Senior Adviser – Policy, Economics – Africa Strategy (P-5), FT, Programme Goup, outposted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia # 00053221

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.

The Programme Group is central to achieving UNICEF’s goals through programmatic excellence and innovation. It shapes strategies for impactful outcomes, particularly for the most at-risk children, and fosters transformative initiatives and partnerships to enhance programme impact at both national and continental levels.

In September 2024, the Executive Board adopted a new strategy for UNICEF’s Contribution to African Development Agendas, known as the Africa Strategy. The Africa Strategy focuses on three impact areas: developing human capital; resilience, climate action, and humanitarian action; and intensifying implementation of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Macroeconomic trends such as debt distress, fiscal constraints, and inflation can restrict investments in social services critical to children’s development. The Africa Strategy highlights the need to address systemic challenges, including poverty, inequality, migration, and climate change, while integrating macroeconomic considerations to advance equitable development outcomes for children. By analyzing these intersections, UNICEF seeks to provide evidence-based insights and policy solutions that promote sustainable development.

The Africa Strategy will be delivered through two vehicles: continent-wide and multi-country initiatives, which are designed to drive systemic change across multiple regions; and acceleration through country programmes. Together, these approaches are critical to accelerating UNICEF’s contribution to Africa’s ambitious targets for children as outlined in the AU Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2040 for children.

The Executive Board recognizes both the unique challenges and significant opportunities in Africa, underscoring the importance of sustained investments in the well-being of African children. UNICEF is expected to regular updates on progress to the Executive Board.

For every child, a calling.

This role will work closely with the Office of the Chief Economist and the Director of Social Policy and Protection in the Programme Group, as well as the UNICEF Office to the AU and UNECA, in collaboration with regional offices, the Office of Research at Innocenti, DAPM, DGCA, PPD to provide high-quality and consistent economic and integrated policy analysis, along with advisory support to continental institutions on behalf of UNICEF.

This role dotted line reports to Africa Strategy Coordinator in PG.

How can you make a difference? 

Policy Analysis and Advisory Support

• Analyze policy trends and macroeconomic developments affecting children across Africa, including debt burdens, demographic shifts, and socio-economic trends.
• Conduct in-depth policy research and analysis to assess the impact of these trends on children’s well-being.
• Provide advisory support to strengthen UNICEF’s engagement in economic and social policy discussions affecting children across the continent.
• Engage in direct policy advocacy and advisory efforts with continent-wide institutions, ensuring that UNICEF’s policy insights inform decision-making at the highest levels and bodies across the continent.
• Support UNICEF’s role in key policy mechanisms such as AfCFTA, UNECA, and AU policy bodies, advocating for child well-being considerations in economic and social policies.

Promoting Pro-Child Knowledge and Leadership Across the Continent   

• Ensure access to high-quality research by working with continental institutions and think tanks to provide decision-makers with evidence-based insights on child well-being.
• Generate research on emerging child-focused policy issues such as the growing debt burden, the digital divide, the adoption of AI, and others as relevant.
• Lead strategic continent-wide knowledge-sharing efforts through publications, high-level forums, and advocacy initiatives that elevate UNICEF’s contributions to Africa’s development agendas.
• Foster partnerships with economic institutions, policy institutes, international financing bodies, and regional forums to align knowledge-sharing efforts with UNICEF’s policy agenda.

Strengthening Internal Policy Coordination for Continent-wide Engagement

• Enhance internal coordination among UNICEF’s Office of Research, Programme Group, Division of Analysis, Planning & Monitoring, and Regional Offices to ensure consistent and strategic messaging across policy discussions.
• Provide on-the-ground support in various continent-wide policy forums, ensuring UNICEF’s engagement is aligned, impactful, and responsive to continental policy priorities.

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• An advanced university degree is required in one of the following fields: international relations, economics political science, communications, international development, or another relevant technical field.

Work Experience:

• At least 10 years of relevant, proven experience in policy development, including work on child rights and welfare.

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, French, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Desirables:

• Demonstrated success in producing evidence-based policy recommendations and engaging in high-level advocacy.
• Experience working with governments, multilateral organizations, and civil society in Africa on policy and programmatic initiatives.
• Strong track record of managing publications, organizing events, and driving partnerships to advance strategic objectives.

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…

• Builds and maintains partnerships (3)
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (2)
• Drive to achieve results for impact (3)
• Innovates and embraces change (3)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)
• Thinks and acts strategically (3)
• Works collaboratively with others (3)

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 benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, 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:

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

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.

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.

 Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.