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.

For every child, hope

How can you make a difference?

This role will lead guidance for policies, programmes, and activities, and general support for the integration and mainstreaming of climate action and sustainability in UNICEF’s West and Central Africa (WCAR) region, as well as serve as a leading global expert on key CEED (Climate, environment, energy and Disaster Risk Reduction/DRR), and ESS (Environmental and Social Safeguards) areas. The position will report to the Deputy Regional Director for the WCAR region with a ‘dotted-line’ to the Associate Director for Sustainability and Climate Action in New York HQ.

This position’s responsibilities are twofold and include

1. Regional leadership of the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (SCAP) for all countries in the West and Central African region, including:

• Implementation of the SCAP at regional level, and support to its implementation at country level, specifically by:
  • Coordinating the SCAP’s multi- and cross-sectoral implementation at regional level, both internally and with external partners. This will entail close coordination with all sectoral Regional Advisors to ensure the inclusion of climate related accountabilities in their workplans.
  • Accompanying the implementation of all applicable SCAP Foundational and Mainstreaming Elements, and focused Areas of Acceleration in each country in the region, in the form of multi-country programming and advocacy, capacity-building, knowledge sharing, networking, partnerships and financing opportunities, as well as scaling up of regional flagship and other programmes and engaging in global technical discussions
  • Leading on the roll-out and implementation of ESS

2. Global technical specialist in two or more of the following key sectors:

• Environmental and Social Safeguards
• Climate Finance
• Environmental and biodiversity protection
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Renewable Energy
• Data and Evidence generation

1. Regional leadership of the SCAP for all 24 countries in WCAR, including:

Regional Sustainability and Climate Leadership:

• Support country offices as they implement foundational elements, including data analysis, strategy development, and Environmental and Social Standards (ESS).
• Develop and monitor the implementation of a strategic vision aiming at addressing existing data and research gaps in the areas of climate adaptation, disaster reduction, and resilience, and other related areas.
• Promote UNICEF’s ESS and build organizational capacities in this area across the region.
• Align policies and programs regionally and with broader UNICEF cross-regional and global initiatives.

Integration in Country Programs:

• Ensure sustainability and climate integration in country programs.
• Provide guidance to country offices for multi-sectoral sustainability.
• Lead regional sustainability and climate initiatives in line with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025.

Technical Support:

• Offer technical and operational support to staff in climate, energy, environment, and DRR (CEED).
• Assist in implementing other climate-related initiatives that are complementary to the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan strategies.
• Coordinate narratives and milestones across the region.
• Track and influence regional sustainability and climate initiatives.

Multi-Country Projects:

• Coordinate the design of multi-country sustainability and climate projects and initiatives.
• Provide strategic advice and knowledge exchange among countries.
• Champion all SCAP-related areas of work, such as climate-informed risk reduction, sustainable energy, WASH services, youth engagement, and internal sustainability, amongst others.

Partnership Development and Innovation:

• Establish strategic partnerships with financial institutions and the private sector.
• Promote cross-sectoral and innovative programming for maximum impact.
• Ensure coordinated engagement within and outside UNICEF.
• Support fundraising efforts aligned with thematic areas.
• Pursue climate finance opportunities.

2. Global technical specialist on one (or more) of the following key sectors:

• Environmental and Social Safeguards: Lead on ensuring that all UNICEF interventions have been screened for environmental and social impacts and that ESS systems are implemented and mitigating actions identified, implemented and monitored.
• Climate Finance: Lead the development of a ‘catalytic’ package designed to unlock climate finance opportunities for UNICEF and governments with whom UNICEF works. This will include feasibility studies and assessments to develop proposals for climate finance; identifying most promising opportunities for financing climate-resilient and accessible Health, Education and WASH services; capacity building for country offices to develop proposals and secure the large-scale funding needed to provide climate-resilient social services for children and young people.
• Environmental and Biodiversity: Lead the establishment of partnerships with organizations focused upon environmental and biodiversity conservation and sustainability initiatives; oversee the execution of funded projects, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s sustainability and climate action plan; lead the measurement of the environmental and social impact of projects, focusing on child well-being and sustainable development.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Create robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks for climate, energy, environment, and disaster risk reduction initiatives; Collect data on project outcomes, child-focused indicators, and climate resilience to assess program effectiveness; Generate reports to demonstrate the impact of interventions and inform evidence-based decision-making.
• Renewable Energy: Provide technical expertise in renewable energy solutions to UNICEF RO’s and CO’s and partners, with a focus on child-centric approaches; Develop renewable energy projects that ensure the critical social service sectors and humanitarian aid that children need to survive and thrive are transformed towards sustainable energy; Support renewable energy capacity building and awareness among UNICEF staff.
• Data and Evidence Generation: Conduct key studies on climate change impacts on children, environmental hazards, and disaster risk reduction strategies; Gather and analyze global and region-specific data to inform evidence-based policy recommendations; Use data-driven insights to advocate for policies and interventions that prioritize child well-being in climate, energy, and environmental initiatives. All data and evidence generation need to be based on gender-sensitivity and gender-disaggregation.

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

• An advanced university degree in climate change, environmental science, engineering, disaster management, International Development, International Relations, Government, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy or other relevant disciplines is required.

• A minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience in areas related to sustainability, international development, disaster management, environmental issues, public policy, social policy, and children’s health and wellbeing is required.
• Specific experience in policy/advocacy/programming, implementation, monitoring, review and evaluation related to climate change, environment or disaster risk reduction is required preferably in a developing country context.
• In-depth knowledge on climate, environment, and DRR (CEED) impacts, assessments, and adaptation solutions required as well as at least one of the Global technical specialist sectors listed above (Climate Finance; Environmental Finance; Monitoring and Evaluation; Renewable Energy; Data and Evidence generation).
• Familiarity with children’s rights in the context of climate change, environmental degradation and disaster risk reduction required.
• Expertise in staff capacity building, developing tools, and providing training, particularly as part of a global/regional role in support of other country offices will be considered an asset.
• Experience working on CEED issues within UNICEF or other international development agencies is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English and French is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is 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

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 (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

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 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 promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female are encouraged to apply.

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also 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 cancelled.

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.

Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Special Notice on UNICEF office relocation:

UNICEF and other UN Agencies will be moving soon to the new United Nations House in Diamniadio, 30 kilometers from downtown Dakar. The name of the duty station for this position will remain Dakar, Senegal.