Youth Engagement Officer

Title: Youth Engagement Officer
Job no: 578006
Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment
Duty Station: Kyiv
Level: NO-2

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. 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.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, hope

UNICEF Ukraine

Join Adolescent Development And Participation (ADAP) team at UNICEF Ukraine!

How can you make a difference? 

In recent years UNICEF has increased its focus on young people. The UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2018-2021 recognizes the whole spectrum of young people, including young adults or youth over 18, and includes in its Change Strategies “supporting young people and children as agents of change.” Taking its cue from the strategic plan, the Global Communication and Advocacy Strategy 2019-2021 (GCAS) asserts the important role that young people can play in the successful realization of UNICEF’s mandate, and outlines the need to listen to, co-create and collaborate with young people and create meaningful engagement opportunities for them to make a difference. Being important drivers of change, children and young people are essential partners and contributors to both the development and implementation of UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2022 2025. With a new and ambitious SP, UNICEF intends to be deliberate and committed in fully involving children and young people in creating the solutions to accelerate the realization of the SDGs and driving change forward.

Organizational context
The Youth Engagement Officer reports to Chief ADAP Section, who is at Level P4.

Purpose of the job:

This role will assist Ukraine UNICEF office to develop, implement and monitor effective and engaging programs on young people engagement and participation across sectors. Under the leadership of Chief ADAP Section the role will support the development and implementation and monitoring of youth participation strategies, partnerships management, and capacity building.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1.  Youth Engagement and Participation strategy development and implementation
2.  Youth Participation content development
3.  Youth Engagement platforms management (e.g. U-Report)
4.  Young People Advisory Board
5.  Safeguarding and participation
6.  Youth Engagement M&E
7.  Project and budget management
8.  Youth Engagement capacity building & Knowledge Management
9.  Stakeholder engagement
10. Others

This staff member will support the development of effective, integrated strategies for youth engagement in participation, advocacy and campaigning. They will work collaboratively with colleagues across teams, as well as with external partners, to create meaningful opportunities for young people to take action in support of children’s rights through UNICEF’s campaigns and priority initiatives.

Duties include:

1. Youth Engagement strategy development and implementation:

Assist in the development of youth engagement strategies to achieve SMART outcomes.

2. Youth Participation content development:

Assist in the development and implementation of methodological content and technical expertise with and for youth as part of programmatic and advocacy priorities.

3. Youth Engagement Platforms management:

Support content moderation, community management, content creation and M&E for youth focused platforms/communities. Assist in the local coordination and implementation of U-Report.

4. Young People Advisory Board:
Support the functioning of Young People Advisory Board: researching potential youth advocates; supporting workplan development and communication; supporting youth advocates in preparation for events/media; documenting learnings and successes.

5. Safeguarding and participation:

Ensure adherence to principles of child/youth participation and safeguarding when assisting in the development/implementation of all campaigns, programs and platforms.

6. Youth Engagement M&E:

Support the monitoring and evaluation of youth engagement strategies, campaigns and platforms. Assist in the preparation of relevant reports.

7. Project and budget management:

Support the day-to-day delivery of key projects/ workstreams, developing and tracking project plans to ensure progress and address obstacles and bottlenecks. Support effective budget management, projections and tracking.

8. Youth Engagement capacity building & Knowledge Management:

Support the implementation of capacity building and knowledge management efforts. Assist in the development of trainings and workshops; and develop and disseminate case studies and other knowledge management products.

9. Stakeholder engagement:

Research current and potential partners. Assist and maintain a database of formal and informal partnerships and networks whose support is essential to achieving objectives. Support the flow of information to key stakeholders.

10. Others:

Undertake other key responsibilities as required.

Impact of Results

The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the Youth Engagement Officer:

• Increased capacity to engage young people as advocates and champions for children’s rights through flagship campaigns and platforms.
• Strategic, innovative, effective and engaging programs with increased and robust participation of young people, ultimately helping to achieve key advocacy objectives for the organization.
• A positive social norms change among young people, laying the groundwork for sustained supporter engagement.

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

University degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, International Relations, Social Policy, International Development, or another related field.

Work Experience:

• At least two (2) years of relevant professional work experience in advocacy/ programming or communications focused on young people is required.
• Experience in supporting the development and implementation of youth engagement strategies, with specific, measurable and timebound objectives and performance indicators.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting and/or managing projects to completion, including developing and implementing clear processes.
• Demonstrated experience in designing content for youth audiences and/or community moderation of youth focused platforms.
• Experience in supporting the effective functioning of a team.
• Knowledge of children’s rights, public policy, international development and humanitarian issues.
• Knowledge of child safeguarding and ethics of working with children and youth.

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in English and Ukrainian is required.

Desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency. 
• Experience working for an advocacy or campaigning organization e.g. national or international NGO, UN or other multilateral organization is an asset.
• Experience in supporting training and facilitation is an asset.
• Experience working in a developing and emergency environment is an asset.
• Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.

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 

(8)  Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.

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’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable people with disabilities 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.

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.

Eligible staff members on fixed-term, continuing or permanent contracts applying to IP TA positions in a duty station designated as L2/L3, may be able to retain a lien and their fixed-term entitlements, subject to approval by their Head of Office. The conditions of the temporary assignment will vary depending on the status of their post and relocation entitlements may be limited as per the relevant policies.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

This position is based in Kyiv and the incumbent will be expected to work on-site. However, depending on the security conditions and advisory, s/he will be required to relocate within Ukraine.

Application Deadline: 08 January 2025 FLE Standard Time