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 an Advocate

UNICEF is seeking a Programme Specialist to help advance the rights and inclusion of children and young people affected by migration and forced displacement. Working at the intersection of social protection, migration and displacement, the role will contribute to UNICEF’s work through the PROSPECTS Partnership, a multi-agency initiative bringing together UNICEF, UNHCR, ILO, IFC and the World Bank across countries in the Middle East and North Africa and Eastern and Southern Africa. The position offers an opportunity to turn evidence and technical expertise into policy and programme change, strengthen inclusive national systems, build strategic partnerships, and contribute to UNICEF’s engagement around the Global Compact on Refugees and the 2027 Global Refugee Forum.

How can you make a difference?

As Programme Specialist, you will help shape UNICEF’s policy and programme engagement on inclusive social protection for migrant, displaced and returnee children and host communities. You will provide technical assistance to Regional and Country Offices, generate and translate evidence into policy advocacy, support implementation and learning under the PROSPECTS Partnership, and strengthen collaboration with governments, UN agencies and other partners. You will also contribute to UNICEF’s Global Compact on Refugees pledges and preparations for the 2027 Global Refugee Forum, helping ensure that the rights and needs of children on the move are reflected in national systems, policies and global discussions.

Join our team to help advance the rights and inclusion of children and young people affected by migration and forced displacement. As Programme Specialist, you will support UNICEF’s policy, programme and partnership engagement on migration, displacement and inclusive social protection, helping translate evidence and technical expertise into stronger policies, systems and services for migrant, displaced and returnee children and host communities. Working across global, regional and country levels, with a particular focus on the PROSPECTS Partnership, your key areas of responsibility will include:

Strengthening policy and programme efforts on inclusive social protection
Advancing evidence-based advocacy and policy influencing
Building and coordinating strategic partnerships for children and youth on the move
Supporting UNICEF’s Global Compact on Refugees commitments and preparations for the 2027 Global Refugee Forum

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File Programme Specialist, P-3,TOR.pdf

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

Minimum requirements

Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Social Policy, Public Policy, International Development, Development Studies, Economics, Public Administration, Political Science, International Relations, Migration Studies, Forced Displacement Studies, Humanitarian Affairs, Social Sciences or another relevant field.
Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in Social Policy,Child Protection, Migration, Forced displacement, Social protection and any other related fields. Building and managing complex multi stakeholder processes and networks is required.
Skills: Social Protection,Forced Displacement, Policy Analysis , Policy Advocacy, Evidence Generation, multi stakeholder management.
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 is an asset.
Experience in refugee, migration, or displacement programming.Experience strengthening social protection systems.
Experience supporting government policy reform.Experience with UNHCR, ILO, World Bank, IFC, or other multilateral partnerships.
Experience supporting Global Refugee Forum or Global Compact on Refugees processes.
Experience in fragile, conflict-affected, or humanitarian settings
.Experience in Middle East and North Africa and/or Eastern and Southern Africa.
At least two (2) years of experience developing and disseminating technical knowledge products.
Experience influencing global or regional social protection policy in displacement contexts.
Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
Ability to communicate complex policy issues clearly and effectively.
Knowledge of children's rights, public policy, international development, migration, displacement, and humanitarian issues
Experience in international advocacy and influencing.

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, discrimination, fraud, corruption and other forms of serious misconduct.

UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference, safeguarding and background verification checks. These checks may include verification of academic credentials and employment history, screening against relevant United Nations misconduct databases, and requests for misconduct disclosures from current and former employers, professional associations, other relevant organizations and participating organizations under inter-agency safeguarding initiatives, including the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), where applicable.

Appointment, selection and continued engagement are subject to the satisfactory completion of all required checks. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information and consent to enable UNICEF to undertake these checks.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.

Programme Specialist - Migration and Displacement (P-3), Temporary Appointment ,364 days, #00138953,, Global Programme Division, CoE Child Protection and Migration, Nairobi, Kenya (Remote)