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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, a voice.

UNICEF emphasizes the importance of Risk Communication Community Engagement (RCCE) and Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) programming in addressing natural hazards, conflicts, disease outbreaks, epidemics, and complex emergencies. Central to UNICEF’s mission is placing affected families, children, and adolescents at the core of its efforts, ensuring their participation and accountability in all response elements through systematic feedback mechanisms. RCCE is crucial for effective public health and humanitarian responses, promoting behavior change, countering misinformation, and supporting community leadership. It requires collaboration among humanitarian and public health partners, governments, and affected communities to provide life-saving information, enable community participation, and adapt decisions based on community feedback. This approach builds trust, increases the uptake of protective behaviors, and ensures the sustainability of humanitarian efforts. The SBC ESARO team seeks an RCCE Specialist (P3) in Nairobi, Kenya, to support these initiatives amid ongoing public health emergencies.

How can you make a difference?

The RCCE Specialist will support advancing a measurable people-centred agenda across the ESAR to provide guidance in designing and implementing preparedness and response plans so that they can engage and empower communities as well as influence behaviours and collective actions adapted to specific humanitarian contexts in the COs.

Under the supervision of the SBC Specialist (Emergency), ESARO and in close collaboration with the relevant sections, COs, and core partners (IFRC, WHO) the RCCE Specialist will provide coordination and technical assistance to COs in RCCE/AAP emergencies to enhance preparedness, response and recovery; build capacity of UNICEF staff and partners with a focus on community engagement and resilience; and monitor the implementation and results of RCCE interventions related to emergencies; participate in  missions to COs (at least 25%).

Major Duties and Responsibilities

To have more details on the position, you can read the full Terms of Reference:  SBC Specialist (RCCE), TA, P-3, Nairobi, Kenya, ESARO for VA.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: social and behavioral science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, communication, public relations or another relevant technical field.
• Work Experience: A minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: social development programme planning, social and behaviour change, AAP, social science, PHE or another related area.Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.

  Experience working in one of ESARO countries or emergency context is considered as an asset.

• Language Requirements: Fluency in English and French (writing, reading and spoken) is required.

Desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.

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 is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable from Latin America and the Caribbean, East Asian and the Pacific, and Middle East & North Africa are encouraged to apply.

As this position is supporting emergency, candidates would be expected to join within 31 days of accepting the offer. 

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.