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 Future

How can you make a difference?

As emergencies become more frequent, the expectations of UNICEF to deliver on the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs) in a timely and effective manner will continue to increase. Emergency preparedness significantly enhances UNICEF’s ability to meet these expectations and save time and resources in the response. In 2018 EMOPS created the Risk Analysis and Preparedness Section to bring together organizational elements focused on ensuring that UNICEF is prepared and ready to respond to all forms of hazard and threats that could create humanitarian needs for children and those who care for them. This includes developing UNICEF’s ability to anticipate hazards and their outcomes to trigger preparedness and readiness actions. This position contributes to this goal.

The Emergency Specialist (Risk Monitoring and Analysis) will facilitate UNICEF’s global risk monitoring and analysis, including research and analysis of issues potentially affecting UNICEF’s humanitarian response, including natural and human-induced threats and the related vulnerability of children and those who care for them. The Emergency Specialist will research and draft analytical reports, liaise with key partners and allies, and support the development of UNICEF’s analytical systems and related analytical capacity, policies and technologies. 

The Emergency Specialist (Risk Monitoring and Analysis) is based in UNICEF Headquarters, Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS), Risk Analysis and Preparedness Section (RAPS) and reports to the Emergency Specialist.

The Emergency Specialist (Risk Monitoring and Analysis) will facilitate UNICEF’s global risk monitoring and analysis, including research and analysis of issues potentially affecting UNICEF’s humanitarian response, including natural and human-induced threats and the related vulnerability of children and those who care for them. The Emergency Specialist will research and draft analytical reports, liaise with key partners and allies, and support the development of UNICEF’s analytical systems and related analytical capacity, policies and technologies.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

1. Carries out global risk scanning and analysis at regular intervals, in coordination with HQs, ROs and COs and HQ, to inform and help trigger emergency preparedness and response.
2. Researches and analyses natural or human-induced threats and the related vulnerability of children and those who care for them in countries of interest to UNICEF around the world, to support emergency preparedness actions or programmatic adjustments.
3. Provides technical advice and training on risk monitoring and analysis processes and policy to relevant staff at HQ/RO/CO.
4. Supports development of technological innovations in UNICEF’s analytical processes.
5. Continuous, effective and strategic cooperation with key actors.

Duties/Tasks:

1. Carries out global risk scanning and analysis at regular intervals, in coordination with HQs, ROs and COs and HQ, to inform and help trigger emergency preparedness and response.
- Liaise and coordinate information sharing with HQ, RO, and CO focal points for risk analysis and monitoring.
- Participate and/or initiate meetings on risk analysis/monitoring with EMOPS, other HQ Divisions, ROs and COs as appropriate.
- Review COs and ROs risk analyses (in the EPP) and provide feedback (or support ROs in providing timely feedback).
- Produce risk analysis/monitoring briefs.

2. Researches and analyses natural or human-induced threats and the related vulnerability of children and those who care for them in countries of interest to UNICEF around the world, to support emergency preparedness actions or programmatic adjustments.
- Coordinate with UNICEF HQ, RO and CO to identify key risk-related issues requiring further study/analysis.
- Identify appropriate data sources including UNICEF data platforms, UN Departments, Agencies, Funds and Programmes and external entities - open sources, subscription services, NGOs, academia, think tanks etc.
- Research and draft analytical papers of varying length on identified topics/dynamics, to include, inter alia, socio-political, security, conflict, humanitarian, population movement, access etc.

3. Provides technical advice and training on risk monitoring and analysis processes and policy to relevant staff at HQ/RO/CO.
- Provide technical assistance on risk analysis/monitoring issues to HQ/RO/CO.
- Support coherence with ERM, BCM and SRM procedures, concepts and tools as regards risk analysis.
- Support development of online and in person trainings to build risk analysis capacity.
- Support implementation of trainings as above.

4. Supports development of technological innovations in UNICEF’s analytical processes.
- Maintain a wide professional network, keeping abreast of ideas and innovations in humanitarian research and analysis.
- Keep abreast of the development and implementation of UNICEF and other humanitarian data platforms, including E-Tools, Innovation Department, DRP, DEEP etc. in conjunction with EMOPs, GCCU and IT.
- Develop data analysis tools to support analysis of human-induced and natural hazards.
- Keep abreast of external software developments, around social media monitoring, analysis software, data analysis/mining/fusion platforms, media monitoring/aggregation etc., and support integrating these with UNICEF processes.
  
5. Continuous, effective and strategic collaboration with key actors.
- Establish and maintain relationships with key actors/allies, including UN AFP and Departments (especially OPSCEN equivalents, e.g. UNOCC), NGOs, academia, private sector, think tanks etc.

6. This position can be deployed in the field as required to support Country Offices and Regional Offices. 

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Emergency Specialist (Risk Monitoring & Analysis)_P3 - JD

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Political Science, Economics, International Studies, Social Science and any other related fields.
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in humanitarian risk analysis, including conflict analysis and any other related fields. Experience analyzing the risk to vulnerable populations posed by both conflict and natural threats, using methods of estimating likelihood/probability and impact, and drafting related reports is required.
• Skills: Demonstrated skills in using data for analytical purposes, including with Excel or more advanced tools such as SPPS or R, and data visualization tools such as PowerBI or Tableau is required. 
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
• Ability to code using tools such as Python, SQL, Databricks, etc., and connect these to e.g. PowerBI is an asset.
• 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.

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, all 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.