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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. 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.

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop, and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

For every child, a champion.

2026 will be the final year of the CPD for UNICEF in Tajikistan. Tajikistan, with a population exceeding 10.2 million, has a predominantly young demographic — over 40% of the population is under the age of 18 and 70% under the age of 30. The country recorded 8.4% economic growth in 2024, largely fuelled by remittances that account for 48% of GDP. Although social sectors received approximately 44% of the national budget over the past five years, the real impact of public investment remains constrained. Social protection coverage has expanded through the Targeted Social Assistance programme, reaching 229,748 families, and a national school feeding programme benefiting 440,000 children, but only 0.8% of GDP is allocated to child-focused assistance, leaving 84% of children uncovered, and benefit adequacy remains low. Inequalities persist across population groups: only less than 1% of children with disabilities are officially registered, despite a 10.4% functional disability prevalence, and women’s labour force participation remains low at 31.5%, driven by unpaid care work and entrenched discriminatory gender norms.

In such context, the overarching goal of the 2023–2026 country programme is that children and young people, especially the most vulnerable and excluded, are born and grow up in a healthy and protective environment, can develop to their full potential and realize their rights. The country programme aligns with the NDS 2030 and the MTDP 2021–2025 (and the eventual National Development Program 2026 – 2030 to be developed), as well as government sectoral policies and strategies. The current country programme aims to achieve results on 1) surviving and thriving 2) learning and skills 3) child protection and 4) social policy.

The Chief of Advocacy and Policy will head the Leveraging, Evidence, Advocacy and Policy (LEAP) Section. The role of the LEAP Section is to support the country office management as well as sectoral sections on evidence- and data-based policy dialogue and advocacy; on evidence and data monitoring in relation to child rights situation in Tajikistan; and on leveraging financing  to maximize its impact on children's lives, particularly by mobilizing resources from diverse sources and collaborating with various stakeholders to address the multi-sectoral and structural challenges that prevail in Tajikistan. The LEAP Section will also lead, manage and supervise all stages of social policy programming and related advocacy. This includes programmes aimed at improving (a) public policies to reduce child poverty; (b) social protection coverage and impact on children; (c) the transparency, adequacy, equity and efficiency of child-focused public investments and financial management; and (d) governance, decentralization and accountability measures to increase public participation and the quality, equity and coverage of social services.

This position is open for UNICEF internal candidates with Tajikistan citizenship or other UNICEF internal candidates with available residency/authorization to work in Tajikistan at the time of application.

How can you make a difference: 

The Chief Advocacy and Policy  reports to the Deputy Representative for general guidance and direction and is responsible for providing relevant policy and programme advice to the country team and for leading on leveraging partnerships and public and private financing for impact at scale. The Chief Policy and Advocacy will provide guidance on leveraging scale, reaching whole populations of children. The Chief Policy and Advocacy will lead on the advocacy efforts, based on demonstrated evidence, to directly and indirectly influence decision makers, stakeholders and relevant audiences to support and implement actions that contribute to the fulfilment of children’s and women’s rights. In addition, the Chief of Policy and Advocacy is responsible for leading, managing and supervising all stages of social policy programming and related advocacy from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of concrete and sustainable results. This includes programmes aimed at improving (a) public policies to reduce child poverty; (b) social protection coverage and impact on children; (c) the transparency, adequacy, equity and efficiency of child-focused public investments and financial management; and (d) governance, decentralization and accountability measures to increase public participation and the quality, equity and coverage of social services. This encompasses both direct programme work with government and civil society partners as well as linkages and support to teams working on education, health, child protection, water and sanitation, skills and employability, and CEED (climate, environment, energy and DRR).

KEY END-RESULTS

1. Managerial leadership

• Establish the section’s annual work plan with the social policy team. Set priorities and targets and monitor work progress to ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards.
• Establish clear individual performance objectives, goals and timelines; and provide timely guidance to enable the team to perform their duties responsibly and efficiently. Plan and ensure timely performance management and assessment of the team.
• Supervise team members by providing them with clear objectives and goals, direction and guidance to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.

2. Implementing advocacy and leveraging

• Oversees the correct and compelling use of data and evidence on the situation of children and coverage and impact of child focused services – in support of the country programme overall and for the social policy programme.
• Leverages financing in multi-faceted ways to support children's rights and well-being, including by working with governments and financial institutions to mobilize and allocate public resources, seeking partnerships with international financial institutions, and engaging the private sector for innovative financing solutions. 
• Act as a focal point, along with Country Office Senior Management and Chiefs of Sections, for identification and pursuit of opportunities for outreach, engagement, policy influence, and collaboration, including on how to anticipate and respond to partners’ concerns and priorities, ensure that UNICEF’s interests, perspectives, and knowledge are taken into account in relevant policy and institutional processes, and ensure that they are fully aware of UNICEF’s perspectives, policies, priorities and capabilities. 
• Establishes effective partnerships with the Government, bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, civil society and local leaders, the private sector, and other UN agencies to support sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and to achieve global UN agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Ensures that the Country Office has a clear advocacy strategy and associated workplan to support the country programme objectives and key results for children.
• Mobilizes support to get children’s issues into the public domain, strengthens political will in support of UNICEF’s mission and objectives, and enhances the organisation’s credibility and brand.
• Identifies other critical partners, promotes awareness and builds capacity of partners, and actively facilitates effective collaboration within the UN family.

3. Improving data on child poverty & vulnerability for increased use for policy and programme action

• Oversees the collection, analysis and user-friendly presentation of data on multidimensional and monetary child poverty, including strengthening national capacity to collect routinely, report and use data for policy decision-making.
• Provides timely, regular data-driven analysis for effective prioritization, planning, and development; facilitates results-based management for planning, adjusting, and scaling-up specific social policy initiatives to reduce child poverty. 
• Analyzes the macroeconomic context and its impact on social development, emerging issues and social policy concerns, as well as implications for children, and proposes and promotes appropriate responses in respect of such issues and concerns, including government resource allocation policies and the effect of social welfare policies on the rights of children

4. Strengthening social protection coverage and impact for children

• Develops social protection policies, legislation and programmes with attention to increasing coverage of and impact on children, with special attention the most marginalized.  Identifies, generates and presents evidence to support this goal in collaboration with partners.
• Promotes strengthening of integrated social protection systems, providing technical support to partners to improve the design of cash transfers and child grants and improve linkages with other social protection interventions such as health insurance, public works and social care services as well as complementary services and intervention related to nutrition, health, education, water and sanitation, child protection and HIV.
• Undertakes improved monitoring and research around social protection impact on child outcomes, and use of data and research findings for strengthening programme results.

5. Improving use of public financial resources for children

• Undertakes budget analysis to inform UNICEF’s advocacy and technical assistance to Ministries of Finance, planning commissions and social sector ministries to improve equitable allocations for essential services for children.  Works with sector colleagues to build capacity to undertake costing and cost effectiveness analysis on priority interventions to help inform policy decisions on child-focused investments.
• Identifies policy options for improved domestic financing of child-sensitive social protection interventions.
• Undertakes and builds capacity of partners for improved monitoring and tracking of public expenditure to support transparency, accountability and effective financial flows for essential service delivery, including through support to district level planning, budgeting and public financial management as well as facilitating community participation

6. Strengthening capacity of local governments to plan, budget, consult on and monitor child-focused social services.

• Where the national decentralization processes are taking place, collaborates with central and local authorities to improve policies, planning, budgeting, consultation and accountability processes so that decisions are child-focused and service delivery more closely respond to the needs of local communities.
• Collaborates with the central and local authorities to strengthen capacity on quality data collection, analysis for policy development, planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring of essential social services, with emphasis on community participation and accountability.

7.  UNICEF Programme Management

• Manages and coordinates technical support around child poverty, social protection, public finance and governance ensuring it is well planned, monitored, and implemented in a timely fashion so as to adequately support scale-up and delivery. Ensures risk analysis and risk mitigation are embedded into overall management of the support, in close consultation with UNICEF programme sections, Cooperating Partners, and governments.
• Ensures effective and efficient planning, management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the country programme. Ensures that the social projects enhance policy dialogue, planning, supervision, technical advice, management, training, research and support; and that the monitoring and evaluation component strengthens monitoring and evaluation of the social sectors and provides support to sectoral and decentralized information systems.

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

For every Child, you demonstrate...

Minimum requirements:

1. Education: An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or another relevant technical field or bachelor's degree in the same fields with 10 years of related experience. 

2. Work Experience: 

• A minimum of eight years of relevant professional experience is required.

• Experience in social policy sector coordination, partnerships, advocacy, and planning and policy development is required.

• Managerial experience is required.

• Experience working in a developing country is considered as a strong asset.

• Experience in collaborating with private sector partners is an asset.

• Background and/or familiarity with emergency is considered as a strong asset.

• Demonstrated ability in building and maintaining complex partnerships and additional expertise in working with a variety of donors including International Financial Institutions would be an asset                                                                                                                    

3. Language Proficiency 

• Fluency in English and Tajik is required.
• Fluency in Russian is an asset.                                                                                                                                                  

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2)

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (2)

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact (2)

(4) Innovates and embraces change (2)

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

(6) Thinks and acts strategically (2)

(7) Works collaboratively with others (2)

(8) Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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 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 persons 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.

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.