Re-advertisement: Emergency Specialist, P-4, Fixed Term Position, HQ Outposted, Rome, Italy #00103046

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 Education

How can you make a difference

Have you ever dreamed of being a first responder in an emergency response? Then this position might be the position for you! This role will provide support to the coordination of UNICEF's emergency response in crisis situations, through deployment to affected country offices, in full contact and consultation with Regional and Country Offices, and in close collaboration with the Office of Emergency Programmes. The position will provide support to overall leadership, guidance and direction to the UNICEF Emergency Response Team  for  programme  planning, implementation and analysis  to emergency programmes.  

When deployed to a CO:

• As agreed with the Representative, help represent UNICEF in discussions with inter-agency partners, donors, government, non-state entities, and other relevant actors to advocate and negotiate for, and assist in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of, humanitarian assistance and coordination.

• Coordinate inputs for preparation of response and/or contingency plans – including UNICEF led cluster plans - to ensure timely delivery of humanitarian assistance as per CCC benchmarks, including issues of gender equality, PSEA and disabilities.

• Provide support to inter-agency policy consultations to ensure a coordinated timely response and to ensure evolution of programme focus in sync with context changes. Coordinate with RO/HQ to establish a clear position and coherent strategy.

• Disseminate humanitarian policies, internal and inter-agency strategies and operational guidelines to guide UNICEF humanitarian response to children affected by emergencies, including both armed conflict and natural disasters situations.

• Collaborate with sectoral and cross sectoral programme officers to ensure that humanitarian programmes are coherent with UNICEF's country programme and its Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies (CCCs) are met.

When not deployed to the field:

• Incorporate field reality to strengthen/ improve UNICEF's humanitarian capacity, mechanisms, procedures, guidance, tools, programme policies and advocacy.
• Support CO preparedness through to the analysis of the Emergency Preparedness Platform(EPP) for those considered high risk in the horizon scanning. Support development of preparedness and response plans for incipient crisis COs.
• Support UNICEF's engagement with global clusters including on standards and guidelines, identifying common bottlenecks across humanitarian situations and escalation of issues for IASC discussion/decision

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  JD_Emergency Specialist, P-4

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in any of the following: Social Sciences, Public Administration, International Relations, Public Health, Education, or other fields related to the work of UNICEF is required. 
  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 national and international levels in humanitarian response is required. 
• Skills: Humanitarian response expertise, humanitarian access and negotiation skills.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English, and in French or Spanish is required. 

Desirables:

• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, or Russian) or a local language is an asset.
• Experience in Humanitarian Access which could include humanitarian negotiation, access sensitive operational planning, actor mapping, networking and relationship management with state and non-state entities, context analysis, and other relevant experience is desired.
• Knowledge and proven use of UNICEF's policy and procedures (programming + operations) at County Office level is desired.
• Experience in emergency preparedness is an asset.
• Experience in writing advocacy briefs, to effect change and report writing is an asset. 
• 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.

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.