Re-Advertisement: Nutrition Specialist (Maternal Nutrition), P-4, Fixed Term Position, HQ Outposted, Nairobi, Kenya #00133691

This is a re-advertisement, candidates who have already applied do not need to re-apply.

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, the right to Health

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.

The Global Programme Division (GPD) plays a central role in driving programme excellence across UNICEF. It provides global strategic leadership and policy direction, develops and monitors frameworks and standards, and ensures coherence and alignment across sectors, regions and partners. GPD generates high-impact, evidence-based solutions and serves as a hub of specialized expertise, offering technical guidance on policy reform and scalable programming.

GPD leads UNICEF’s policies, standards and negotiations for programme, ensuring the organization’s assets and priorities are aligned with and contribute to child development goals. In addition, GPD strengthens country-level implementation through integrated technical support, linking global policy with on-the-ground action to deliver results for children at scale.
As part of this structure, UNICEF has established Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to provide high-quality, demand-driven technical assistance to Country and Regional Offices, and their governments and partners. Located strategically in Nairobi, Panama, Amman and Bangkok, the CoEs bring together cross-cutting expertise across time zones. Global Programme Practices in CoEs function as a single point of entry for support, delivering tailored assistance in priority areas such as policy reform in matters that advance the wellbeing of children, at-scale programme design, public finance, workforce development and institutional strengthening, and timely
humanitarian response while promoting resilient development. In so doing, the CoEs also contribute to global policy standards ensuring that UNICEF’s support is grounded in practical knowledge.

UNICEF’s efforts have contributed to reducing the global prevalence of child stunting by one-third and the number of children with stunted growth and development by 70 million (2000–2020),showing that progress in child and maternal nutrition at scale is possible across countries and regions. Despite this progress, maternal and child malnutrition remains a persistent challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and in fragile or humanitarian contexts. Women during pregnancy and breastfeeding face high levels of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight, all of which are strongly associated with poor birth outcomes, low birthweight, and intergenerational cycles of malnutrition.

Guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UNICEF Nutrition Strategy 2030 calls fora life-cycle and systems approach to preventing maternal and child malnutrition in all its forms. The Strategy emphasizes improving diets, services, and practices that support maternal and child nutrition through five key systems: food, health, water and sanitation, education, and social protection. Within this framework, maternal nutrition is prioritized as a critical entry point to protect, promote, and improve the health and well-being of women, their children, and future generations.

The UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026–2029 reinforces this priority, setting ambitious goals to reduce all forms of malnutrition, strengthen equitable service delivery, and embed maternal nutrition as a foundation for sustainable development. As part of UNICEF’s programme offer on maternal nutrition, the organization provides technical assistance, policy advocacy, evidence generation, and capacity development to strengthen maternal nutrition services and interventions across all contexts, including fragile and humanitarian settings.

How can you make a difference?

Under the guidance and supervision of the Senior Advisor Nutrition (School-Age Children, Adolescents and Maternal Nutrition), the Nutrition Specialist (Maternal Nutrition) is responsible for developing, preparing, and managing complex, integrated nutrition programmes that improve women’s nutrition, with a particular emphasis on maternal nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The Specialist provides authoritative technical guidance and management support throughout programme design and implementation, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, Nutrition Strategy, results-based management approaches, and accountability frameworks.

The Nutrition Specialist plays a pivotal role in providing high-quality technical assistance to UNICEF regional and country offices, governments, and partners, enabling them to design and scale maternal nutrition policies and programmes that respond to context-specific challenges and opportunities.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

1. Capacity Development & Institutional Strengthening
2. Quality Improvement at Scale
3. Policy Reform & Systems Transformation
4. Evidence, Data & Knowledge for Action
5. Programme Management & Results Monitoring

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  JD - Nutrition Specialist (Maternal Nutrition)_P4.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Nutrition, nutritional epidemiology, public health, global/international health and nutrition, food technology, health/nutrition research, anthropology and any other related fields.
  A Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in a relevant area combined with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. This is applicable to internal (FT, Continuing and Permanent) staff only.
• Work Experience: At least 8 years of relevant work experience at global, regional or country levels in public health nutrition, with demonstrated experience in Maternal Nutrition and any other related fields.
• Skills:
  • Strong networking skills and experience in managing global or regional partnerships, advocacy and resource mobilization is an asset.
  • Knowledge of public financing for nutrition is essential.
  • Skills in proposal development and grants management is an asset.
  • Experience of working across diverse country typologies including humanitarian settings is a plus.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• In-depth scientific knowledge and programmatic expertise in Maternal Nutrition.
• Experience in policy development and technical guidance on Maternal Nutrition.
• Ability to design, implement and evaluate nutrition programmes for Maternal Nutrition at scale. Experience in community-based nutrition programmes is a plus.
• Skills in interpreting and using nutrition data for programme design and monitoring and understanding of assessment tools and indicators related to Maternal Nutrition
• Strong communication and advocacy skills to promote investments in Maternal Nutrition.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

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

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.