Climate Resilience Capacity and Programme Support Consultant

Contract Duration: 14 Months

Working arrangement: Homebased

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 https://www.unicef.org/ to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to resilience.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF is scaling up efforts to protect children from the increasing impacts of climate change, environmental degradation and disasters. Guided by the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and the Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan (SCAP) 2023–2030, UNICEF works across sectors, including WASH, health, education, nutrition, social protection and child protection, to build climate resilience, reduce risks and advance sustainable development for every child.

Under Strategic Plan Impact Area 5, UNICEF aims to ensure that 500 million children are better protected from disasters and climate and environmental risks, including:

• 300 million children benefiting from climate-resilient water, sanitation, health and education infrastructure and services.
• 200 million children reached by solutions that reduce the risks associated with climate-related disasters and environmental hazards.

The Climate Resilience Centre of Excellence for Children (CoE) serves as UNICEF’s global hub for technical assistance, knowledge generation, financing and partnerships to strengthen the resilience of services and systems for children. Working across policy reform and programme design, climate finance, workforce development and institution building, humanitarian and resilience programming, equity and demand generation, and programme management, the CoE supports UNICEF’s global leadership on child-sensitive climate resilience.

Purpose of the consultancy

Within this context, UNICEF is increasing its focus on delivering climate-resilient social services and strengthening the capacity of staff and partners to design and deliver them. The consultant will support this shift through a combination of capacity strengthening, knowledge management and technical assistance.

The consultant will support capacity-strengthening initiatives, contribute to internal knowledge management and communications, and provide technical support on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, as well as resource mobilization efforts. The consultant will work closely with the Climate Resilience CoE, other CoEs, relevant divisions, satellite offices, and regional and country offices to strengthen UNICEF’s institutional capacity to deliver results for children in a changing climate.

Scope of Work

Under the supervision of Programme Specialist (Results & Learning), and in close collaboration with other specialists, the consultant will support the implementation of UNICEF’s sustainability and climate action agenda across three areas of work.

1. Capacity strengthening on sustainability and climate action (approximately 50%)

The consultant will support the development, delivery and coordination of UNICEF’s global capacity-strengthening initiative on sustainability and climate action.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Support the planning, implementation, monitoring and documentation of the initiative, including consolidating inputs from the Climate Resilience CoE and other relevant stakeholders.
• Coordinate with external partners and UNICEF teams to organize training sessions, workshops and other learning activities, including tracking timelines, inputs and follow-up actions.
• Support Phase 3 of the initiative, focused on institutionalizing the training and expanding access to it, including by adapting existing materials into practical, self-paced learning resources accessible to UNICEF staff globally.
• Support the development of integrated learning packages that connect climate resilience with UNICEF’s work across sectors, including WASH, health, education, nutrition, child protection and social protection.
• Review and consolidate existing training materials, tools and guidance to identify gaps, reduce duplication and ensure consistency with UNICEF’s strategic priorities and technical guidance.
• Maintain and regularly update the Climate and Environment Learning Hub on UNICEF’s SharePoint, ensuring that learning materials, recordings, presentations, quizzes and related resources are organized, published and accessible to staff.
• Track participation, feedback and agreed follow-up actions and contribute to reporting on the reach, quality and results of the initiative.

2. Internal knowledge management and strategic communications (approximately 20%)

The consultant will support the documentation, management and communication of UNICEF’s climate-resilience knowledge, programming and results.

Key responsibilities will include:

• In liaison with relevant KM-colleagues, maintain and update an organized database of current programme examples, good practices, lessons learned and results from climate- and disaster-resilient programming across UNICEF sectors and regions.
• Liaise with the Climate Resilience CoE, other CoEs, satellite offices, and regional and country offices to identify, verify and document programme examples for internal learning, senior management engagements, donor communications and external visibility.
• Draft concise, audience-specific materials, including talking points, briefing notes, presentations, key messages and background materials, in collaboration with Climate Resilience CoE colleagues and other relevant focal points.
• Track requests from the Office of the Executive Director, including Roundhouse requests, and support the timely preparation and internal clearance of background briefs, programme examples and other supporting materials.
• Support internal knowledge-sharing activities, including webinars, presentations and the dissemination of relevant guidance, tools and programme examples.

3. Technical assistance and programme development (approximately 30%)

In close collaboration with the Programme Specialist (CCA & DRR), the consultant will support the provision of technical assistance to other CoEs, satellite offices, and regional and country offices, as well as selected global initiatives.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Contribute to the provision of technical assistance on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction to country offices and priority projects identified by the Climate Resilience CoE, working in collaboration with relevant technical teams.
• Review programme documents, strategies, concept notes, proposals, investment cases, assessments and guidance materials and provide practical technical inputs under the direction of the supervisor.
• Support country offices in integrating climate and disaster resilience into sector programmes, with particular attention to climate-resilient social services and the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children.
• Contribute to resource-mobilization efforts for the Climate Resilience CoE and UNICEF country offices, including drafting and reviewing concept notes, investment cases, funding proposals and partner engagement materials, as well as supporting donor mapping.
• Support the documentation and dissemination of technical lessons and good practices emerging from assistance provided to country offices.
• Support the coordination and roll-out of the joint UNDP–UNICEF global campaign on nature-positive careers, including contributing to implementation planning, adapting campaign materials, liaising with participating offices and tracking progress.

Note: Travel to countries and/or other locations may be required based on programme needs. A separate travel budget will be made available, and all travel must be approved in advance by the supervisor.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Download File Terms of Reference TMC0007419.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in Climate Change, Environmental Sciences, Disaster Risk Reduction, Sustainable Development, International Development, Education or Learning and Development, Social Sciences, or another relevant field.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of three years of relevant professional experience in climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, capacity strengthening, learning and development, knowledge management, or related areas.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:

• Demonstrated experience in developing, adapting or delivering training programmes, learning packages or capacity-strengthening initiatives, including online or self paced learning resources.
• Experience in coordinating learning activities involving multiple internal and external stakeholders and in tracking participation, feedback and results.
• Good technical understanding of climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and/or anticipatory action, including their integration into sector programmes and social services.
• Experience reviewing programme documents, strategies, concept notes, proposals, assessments or technical guidance and providing clear, practical inputs.
• Demonstrated experience in knowledge management, including documenting programme results, good practices and lessons learned and organizing information for different audiences.
• Strong writing and communication skills, with experience preparing briefing notes, presentations, talking points, reports, learning materials or other communication products.
• Experience working with UN agencies, international organizations, governments or development partners in multicultural and multidisciplinary environments.
• Experience supporting proposal development, resource mobilization, donor mapping or climate-finance processes is an asset.
• Experience with SharePoint or similar knowledge management and online learning platforms is an asset.
• Experience supporting campaigns or initiatives involving children and young people, particularly in relation to climate action, green skills or nature-positive careers, is an asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of another UN language 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

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 reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities 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.

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.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter
• A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template)Download File Financial Proposal TMC0007419.docx

Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not downloadable on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers.

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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here https://www.unicef.org/careers/unicef-job-categories.