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, an Advocate on HPV & girls’ health

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

How can you make a difference?

Goal Area 1 of UNICEF’s Strategic Plan is to ensure every child survives and thrives. Immunization, vaccines and broader health advocacy are critical to this pursuit of this goal.   This is an opportunity to support UNICEF HQ’s Immunization Advocacy Team with the implementation of its global immunization advocacy strategy that aims to ensure that every child everywhere can access life-saving vaccines.

Duties include:

Strategy:

In coordination with key UNICEF colleagues in headquarters, regions, and counties, the HPV & Girls Health Immunization Advocacy Specialist will be responsible for the following:

• Develop & implement a global advocacy strategy for HPV & Girls Health
• Review and update strategy as needed to ensure it has a clear theory of change, is underpinned by a relevant workplan, and has broad buy-in from across the organization.
• Support effective monitoring and evaluation of the strategy, ensuring it is delivering clear results for every child.
• Provide advocacy support to countries and regions so they can develop relevant advocacy strategies nationally and regionally.
• Work with relevant teams in HQ, countries and regions to define advocacy goals, targets, tactics, and messages.
• Ensure that country- and region-specific strategies and plans are consistent with (and contribute to) UNICEF’s Global Immunization Advocacy Strategy + UNICEF’s programme strategies for Immunization & Gender.
• Coordinate with, and align a number of internal teams, including in UNICEF’s programme group, to ensure the advocacy strategies are understood and endorsed by key internal stakeholders.
• Manage relations with external partners and stakeholders involved in HPV and girls’ health.
• Represent UNICEF in inter-agency and partner discussions on HPV and girls’ health advocacy and communications.
• Identify opportunities for national and regional influencing on HPV & Girls Health.
• Guide and support countries in their advocacy and comms workplans.
• Support development of content strategies for multimedia production in countries.
• Act as internal focal point on HPV and girls’ health advocacy for countries and regions.
• Monitor, track and evaluate progress by countries and regions against their strategies.
• Intervene and help troubleshoot when progress towards advocacy outcomes in countries is hampered.

Capacity Building:

• Build the advocacy capacity of key staff in a number of priority UNICEF countries and regions for HPV and girls health, in coordination with UNICEF’s advocacy capacity building team.
• Coordinate and deliver capacity building workshops in countries, in collaboration with the advocacy capacity building team – this will include occasional travel to country and regional offices (2-3 times per year).
• Coach and support advocacy and communications specialists in countries and help them progress their advocacy strategies – this may include travel to regional and country offices. (1-2 times per year).

Knowledge & Grant management:

• Maintain an up-to-date internal SharePoint site with all key resources and documents, and that countries, regions and HQ teams can access and use.
• Help host regular webinars to disseminate information and share internal updates with the relevant teams.
• Work with countries and regions to identify and collect case studies showing impact of HPV and girls health advocacy on the ground.
• Work alongside the Immunization Advocacy Manager, and other colleagues across UNICEF who manage relations with private and public donors, to provide regular updates on key metrics and indicators for grant reporting.

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

An advanced university degree is required in one of the following fields: International Relations, Political Science, International Development, Public Policy, Public Administration, Economics, Communication or related fields.

* A first level university degree with an additional two years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience:

• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in advocacy/ campaigning is required, with at least two years at the international level. Experience in humanitarian and complex setting is desired.
• Experience in leading the development and implementation of advocacy strategies, with clear theories of change, specific, measurable and timebound objectives, and performance indicators.
• A track record of achieving or contributing to tangible policy change.
• Proven experience in deploying a range of advocacy tactics based on a clear theory of change.
• Experience in building and maintaining a network of advocacy stakeholders, and in working with advocacy coalitions.
• Strong communicator with emphasis on being able to present complex policy ideas in succinct, engaging ways through campaign narratives and creative tactics.
• Demonstrated experience in design and management of projects, including budget management and monitoring and evaluation of results.
• Knowledge of international development, humanitarian issues and children’s rights.
• Experience in training and capacity building.
• Experience working in a developing and emergency environment is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

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:

Candidates who applied previously do not need to reapply.

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 candidates from underrepresented groups 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.