UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, to defend their rights, and to 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, health
How can you make a difference?
UNICEF is a key partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). Polio Eradication remains a high priority for UNICEF. Within the GPEI, UNICEF is accountable for implementing Social and Behavior Change (SBC) and Applied Behavioral Science activities to increase polio vaccination coverage. This includes social mobilization, evidence-informed SBC Communication, people-centric service delivery, and a range of other activities which aim to equitably increase vaccination coverage, including through building community trust and vaccine confidence. While the GPEI has been successful in dramatically reducing the circulation of poliovirus, Wild Poliovirus continues to circulate in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Moreover, the GPEI continues to respond to explosive outbreaks of circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus, principally across Africa and the Middle East. UNICEF is accountable for delivering high-quality SBC programming in both polio endemic countries and in polio outbreak response. Over the past five years UNICEF has expanded its use of research to support the design and implementation of these SBC and applied BeSci approaches. Social and behavioral science research is a core pillar of the HQ Polio Team’s support to UNICEF Regional Offices (ROs) and Country Offices (COs). The portfolio of research projects is expected to expand in the coming years to provide high-quality insights and evidence to colleagues and GPEI partners conducting polio vaccination campaigns and contributing to the strengthening of frontline health systems and building confidence in primary health services. There is therefore an increased need for dedicated technical capacity in this area.
The purpose of this position is to manage a portfolio of research projects relating to UNICEF’s Polio SBC and applied behavioral science work, and to disseminate findings and insights from these activities across UNICEF and among GPEI partners. The position will also strengthen the links between UNICEF’s Polio work and its work in the broader areas of SBC and behavioral science related to primary and community health, nutrition, and environment, bringing insights from these broader portfolios into the global polio eradication effort and lessons from GPEI into efforts to strengthen frontline systems, enhance integrated service delivery, and build trust between communities and service providers.
- Managing the day-to-day operational aspects of the Polio and Polio transition research portfolio (40%)
- Technical support to UNICEF ROs and COs conducting polio research projects (15%)
- Development of partnerships with academic institutions, research vendors, GPEI partners and donors (15%)
- Research dissemination, including academic publication (15%)
- Strengthening connections between UNICEF’s polio SBC research agenda and UNICEF’s SBC and applied behavioral science research and leadership (15%)
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:
Job Description
To qualify as a champion for every child you will have:
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- Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Social Science, Political Science, Behavioural Science, Statistics , Monitoring and Evaluation, Public Health and any other related fields.
- Work Experience: At Least 5 years of relevant work experience in Health, Research, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation , Polio Eradication, Social and Behaviour Change, Applied Behavioural Science, Primary and Community Health, Nutrition, Environmental Health, Research Dissemination, Partnership Development, Evidence-informed Decision-making, Programme Management.
- Skills: Research Design, Data Collection & Analysis, Project Management, Stakeholder Partnership Building, Behavioral Science Application, Quality Control
- Language Requirements: English.
- Desirables
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- Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language
- Publications, Polio Experience, GPEI, Research Dissemination, Field Research, Academic Writing
- Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergencies.
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 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 measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. 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.
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 individuals from under-represented groups and/or candidates from the Global South, and candidates living with disabilities 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.
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
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.
