The Biodiversity and Programme Support Officer will have the following responsibilities as part of the climate change, environment, energy, and disaster risk reduction (CEED) team and under the close supervision and guidance of their supervisor: 1) Coordinating organizational platforms and providing support to ensure children’s issues, needs, and perspectives are championed in climate and environmental policies and programmes and 2) Supporting the shaping and development of the organization’s programmes and policies as related to biodiversity protection.

How can you make a difference?

Programme Support and Development:

•  Support the development of UNICEF’s programmes with a primary focus on biodiversity, identifying strategic action areas that leverage the organization’s collaborative advantage.
•  Shape UNICEF’s advocacy and policy work to emphasize biodiversity protection and integrate it within wider climate, energy, and environmental strategies, including disaster risk reduction.
•  Establish monitoring frameworks to specifically evaluate the outcomes and impacts of biodiversity conservation efforts within the broader sustainability and climate programming.

Policy Advocacy and Coordination:

•  Support the integration of biodiversity objectives in organizational multi-sectoral and multi-regional policy initiatives, particularly through the SCAP implementation.
•  Organize and deliver policy presentations, workshops, and seminars that focus on promoting UNICEF’s agenda for biodiversity conservation, engaging relevant key stakeholders.

Research and Analysis:

•  Conduct research and provide data to guide policy and programming decisions with a specialized focus on biodiversity and its critical role within the climate and environmental sectors.
•  Gather and analyze evidence to build compelling investment cases for funding initiatives that prioritize biodiversity alongside UNICEF’s sustainability and climate objectives.

Communication and Stakeholder Engagement:

•  Create platforms and initiatives that bring attention to biodiversity as a central theme in climate and environmental discourse, especially from the perspective of children and youth.
•  Strengthen communication strategies and knowledge management to highlight children’s unique insights and needs in biodiversity conservation within environmental policies and programmes.
•  Actively participate in internal and external meetings, contributing insights and advocating for biodiversity conservation to be a core consideration in all discussions pertaining to UNICEF’s environmental, climate, and sustainability agendas.

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

•  A university degree in climate change, environmental science, engineering, disaster management, International Development, International Relations, Government, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy or other relevant disciplines is required
•  A minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience in areas related to sustainability, international development, disaster management, environmental issues, public policy, social policy, and children’s health and wellbeing is required
•  Specific experience in policy/programming support, implementation, monitoring, review and evaluation related to climate change, environment or disaster risk reduction is required preferably in a developing country context
•  Knowledge on climate, environment, and DRR impacts, assessments, and adaptation solutions required
•  Familiarity with children’s rights in the context of climate change, environmental degradation and disaster risk reduction
•  Experience in developing tools, and providing training, particularly as part of a global/regional role in support of other country offices will be considered an asset.
•  Experience working on CEED issues within UNICEF or other international development agencies is considered an asset.
•  Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.