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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 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, Rights 

UNICEF works to protect the rights of every child in Sri Lanka. Our goal is to ensure that all of our children survive, thrive and fulfill their vast potential.

In a world that is rapidly changing, children are faced with complex challenges and unprecedented opportunities. UNICEF’s programs are designed to reach and benefit all children so that they can withstand these challenges, leverage these opportunities and be the drivers of their own destiny.

UNICEF is committed to creating a country in which every child is free to learn, play and grow. Our programs work towards providing all children in Sri Lanka with shelter, nutrition, protection and education, wherever they may be. We strive to create communities in which children can live with dignity and hope, free from discrimination, violence and fear.

We make every effort to create and maintain environments that will enable and empower children to be the very best that they can be.

In this way, all children will not only benefit from economic and social growth but will become the driving force behind sustainable national development.

For over 50 years, with the help of our vast network of partners, UNICEF has made significant strides in raising health, education and protection standards for children in Sri Lanka. From achieving Universal Child Immunization (1989) to establishing The National Child Protection Authority (1998) to providing decades of crucial relief in the wake of devastating conflict and natural disaster, UNICEF has played a pivotal role in creating an environment in which children have the best chance to survive and thrive.

Yet, many challenges still exist, especially for the most vulnerable. Some national and regional bodies require resources and reinvigoration. Individuals and institutions need to be strengthened, coordinated and aligned with global standards so that children enjoy support in their schools, communities and homes to help them overcome challenges and unleash their full potential into the world.

Due to our long-standing reputation as an experienced, neutral and collaborative partner, UNICEF is ideally suited to drive these efforts. Our history of success in Sri Lanka is built on our ability to tap into a wide network of national and international partners which, in turn, is bolstered by our own far-reaching presence in the field. In working closely with these government, non-government and private entities, UNICEF takes a leadership role, drawing on our technical expertise to accurately assess existing challenges and develop, execute and coordinate solutions that are relevant and scalable on the ground.  For more information about UNICEF Sri Lanka and its work visit: http://www.unicef.org/srilanka

 

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Effective risk communication and community engagement are critical components of immunization programmes, disease surveillance, and outbreak response. Increasing misinformation, evolving public health threats, and the need to sustain public trust require a coordinated and evidence-based communication framework. The Epidemiology Unit leads the National Immunization Programme and communicable disease surveillance and response in Sri Lanka. While various communication activities are implemented during routine immunization and outbreak situations, a consolidated national Risk Communication Strategy is required to ensure consistency, transparency, coordination, and alignment with international best practices.

The purpose of this assignment is to develop a comprehensive, evidence-based Risk Communication Strategy for the Epidemiology Unit, covering the National Immunization Programme (childhood immunization) and Disease Surveillance and Response, including pandemic preparedness and response and adult immunization.

The consultant will work in close collaboration with the Chief Epidemiologist and relevant Consultant Epidemiologists of the Epidemiology Unit, as well as other designated stakeholders, to ensure the strategy is technically sound, contextually appropriate, and aligned with national public health priorities. The strategy will serve as a guiding framework to strengthen public trust, promote timely and transparent information sharing, enhance community engagement, and effectively address misinformation and rumours during both routine public health activities and public health emergencies.

Overall objective:

To develop a comprehensive national Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Strategy for the Epidemiology Unit that supports the National Immunization Programme, disease surveillance, and public health emergency preparedness and response, including pandemic situations and adult immunization.

The specific objectives of this assignment are to:

1.Strengthen public trust, acceptance, and demand for immunization by improving the effectiveness, transparency, and consistency of communication related to routine childhood immunization and adult immunization programmes.

2.Enhance programs capacity for effective risk communication during public health events, including disease outbreaks and pandemics, by developing structured approaches for timely information dissemination and coordinated communication.

3.Strengthen mechanisms for rumour management and misinformation response, including systems for monitoring, analysing, and addressing rumours and misinformation related to immunization and emerging public health threats.

4.Promote effective engagement with communities, media, digital platforms, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that the necessary public health communication is responsive to and timely addressing the community concerns and information needs.

5.Strengthen multi-sectoral collaboration and stakeholder coordination for RCCE, including systematic mapping and analysis of key stakeholders across health sector, development partners, media institutions, and relevant government and community-based organizations involved in disease prevention and response.

 

Duration of the consultancy: April - May 2026 (50 days)

Duty station – Colombo (Home based)

Scope of Work:

In collaboration with the Epidemiology Unit, the consultant will work under the guidance of the Chief Epidemiologist and in close coordination with relevant Consultant Epidemiologists. The consultant will provide technical assistance to develop a comprehensive Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Strategy aligned with the WHO RCCE framework, supporting the National Immunization Programme, disease surveillance, and public health emergency preparedness and response.

The strategy will take a systems-based approach, strengthening risk communication capacity across public health programmes rather than focusing on individual diseases. Under this framework, the consultant will be required to provide technical assistance and accomplish the following tasks:

1.Situation Analysis

O Review existing national policies, strategies, guidelines, tools, and practices of risk communication related to immunization programmes, disease surveillance, outbreak response, and pandemic preparedness.

O Analyse previous risk communication approaches, including strengths, gaps, and lessons learned from past public health emergencies and immunization-related communication efforts.

O Assess the current institutional capacity, coordination mechanisms, and communication channels used for public health risk communication.

2. Stakeholder Mapping and Consultation

O Conduct a systematic mapping and analysis of stakeholders involved in risk communication and community engagement relevant to the communication of immunization, including adult immunization, disease surveillance and public health emergencies. This includes government agencies, health sector institutions, development partners, media organizations, community structures, civil society organizations, and other relevant sectors.

O Coordinate closely with the Chief Epidemiologist and relevant Consultant Epidemiologists throughout the assignment.

O Plan, facilitate, and document consultative meetings and technical discussions with Consultant Epidemiologists and other key stakeholders to gather inputs for the development of the RCCE strategy.

O Ensure inputs and recommendations from stakeholders are systematically incorporated into the strategy

3. Audience, Risk, and Community Assessment

O Identify and characterize key audience groups relevant to immunization programmes, disease surveillance, and public health emergency response, including caregivers, adolescents, adults, health workers, community leaders, media representatives, and vulnerable populations.

O Identify existing community structures, networks, and platforms that can support effective community engagement and dissemination of public health information.

4. Development of the National RCCE Strategy

O Develop a comprehensive Risk Communication and Community Engagement Strategy for the immunization program, adult immunization, including during pandemics, and disease surveillance including outbreak detection, and response

O The strategy will be aligned with the five pillars in the WHO RCCE framework

https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/1b74cf1a-216f-4b9f-ad7c-1cdb9cec1157/content.

▪ Risk Communication Systems

▪ Internal and Partner Coordination

▪ Public Communication

▪ Communication Engagement with Affected Communities

▪ Addressing Perceptions, Risky Behaviours, and Misinformation

5. Operational and Coordination Framework

O Define governance, coordination mechanisms for risk communication within the Epidemiology Unit

O Clarify roles and responsibilities at national, provincial, and district levels

O Recommend capacity-building and coordination mechanisms for sustained implementation

6. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adaptation

O Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for the RCCE strategy, including indicators to assess communication reach, stakeholder engagement, rumor management effectiveness, and coordination mechanisms.

O Propose systems for collecting community feedback, monitoring emerging risks, and adapting communication approaches based on lessons learned.

7. Stakeholder Review and Validation

O Organize and facilitate stakeholder consultation and validation meetings with the Epidemiology Unit, relevant government stakeholders, development partners, and other key actors.

O Present the draft RCCE strategy for discussion and collect structured feedback from stakeholders.

O Revise and finalize the strategy based on inputs received during the validation process to ensure national ownership and operational feasibility.

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

Minimum requirements:

Masters - Public Health, Communication or Behavioural Science, Psychology or any other relevant field

5-year experience in Epidemiology and risk communication, with the experience of developing similar strategies

Experience in working with public health institutions, mainly the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health and provincial and regional directorates of health services.

 

How to apply :

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a resume and other relevant documents

Please complete your profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system.

Please indicate your ability, availability and fee/rate in LKR to undertake the terms of reference above. (Indicate an all-inclusive fee (including lump sum travel, IT accessories, Internet and subsistence costs, as applicable) to undertake the tasks in the Terms of reference. Office 365 license will be provided by UNICEF, as applicable) 

Applications submitted without a fee/rate will not be considered 

 

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

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 

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 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 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.

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.

If you think this position might be for you, please take the time to review our Country Office Mutual Agreements before you apply.

If you believe you can be a team member that can uphold these everyday, then we look forward to receiving and reviewing your application

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.