UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

Disasters, climate change, and environmental degradation present significant and escalating threats to the well-being of children globally, jeopardizing the progress achieved in child survival and development. Over a billion children are exposed to severe risks from climate and environmental hazards such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, and cyclones. Consequently, it is imperative for countries to establish climate-resilient, low-carbon social services encompassing water and sanitation, healthcare, education, nutrition, social protection, and child protection to tackle current threats and prepare for increasingly severe impacts.

In alignment with our commitment to protect children and young people worldwide, UNICEF launched its Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (SCAP) 2023 - 2030.  The SCAP prioritizes urgent climate action through systematic partnerships with public and private sector institutions to prioritize the needs of children and young people and build their resilience to the climate threats at hand.  The SCAP strives to mainstream sustainability and climate action both internally and externally, through protecting the lives, health and well-being of children and their communities; empowering children with developmental opportunities and skills; and reducing emissions and the environmental footprint within UNICEF.. 

For every child, life free of poverty….

Join UNICEF as the Programme Specialist (Climate Change Adaptation) and play a key role in shaping global resilience efforts! As the organization’s technical focal point, you will lead the development of high-quality climate change adaptation proposals and manage technical and programmatic interactions with multilateral climate funds, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF).  With a successful track record in designing and implementing climate finance projects, you’ll provide expert guidance and ensure quality control for proposals that meet the rigorous eligibility and standards of major climate funds. You will work closely with UNICEF Regional and Country Offices to support the design and implementation of GCF projects while ensuring compliance with monitoring, evaluation, and reporting requirements. In this role, you’ll also oversee institutional contracts and consultants, driving impactful climate finance programming. If you’re passionate about leveraging technical expertise to address climate challenges and make a lasting impact on children’s futures, this is the opportunity for you!

How can you make a difference?

Technical Focal Point for Multilateral Climate Funds

The Programme Specialist will serve as UNICEF's technical focal point for interactions with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and other climate funding mechanisms, partnerships, and platforms. This includes staying informed on the latest eligibility criteria and programmatic requirements of these funds, providing advice to UNICEF management, regional offices (ROs), and country offices (COs). The Specialist will present UNICEF projects at Board meetings and other platforms, ensuring the organization remains strategically positioned within the climate finance landscape. Collaborating with the Public Partnerships Division (PPD), the role involves fostering productive relationships with GCF Secretariat staff and other multilateral climate funds, identifying opportunities for collaboration in thought leadership, evidence generation, and advocacy for child-focused climate adaptation.

Developing and Managing a Project Pipeline

The Specialist will lead the development and management of a robust pipeline of multilateral climate finance projects. Responsibilities include implementing a project scoping system to balance quality project ideas across UNICEF’s thematic sectors and regions, reviewing project eligibility, and ensuring compliance with criteria from climate funds. The role will oversee the creation and maintenance of guidance, documentation, and communication tools, such as newsletters and community platforms, to support GCF-related activities. Additionally, the Specialist will prepare financial and technical reports, updates, and briefings for senior management while contributing to events and discussions on climate financing.

Ensuring Technical Quality and Compliance

A key responsibility is to oversee the technical quality control of GCF proposal development, ensuring compliance with specific rules and regulations of the funds. The Specialist will monitor the programming of GCF funding within UNICEF, ensuring timely and efficient funding flows aligned with approved plans. Collaboration with internal teams, including Legal, ESS, and Partnerships, will ensure comprehensive support for funding proposals and address emerging challenges. The role also involves providing technical advice to country offices during the design and implementation of projects while maintaining quality control for financial and technical reporting, as well as monitoring and evaluation processes.

Advancing Climate Change Adaptation in UNICEF’s Work

The Specialist will provide technical input on climate change adaptation within UNICEF’s corporate strategies, reports, knowledge management, and advocacy efforts. This includes integrating climate adaptation into UNICEF’s established thematic sectors and representing the organization in inter-agency platforms to enhance its leadership in child-responsive climate action. Additionally, the role will contribute to knowledge-sharing processes, highlighting successful projects, lessons learned, and best practices in child-focused climate change adaptation. The Specialist may also undertake other duties as necessary to support UNICEF’s climate adaptation agenda.

The following minimum requirements:

Education:

Advanced University degree with experience and training/courses in one or more of the following disciplines: Climate science, disaster risk management, development studies, environmental sciences, engineering, or a field related to climate and disaster risk reduction.

Work Experience:

• At least 8 years post graduate, progressively responsible work experience designing and/or implementing national or community level interventions focusing on climate change adaptation.
• At least 3 years of demonstrated work experience developing and/or implementing climate-specific projects in developing countries.

Desirables/Assets

• Proven track-record developing successful funding proposals for multilateral climate funds
• In-depth knowledge of the project cycle, policies and processes of the Green Climate Fund (GCF)

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is 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…

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People
• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children.

All selected candidates will 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.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.

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.