Humanitarian Policy Specialist, P-3, Temporary Position, Office of Emergency Operations, 4 months, New York, #00132703

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, to defend their rights, and to 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.    

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For every child, the right to a Future 

How can you make a difference?

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.

Job organizational context: The Humanitarian Access Specialist will report to the Humanitarian Policy for Complex and High Threat Environments team lead, as part of Humanitarian Policy Section (HPS) in UNICEF’s Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS).  

Purpose for the job: The Humanitarian Access Specialist will form part of the Complex and High Threat Environments (CHTE) team and provide technical support on UNICEF’s humanitarian access workstream to relevant Country, Regional, and Headquarters Offices.

The Humanitarian Access Specialist (TA, P3, 4 months) will work closely with the CHTE team members (Humanitarian Affairs Officer, Access ERT) and the broader Humanitarian Policy Section, as well as with peers from the Office of Security Coordination (OSC), the Risk, Analysis, and Preparedness Section (RAPS), and the Department of People and Culture (DPC).

The incumbent will provide humanitarian access expertise in the areas of policy and guidance development, development and delivery of specialized training for UNICEF staff and partners, inter-agency representation and influencing, and technical support to the field – in line with the existing vision, work plan, and planned activities to institutionalize and mainstream humanitarian access across UNICEF operations and programs, focusing on reaching children in hard-to-reach areas in situations considered complex and high threat environments.

This temporary assignment is in support of a parental leave cover.

 Key function, accountabilities and related duties/tasks 

1.    Develop and deliver training modules on humanitarian access and related humanitarian policy topics for UNICEF staff and partners; and engage with DPC on the integration of access contents in overall organizational humanitarian learning initiatives. (25%)

2.    Support the drafting, consultation, finalization, and dissemination of institutional policy and guidance products on humanitarian access and related humanitarian policy issues, with a focus on operational and applied policy briefs. (25%)

3.    Represent, in close collaboration with other team members, UNICEF in relevant technical-level inter-agency coordination platforms (humanitarian access, civil-military coordination, program criticality) and ensure UNICEF consultations, inputs, and dissemination. (25%)

4.    Provide technical support on humanitarian access and related humanitarian policy issues to UNICEF Field, Country, and Regional Offices – as requested – both remote