The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) is present within 9 offices across Brazil. The office in Manaus is responsible for programme implementation in the states of Amazonas, Acre and Rondônia. In 2024, UNICEF is starting its new Country Programme in Brazil and ending the 2021-2024 cycle and starting the design of the 2025-2028 cycle of the Selo UNICEF, its main strategy of engagement with local governments in the north and northeast of Brazil.
The new programme and the new Selo cycle include results on the intersection between climate change and children’s rights, with ensuring a clean, healthy and sustainable environment to boys and girls a key result for UNICEF’s work in Brazil in the next few years. That work will be led by the Goal Area 4 – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Climate, Environment, Energy and Disaster Risk Reduction (CEED) team.
This assignment will contribute to the programme implementation in this new area in the areas under the Manaus office’s responsibility, as well as activities of the One Million Opportunities (1 Milhão de Oportunidades – 1MiO) initiative, which is UNICEF’s strategy to promote the positive transition from school to work and the socio productive inclusion of adolescents and young people.
The UN Volunteer will integrate the Programme Section of the Manaus Zone Office and will work closely with both the national teams of the Goal Area 4 (which includes the WASH and CEED teams) and the 1MiO area.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Chief of UNICEF Manaus Field Office or her designated mandated representative(s), and in close collaboration with the national Goal Area 4 and 1MiO teams, the UN Volunteer Programme Officer will undertake the following functions:

Project coordination, advocacy and networking
Coordinate the implementation of a programme initiative in the municipality of Tarauacá, Acre, with support to partners implementing activities.
• The UN Volunteer will provide technical leadership for CEED project implementation in Tarauacá, supporting partners responsible for direct implementation and following up on programmatic needs. The project may include participatory consultation processes, with workshops and focal groups, including with adolescents; capacity-building efforts for public servants; and the delivery of physical infrastructure to public services in the municipality, depending on needs.
• UN Volunteer will support relationship-building with state government and municipal governments, as needed for programme implementation in Acre, in close coordination with the Manaus zone office.
• UN Volunteer will facilitate relationship-building with relevant non-governmental actors in Acre, including civil society organizations, community leaders, and youth-led groups as well as young activists, in close coordination with the Manaus zone office.
• The UN Volunteer should be available for frequent field trips to Acre.

CEED Programme Implementation
Lead implementation of other CEED activities in the zone office, including engagement with Amazonas state for Green Rising Amazon strategy, and offer support for connected programme efforts under leadership of other programme officers in the Manaus office.

• Support with relationship-building with state government and municipal governments, as needed for programme implementation of Green Rising, in close coordination with Manaus zone office team, in areas such as environmental education; youth mobilization for climate action; and green skills and green jobs.
• Lead implementation efforts of CEED programmes, as needed, in the states of Amazonas, Acre and Rondônia.
• Support UNICEF representation in events and meetings regarding climate, sustainability, bioeconomy, and others happening in Manaus, with particular focus on the agenda of preservation of the Amazon rainforest.

1 MiO Activities

The UN Volunteer will support and drive youth mobilization activities across the Amazon territory. This includes aligning activities with the goals of the 1 Million Opportunities initiative, developing region-specific strategies in collaboration with local teams to empower young people and boost their participation in community development.

• Support for Youth Mobilization Activities by 1MiO within the UNICEF Seal in the Amazon Territory. The UN Volunteer will provide strategic support to align mobilization activities with the 1 Million Opportunities (1MiO) initiative’s goals. Collaborating with local teams, they will develop and implement strategies empowering young people and encouraging their involvement in community development.
• Support for youth mobilization activities by 1MiO in the UNICEF City Agenda for Belém and Manaus. The UN Volunteer will coordinate with city governments and local partners to support youth-led initiatives enhancing social inclusion and economic opportunities.
• Support to mobilize community-based organizations (CBOs) within the Amazon territory to support implementing the 1 Million Opportunities (1MiO) initiative. Forming strategic partnerships with local CBOs to co-create and execute projects that align with 1MiO’s objectives, fostering income generation and empowering local communities.
• Support for UNICEF Representation in Events and Meetings Focused on Economic development.

Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness – Self-aware of own strengths, limitations, working style and deeply held convictions and biases; Display ethical awareness through behaviors that are consistent and compliant with the standards of conduct for international civil servants; Seek feedback from multiple sources on own behaviors, including unconscious biases and potential blind spots; Recognize personal stress and seek help to maintain personal well-being; Display appropriate ethical behaviors, promoting zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment, including sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and any type of discrimination; Challenge unprofessional, unethical and unsafe behaviors; Voice opinion in a truthful and respectful manner; Works Collaboratively with others – Establish and maintain mutually supportive working relationships, demonstrating sensitivity to people of diverse backgrounds, respecting differences and ensuring that all can contribute and succeed; Encourage others to contribute ideas and listen without interruption; Support colleagues in achieving their goals; Earn the trust and confidence of colleagues through respectful, honest behaviors, displaying openness and tolerance. Builds and Maintains Partnerships – Build a network of external stakeholders and alliances with counterparts in order to promote and advance the work of the organization; Develop a network of formal and informal contacts through participation in professional networks; Adopt a consultative approach and solicit the support of key stakeholders at critical stages of one’s work. Innovates and Embraces Change – Adapt and respond positively to change; Review work practices, analyzing evidence-based trends to apply new methods and techniques; Respond flexibly to changing circumstances, priorities and deadlines; Display creativity, experiment with new approaches and demonstrate openness to changing existing practices. Thinks and Acts Strategically – Understand the big picture and show ability to identify potential opportunities for action and challenges; Analyze and evaluate data from a wide range of sources, assessing reliability and presenting conclusions to enable informed decision-making; Adapt workplans in response to emerging situations and new requirements; Drive to achieve impactful results – Commit to action and assumes responsibility and ownership for own performance and the associated outcomes; Pay attention to detail, producing work of a high standard; Monitor activities on a regular basis, reviewing work plan to ensure progress and delivery; Ensure the completion of tasks, while addressing obstacles and bottlenecks; Manages ambiguity and complexity – Demonstrate resilience and composure despite challenges; Maintain performance levels in pressure, adverse and uncertain environments; Demonstrate flexibility; Identify key issues and priorities, maintaining personal effectiveness in complex situations.

humanitarian or development projects, at the national and/or international level.
• Previous experience in political advocacy is desirable.
• Previous experience with and/or knowledge of the socio-political reality of the Amazon region is highly desirable.
• Desirable knowledge in employment and income policies.
• Previous experience with youth mobilization is an asset.
• Excellent oral and written skills.
• Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development.
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel.
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet.
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines.
• Sound security awareness.
• Have affinity with or interest in children’s rights, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

Manaus is the largest city in population in the state of Amazonas and in the Northern Region of Brazil. The municipality has about 2,219,580 inhabitants. The city still has a high population density for the standard of northern Brazilian municipalities. Manaus population is characterized by miscegenation, especially of Portuguese and indigenous people. In addition, the municipality received many immigrants throughout the 20th century, due to the rubber economic cycle and the industrialization process.

In demographic terms, the city of Manaus has presented a high population growth in the last decades, recognized, even, as a process of population explosion. The motivation for this phenomenon is linked to the city’s role as an attractive center for migrants from the northern states of the country, since it is the main economic and political center of this region. In addition, the birth rate of the municipality is positive and life expectancy has increased over the years. Manaus’ human development index is considered high. However, the city has elevated poverty rates. The disorderly growth, in terms of population and urban structure, has generated consequences such as violence and environmental degradation. In addition, the city of Manaus has a significant level of social inequality among its population. Manaus’ economy is based on the manufacturing industry and public administration. The secondary and tertiary sectors are the main ones of the Manaus economy. The growth of secondary activities was the result of the creation of the Manaus Free Trade Zone, an area aimed at attracting and installing companies through the offer of tax incentives, which was created in the municipality in 1967.

The city of Manaus is a large urban center and has an extensive infrastructure, but very uneven between the different regions of the municipality. The Manaus territory is served by a network of highways, but the main connection between Manaus and the rest of the Brazilian territory is through the air modal. River transport is very important to the transfer between Manaus and the cities in the interior of Amazonas.

The main transport structures in Manaus are the Port and the Airport of Manaus. Regarding access to basic services, such as energy and sanitation, the city of Manaus has many structural problems, especially in water supply and sewage collection. In addition, despite the city having the main health and education facilities in the Amazon, there is difficulty in accessing and offering quality for the population. The health crisis experienced by the municipality due to the coronavirus pandemic is an example of the precariousness of the local health system. The disorderly growth of the city had a direct impact on its structure. The lack of urban planning culminated in the creation of many housing areas of irregular occupation, which have precarious housing conditions. The city is divided into 7 geographic zones, which have a total of 63 official districts.

All United Nations personnel must scrupulously comply with UNDSS procedures and recommendations during their assignment. For missions in rural areas or indigenous reservations, special procedures may apply; UN personnel should consult with the local DSS office in advance.

As this is a national UN Youth Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging their own housing and other living essentials.

Information on full entitlements at the duty station is available at https://app.unv.org/calculator .
The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.