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 Champion

UNICEF’s Global Programme Division (GPD) plays a critical role in shaping global programmes, policies, standards, and technical guidance that improve the lives of children around the world. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, the WASH Centre of Excellence serves as a hub of technical expertise, supporting UNICEF Country and Regional Offices to strengthen water, sanitation, and hygiene systems and deliver sustainable results for children and communities.

This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to UNICEF’s global efforts to prevent and respond to public health emergencies, including cholera and other waterborne disease outbreaks. Working within the High Impact Solutions Team, the incumbent will support Country Offices and partners in strengthening Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), helping to ensure that communities are informed, engaged, and empowered during emergencies. Through technical assistance, knowledge sharing, capacity building, and strategic collaboration with governments and partners, the role directly contributes to UNICEF’s mission of delivering lasting impact for children in some of the world's most challenging environments.

How can you make a difference?

As a member of UNICEF’s global WASH team, you will contribute to strengthening emergency preparedness and response efforts across multiple countries, supporting the design and implementation of innovative RCCE and AAP approaches that help prevent disease outbreaks and protect vulnerable populations. Your work will help translate global strategies into practical solutions, strengthen partnerships, build national capacity, and ensure that UNICEF’s programmes generate meaningful and sustainable results for children and communities worldwide.

This role is ideal for professionals who are passionate about public health, community engagement, emergency response, and creating impact at scale through global technical leadership and collaboration.

Purpose and roles & responsibilities

Join UNICEF’s Global Programme Division (GPD) Centre of Excellence for WASH in Nairobi and contribute to improving outcomes for children and communities worldwide. In this role, you will support UNICEF’s efforts to strengthen Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) in the prevention and response to cholera, waterborne diseases, and other public health emergencies. Working closely with Country Offices, governments, and partners, you will provide technical support, facilitate knowledge sharing, and help translate global guidance into practical country-level solutions. Your work will contribute to strengthening emergency preparedness and response, enhancing community engagement approaches, building national and regional capacity, and supporting strategic partnerships that promote sustainable WASH and public health outcomes.

Key responsibilities:

Technical support and programme implementation
Capacity building and knowledge management
Emergency preparedness and response support
Partnership development and coordination
Monitoring, reporting and learning
Innovation and evidence generation
Contribution to global WASH and public health initiatives

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File Job Description - Social & Behavior Change Specialist.pdf

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

Minimum requirements

Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in public health, social and behavioral sciences, communication, epidemiology or a related field is required.
Work Experience: At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in emergency SBC or RCCE programming with focus on WASH is required.
Skills:
- Ability to interpret qualitative and quantitative data and provide data-driven RCCE recommendations.
- Understanding of socio-political contexts and ability to engage effectively with COs, governments, partners, and communities on RCCE.
- Strong writing and presentation skills to translate social and behavioral data into actionable insights.
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with internal teams, government counterparts, and community partners.
- Capacity to design and deliver training and orientation sessions for non-technical stakeholders.
- Ability to manage priorities, meet deadlines, and coordinate multiple workstreams.
Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables

Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
Experience in designing feedback mechanisms and using behavioral data in emergencies is highly desirable.
Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

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

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 are conditional on the selected candidates willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

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 is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates 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.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

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

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

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.

Social & Behavior Change Specialist (P-3), Fixed Term, #00134005, Global Programme Division (WASH), COE Nairobi, Kenya