National Consultant – CEED Climate & DRR Programme Support, 207 w/ds, Dushanbe, Tajikistan (open to Tajik nationals only)

The consultant will support the CEED Section to articulate compelling child-sensitive priorities and costing into the final narrative, and to advocate within the Technical Working Groups (TWGs) for inclusion of interventions that demonstrably benefit children. In parallel, UNICEF and the Center for Implementation of Investment Projects (CIIP) are preparing a joint Green Climate Fund (GCF) education resilience programme. This process requires close coordination with an international consulting team on pre-feasibility analysis, day-to-day engagement with UNICEF RO/HQ and GCF HQ, and iterative development toward a Funded Funding Proposal (FFP).

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 save and sustainable environment, 

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, advocacy, and 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.

UNICEF Tajikistan integrates climate, environment, energy and disaster risk reduction (CEED) to protect children and communities from climate-related shocks. In recent years, UNICEF and partners have advanced child-sensitive policy and practice through evidence such as the Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) and programmatic work in DRR, including early warning systems, risk communication, simulation exercises, and school-centered preparedness. Tajikistan’s hazard context—heatwaves, dust storms, extreme temperatures, floods and landslides—requires institutional readiness and inclusive community action to ensure that vulnerable children, including those in special schools and marginalized settings, are not left behind.

As the Government moves toward a child-sensitive Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), the consultant will support the CEED Section to articulate compelling child-sensitive priorities and costing into the final narrative, and to advocate within the Technical Working Groups (TWGs) for inclusion of interventions that demonstrably benefit children. In parallel, UNICEF and the Center for Implementation of Investment Projects (CIIP) are preparing a joint Green Climate Fund (GCF) education resilience programme. This process requires close coordination with an international consulting team on pre-feasibility analysis, day-to-day engagement with UNICEF RO/HQ and GCF HQ, and iterative development toward a Funded Funding Proposal (FFP).

Within DRR, UNICEF contributes to the “Early Warnings for All” (EW4All) initiative under Pillar 4 (preparedness and response). Additionally, UNICEF’s added value is to link national SOPs (starting with heatwaves, dust storms, and extreme temperatures) to early action at institutional and community levels,particularly schools and healthcare facilities. Revision and operationalization of the national Heatwave Action Plan (2026–2030) are key near-term priorities to mainstream measures for children and the most at-risk.
UNICEF also co-creates inclusive risk communication and awareness materials—such as the ECO Secretariat’s DRR animation video and a broader work on DRR with key partners in DRR days, workshops, drills, trainings led by partners like the Committee of Emergency Situations (CoES), Hydromet, Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan (RCST), OCHA, and UNDRR. Finally, UNICEF convenes, prepares, and mentors youth participation in regional and global forums (Regional Ecological Summit, pre-COP, COP, Water Conference, and CACCC), ensuring that youth voices are evidence-based and aligned with UNICEF advocacy.

Given the multi-track nature of these agendas, a dedicated national consultant is required to sustain momentum, ensure coherence across processes, and deliver high-quality outputs on defined milestones across DRR/EW4All, NDC 3.0, GCF proposal development, SOP/plan revisions, and youth engagement.

How can you make a difference? 

DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

Duration: 207 working days between December 2025 - January 2027
Supervisor: Emergency Specialist, UNICEF Tajikistan

TOR with detailed deliverables and concrete timeframes is at the following  ToR_National Consultant CEED.docx

The consultant will provide targeted technical and coordination support to the CEED Section across five strands:

• DRR & EW4All coordination and support: Provide technical and coordination support to the UNICEF CEED programme, with a dedicated focus on advancing EW4All activities and follow-up. Support engagement with CoES, Hydromet, RCST, OCHA, and UNDRR, including participation in EW4All working group discussions, simulations, drills, and table-top exercises, as well as planning and delivery of relevant workshops and capacity-building activities. Support liaison with the ECO Secretariat on the child-focused DRR animation and deliverables under the UNICEF–ECO joint work plan. Contribute to UNICEF’s Inclusive DRR agenda, ensuring the inclusion of marginalized children, including those in special schools and other vulnerable groups. Provide follow-up with government counterparts, development partners, and donors to support resource mobilization for connecting early-warning systems to schools and social facilities.
• NDC 3.0 (Child-sensitive integration): Support the CEED Section and the national NDC consultant to integrate costing and UNICEF priority areas into the final NDC 3.0 narrative; represent UNICEF in TWGs; advocate for and track UNICEF’s child-sensitivity benchmarks and rankings.
• GCF Joint Proposal (CIIP/UNICEF): Contribute to the GCF concept note; support and coordinate the international consulting group on pre-feasibility; support day-to-day communications with UNICEF RO/HQ and GCF HQ; provide technical inputs toward the FFP development path and support the overall process of GCF project submission to the Summer Board 2026. In parallel, contribute to the development of the Adaptation Fund Concept Note, including preparation of technical inputs, coordination with partners, and alignment with national climate priorities.
• SOPs & Heatwave Action Plan: Support the national Heatwave consultant to link national SOPs (heatwave, dust storms, extreme temperatures) to early action at institutional/community level for 6 pilot districts; coordinate the work on SOPs with national governmental counterparts from CoeS, Hydromet, MoHSPP and MoES; coordinate the revision of the Heatwave Action Plan 2026–2030 embedding UNICEF priorities.
• Youth Preparation & Participation: Prepare and mentor youth participation for key climate/DRR events; co-develop evidence-based advocacy materials grounded in UNICEF’s CEED portfolio.

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

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences, Climate Studies, Social Sciences, Disaster Risk Management, or a related field. An advanced university degree (Master's or higher) in a relevant discipline is an asset.
• Work Experience: Minimum 5 years of experience in climate, environment, DRR, or related fields. preferably in an international development context. Previous experience with UNICEF or other UN Agency considered as an asset.
• Skills: Demonstrated experience in data analysis and evidence generation. Experience in partnership engagement with government and donors.
• Language Requirements: Be proficient in English and fluent in Russian/Tajik languages.

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

• CV and cover letter.
• Completed Annex 2: Expression of interest form -  Annex 2 and Annex 3.docx
• Financial proposal in TJS-all inclusive, indicting fee per day (Annex 3 to be completed).
• Contact of three references.
• At least 2 papers / concept notes previously developed by the candidate or when candidate provided substantial inputs to the documents.
• Applications without EOI and financial proposals will not be considered.

Applications must be received in the system by 23 November 2025 on UNICEF website.

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.

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. 

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.

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.