Anticipatory Action and Preparedness Officer

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.

UNICEF’s Programme in Italy was set up in 2016 to respond to a large influx of unaccompanied minors arriving primarily through the Central Mediterranean route.

The Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS) provides strategic and coordinated support to Country Offices preparing for and responding to humanitarian crises, in collaboration with Regional Offices and Centres of Excellence (CoEs), to ensure that they have the right capacities to respond effectively and deliver on UNICEF’s Core Commitments to Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs). EMOPS leads efforts to ensure that UNICEF’s role in complex emergencies and natural disasters is clearly defined, that the organisation is properly equipped to fulfil that role, and that all levels of the organisation are prepared to deliver on its mandate.

The Risk Analysis and Preparedness Section (RAPS) within EMOPS supports UNICEF in being ready to meet the CCCs in humanitarian emergencies and contributes to the organisation’s ability to assess, anticipate and adapt to a range of risks. RAPS aims to strengthen UNICEF’s preparedness to save and protect lives and reduce children’s vulnerability in the face of crises.

UNICEF’s anticipatory action work is expanding rapidly to help Country Offices and Regional Offices design, implement and document anticipatory action frameworks that protect children and communities from forecastable hazards and predictable crises. This assignment will support both the technical and coordination aspects of this growing portfolio, including documentation of good practices, development of communication materials, and support for country office capacity building. The role will also contribute to the organisation of events, training sessions and other capacity building activities at country and regional levels.

Through this assignment, the UN Volunteer will work closely with Country Offices and Regional Offices where anticipatory action frameworks are being developed or implemented, gaining valuable experience in humanitarian preparedness, climate resilience and knowledge management.

In addition, the assignment will support broader emergency preparedness initiatives led by RAPS, including the development and roll-out of the Emergency Preparedness Platform 3.0 (EPP 3.0), a core corporate system designed to strengthen emergency preparedness and response planning across Country Offices. As UNICEF prepares for the global launch of EPP 3.0, the UN Volunteer will support the development of roll-out materials and coordination with Country Offices, including data consolidation, integration of inputs into the platform and analysis of preparedness information.

Under the direct supervision of the Emergency Specialist, the Anticipatory Action and Preparedness Officer will undertake the following tasks:

1. Content development and knowledge management
• Support Country Offices and Regional Offices with documentation and reporting on existing anticipatory action frameworks
• Assist in developing templates and guidance for Country Offices to collect video stories, photos, and beneficiary stories
• Contribute to knowledge sharing products such as case studies, good practices, and lessons learned
• Support the management and updating of UNICEF’s anticipatory action SharePoint site and related knowledge platforms
• Support the roll-out and promotion of UNICEF’s anticipatory action training on AGORA

2. Support coordination and contribute to proposal development
• Support Country Offices in developing concept notes and proposals for new anticipatory action frameworks
• Assist with drafting resource mobilization concept notes in collaboration with the Global Programme Division, clusters, and relevant divisions such as the Public Partnerships Division (PPD) and Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP)
• Coordinate with Country Offices, Regional Offices, and Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to gather inputs, templates, and updates related to anticipatory action initiatives

3. Support for organizing events, training sessions, and capacity building
• Provide support for planning and delivering trainings, workshops, and capacity building sessions for Country Offices
• Assist with coordination of country and regional learning events related to anticipatory action
• Contribute to documentation of key outcomes and lessons learned from these activities

4. Support to emergency preparedness initiatives and EPP 3.0 roll-out
• Support the roll-out and launch of the Emergency Preparedness Platform 3.0 (EPP 3.0)
• Assist the Emergency Specialist with compiling and integrating data provided by Country Offices into the EPP system
• Support coordination with Country Offices to collect, consolidate, and review preparedness information required for the platform
• Contribute to the preparation of guidance materials and resources supporting the EPP roll-out
• Support the Emergency Specialist with other emergency preparedness related tasks and assignments as required.
• Perform any other duties as delegated by the supervisor.