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 clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.

How can you make a difference? 

Globally, 2024 was the hottest year on record with the global average temperature at about 1.55°C above pre-industrial level. The UNFCCC Paris COP ‘limit’ of 1.5°C has already been breached. The extent of the global heat anomaly in 2024 was unprecedented and is not represented in state-of-the-art climate models, leading to speculation that the planet may be in “uncharted territory”. Children born after 2020 will experience more frequent and more intense extreme events than people born in 1965, including fires, floods, drought, cyclones, and heatwaves.

Children are more vulnerable to climate change impacts than adults: they are physically more vulnerable due to lower ability to withstand shocks, physiologically more vulnerable due to lower pollutant tolerance, and more at risk of death from diseases that are likely to be exacerbated by climate change. According to the UNICEF Children’s Climate Risk Index, over a billion children worldwide are at extremely high risk to climate and environmental impacts. The CCRI also estimates that hundreds of millions of children in China are exposed to multiple and overlapping climate and environmental shocks, hazards and stresses.

UNICEF China has a clearly defined Climate Change Action Strategy for the Country Program 2026-2030. This strategy outlines three areas of focus – climate adaptation for children in urban areas, climate resilient rural development for children and children/youth engagement. For the RWP 2026-2027, the climate section will engage with MEE and the private sector to conduct the climate campaign for children and youth. This consultancy is proposed to support the climate section in developing key technical documents and methodologies to enable high quality implementation of project activities in the RWP period. 

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Children & Youth Engagement for Climate Action.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education:  Masters Degree in Social Sciences, Social research, Environment Sciences, Environment Engineering, Communications and/or any related disciplines
• Work Experience: 
   - Technical negotiations with government ministries, preferably MEE
   - Understanding of UNFCCC, UNICEF and Government of China advocacy priorities and activities at national, UNICEF and other global forums
   - Documentation and training skills
   - Experience in climate change programs, especially for children or involving children/youth engagement
• Language Requirements: English and Chinese

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.

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.