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For every child, the right to a healthy life

UNICEF Guyana and Suriname | UNICEF Guyana & Suriname

How can you make a difference? 

Background & Rationale:

Solarizing healthcare centers offers a transformative approach to reaching children to receive primary healthcare, especially zero-dose children—those who have not received any routine vaccinations or other primary health services.Healthcare centers can ensure a reliable and sustainable power supply by harnessing solar energy, even in remote and underserved areas. Electricity is an important enabler and dramatically improves the quality, accessibility and reliability of healthcare services for children. There are positive correlations between electricity access and health outcomes. Healthcare centers with access to solar energy also support children and young people to receive primary healthcare and immunization services; enabling service continuity even during emergencies of lighting, heating, ventilation, clean water supply, sanitation, and hygiene services, especially in areas that are not connected to reliable electricity grids. In emergencies such as COVID- 19, electricity in healthcare centers is especially critical to treat patients, operate lifesaving medical devices, and to meet 24/7 cooling needs of the vaccine cold chain and other medicines.
Electricity access is crucial for quality healthcare but often overlooked. Solar energy offers a sustainable, low-carbon solution that benefits children and strengthens climate resilience. However, challenges remain due to limited data on energy demand, costs, delivery models, and long-term sustainability, particularly regarding operations and maintenance (O&M).

UNICEF is committed to scaling up sustainable energy integration into program priority areas (e.g. Health, WASH, and Education sectors) to accomplish positive social and climate benefits for children. UNICEF will support the solar demand assessment of selected primary health care centers in Guyana and Suriname and elaborate an investment case to support children in remote and hard to reach areas to improve access to primary healthcare services.

Purpose of this consultancy

The consultant will serve as the technical lead for efforts to conduct solarization (solar energy demand) assessments of about 100 facilities in Guyana and Suriname. The consultancy focuses on supporting the planning and implementation of these assessments while providing technical guidance, training, and contextual adaptation of assessment tools to the respective country contexts. The consultancy will also involve overseeing the consolidation, quality assurance, and analysis of field data collected from health facilities, and contributing to the preparation of country‑specific Solar Energy Demand Assessment reports. The findings and outputs will be integrated into a regional investment case, supporting evidence‑based decision‑making and resource mobilization for the solarization of healthcare facilities in the LAC region.

The incumbent will be under the supervision of the Suriname and Guyana Health Officers and will work in close coordination with the health and climate change team in the UNICEF Guyana and Suriname CO and the Center of Excellence in Panama to undertake energy demand assessments and pertinent analysis in Guyana and Suriname. 

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

Minimum requirements:

• Advanced university degree in relevant areas such as engineering, renewable energy, climate change finance/economics, environmental sciences/management/economics.
  Work experience 
  • A minimum of 7 years professional experience in renewable energy and finance (preferably in off grid energy access, solar sector) at global and/or regional levels required;
  • Working experience in energy demand assessments and developing tools, data analysis, socioeconomic analysis, identifying innovative business models to leverage public and private sector engagement is preferred;
  • Experience in off grid renewable energy access in UNICEF core priority sectors including Health, Education, WASH, Social Policy is an asset.
  • Experience in coordination and planning of solarization assessments
  • Experience in installation of solar energy for public service infrastructure, knowledge of solar equipment specifications and maintenance cycles.
  • Experience in preparing investment cases and budgeting
  Working Languages
  • Fluent in English
  
  Competencies
  • Ability to coordinate, convene stakeholders and report in a timely manner;
  • Excellent organizational skill, service-mind, punctual, self-motivated, proactive, reliable and demonstrated ability to work in harmony with Government, private sector and staff members of different national backgrounds;
  • Respect for the principles of UNICEF.
  • Excellent report writing skills; and strong communication skills including and presentation skills; and,
  • Proven capability to meet deadlines and work under pressure.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  ToR Solarization Specialist -GuySur 2026.pdf

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 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 living with a disability 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.