UNICEF, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, works together with partners in 190 countries and territories to promote and advocate for the protection of the rights of every child.
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, a future
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How can you make a difference?
Purpose of the Job:
The Senior Adviser will serve as a critical bridge between the UNICEF Polio Programme and the De Facto Authorities (DFAs), guiding strategic negotiations to unlock political and operational barriers that have long hampered the effectiveness of polio eradication efforts in Afghanistan. Grounded in a nuanced understanding of the country’s socio-political history and the DFAs’ need for power, legitimacy, and control, the Adviser’s core purpose is to build sustained trust, foster structured engagement, and create a more enabling environment for immunization campaigns. This role will champion a shared national interest in eradicating polio framing it not as an external agenda but as a locally owned public health imperative while carefully navigating issues of access, oversight, community trust, and gender restrictions.
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
1. Strategic Political Engagement & Negotiation with de facto authorities to secure and sustain access to immunization activities.
2. Establish and maintain structured, trust based engagement platforms with key DFA stakeholders and advocate for polio eradication as a shared national and religious duty.
3. Facilitate resolution of operational bottlenecks, including authorization delays, staff recruitment constraints and campaign modality limitations by negotiating practical agreements with the DFA.
4. Support Regional and Field teams in resolving localized access barriers and campaign disruptions
5. Negotiate culturally and politically acceptable strategies to increase women’s participation in polio programmes learning from existing efforts.
6. Advise on the development of context sensitive approaches to data collection, mapping and microplanning through dialogue with the DFA.
7. Advise on ways to gradually increase the DFA ownership and capacity in coordinating polio campaigns.
8. Monitor political dynamics, access trends and engagement outcomes regularly.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: JD- Senior Adviser (Immunization & Access), P5, Kabul, Limited FT
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Education:
- An advanced university degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Public Health, Global/International Health, Health Policy and Management, Socio-medical Sciences or Epidemiology
Experience:
- A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible professional experience in access negotiation, humanitarian operations, or public health service delivery in complex or high-threat environments. Field experience in politically sensitive settings and conflict-affected areas is essential
- Demonstrated experience in negotiating and maintaining humanitarian access with non-state actors, de facto authorities, or in environments with restricted civic and operational space is required.
- Strong experience in programme/project management with an understanding of UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children (CCCs), access strategy, and field coordination in politically charged settings is desired.
- Experience in operational engagement strategies, trust-building with non-recognized authorities, and managing access challenges related to gender restrictions, community trust, or technology sensitivity is required.
- Familiarity with delivery of large-scale, time-bound health or humanitarian services, particularly campaigns requiring rapid deployment, coordination, and adaptive access modalities is required.
- Experience in knowledge management, gender-sensitive programming, and risk-informed planning in volatile contexts is highly desirable
- Prior work with UNICEF, the UN system, or other international development/humanitarian organizations is an asset
Language requirement:
- Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of local languages spoken in Afghanistan (e.g., Pashto or Dari) or another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.
Desirables:
- Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.
If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about children’s rights and making a lasting difference on children’s lives, one of the global leading entities on children’s rights would like to hear from you.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
UNICEF is also proud of a diverse workforce who are profoundly committed to supporting the full realization of children’s rights, and in uplifting a rights-based approach in all that we do.
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
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people
Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.
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.
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.
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:
This appointment will be under the same terms and conditions as a regular Fixed-Term contract (salary, benefits, entitlements). However, this post is time-bound, and there will be no extension beyond the specified end date.
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 female 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.
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.
