery of results;
4. Work with programme colleagues and management so that gender, race and ethnicity results are effectively defined, measured, and reported, and high quality assessment, research, evidence generation and evaluation on gender programming is undertaken and utilized;
5. Lead effective review, assessment, planning, capacity building, and knowledge management on gender, race and ethnicity across the CO;
6. Support the assessment and identification of gender needs for emergency preparedness and response, and provides gender relevant guidance and technical input on emergency programming.

To view the full job description, please clique HERE

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: Advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in Social Sciences (i.e. sociology, demography, psychology, political science, social policy or economics), public health, public policy, public administration, international development, or in an area relevant to UNICEF’s sectoral work (e.g. Health, Nutrition, WASH, Education, Child Protection, Social Inclusion, HIV/AIDs, etc.)

Work Experience: 

Minimum eight years of progressively responsible professional experience and demonstrated track record of having undertaken and led substantive programming and research on gender and development.

Skills:

• Strong substantive, technical, programmatic and research skills in gender along with sectoral expertise in at least one of the following sectors: Health, Education, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), HIV/AIDS, Protection, Social Policy, Social and Behavior Change (SBC), Early Childhood Development (ECD), or combined expertise in Adolescents.
• Proven ability to connect sectoral issues and programmatic approaches on gender, race and ethnicity; experience with this in emergency contexts an asset.
• Substantive knowledge and experience integrating gender into humanitarian responses and programming, including needs assessment, programme implementation and monitoring, an asset.
• Proven rigor in analytical, conceptual and programme /project design skills relevant to gender and development with an understanding of theories of change and path from intervention to results.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting or conducting rigorous research and analysis on gender, including quantitative research methodologies, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Wide knowledge and understanding of country/regional/global gender, race and ethnic equality issues, specifically relating to children and women, and the current trends, methods and approaches. Familiarity and work experience in the country/region of preferred placement also an asset.
• Demonstrated success in developing proposals and securing resources for programme and research initiatives with a strong gender component.
• Ability to contextualize and be able to translate the approaches into practicable programme/project design in complex environments where gender issues are often sensitive to raise within certain national contexts
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including an ability to write succinctly and clearly and speak in public forums compellingly and with confidence.
• High level of initiative and independence in ability to undertake complex tasks while proactively seeking relevant input, cooperation, and guidance from key constituents.
• Experience and demonstrated ability to motivate others and create and encourage a climate of teamwork and collaboration across sectors and in a multi-cultural environment.
• Ability to make effective use of political processes to influence and persuade others inside and outside UNICEF and negotiate a desired direction and/or outcome
• Ability to think outside the box, generate new ideas, approaches, or insights and develop innovative ways to undertake projects and initiatives, shape solutions to problems.
• Strategic thinker who can pull disparate ideas into a cohesive vision, strategy, plan that is positive and compelling for other to join, collaborate, and implement.
• Proven ability to build rapport with individuals and groups and maintain an effective network of individuals across organizational departments as well as externally.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Portuguese is required.

Desirables:

• Experience in designing, implementing, managing, and delivering results-based programmes/projects on gender and development or any other cross cutting programme, especially at country/field level, experience in emergency response is desirable.
• Academic credentials in gender are a strong asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency. 
• Knowledge of Spanish would be considered 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.

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 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 afro-descendants, indigenous, and other minorities 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.