Climate Finance Youth Engagement Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, the world's leading children's rights organization, has been dedicated to promoting children's survival, protection, and development for over 70 years. Established in 1946, UNICEF operates in 190 countries and territories, making it the largest provider of vaccines for developing nations. The organization focuses on child health and nutrition, access to clean water and sanitation, quality education for all children, and the protection of children from violence and exploitation. With a workforce of over 12,000 staff members across more than 145 countries, UNICEF is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from individuals, businesses, foundations, and governments.

Job Overview:
The Climate Finance Youth Engagement Consultant will play a crucial role in addressing the escalating threats posed by climate change and environmental degradation on children's well-being globally. The consultant will support UNICEF's Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan (SCAP) 2023 - 2030, which aims to prioritize climate action through partnerships with public and private sectors. The consultant will be responsible for strengthening UNICEF's engagement with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and other climate finance mechanisms, focusing on developing pipelines, preparing proposals, and providing implementation support. The role requires collaboration with various teams within UNICEF, including the Climate Team and Generation Unlimited, to ensure that climate finance initiatives are child-centered and effectively address the needs of young people.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant's duties will include:

• Developing an inception report detailing the Climate Finance Systems Building approach and workplan.
• Orchestrating cross-sector Climate Rationale development for UNICEF, ensuring validation from multiple Centres of Excellence.
• Preparing child- and youth-friendly climate finance resources through collaborative design labs.
• Developing safeguarding mechanisms for child and youth engagement in GCF programming.
• Ensuring quality assurance of youth components in climate finance proposals.
• Preparing and delivering briefs and presentations for senior management.
• Liaising with institutional contractors for Climate Finance training and capacity-building modules.
• Capturing lessons from Climate Finance projects into design guidance.
• Supporting the development of donor funding pools. 1
• Conducting benchmarking reviews of existing technical assistance capacities. 1
• Collaborating with Generation Unlimited on the Climate Fund for Young People. 1
• Preparing a closing report summarizing key outputs and lessons learned.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in sustainable development, climate change, climate policy, economics, environmental management, international development, or a related field. Additionally, at least 5 years of experience working with multilateral organizations, preferably UNICEF, in areas related to climate, environment, and youth engagement is required. Candidates should have experience in preparing meaningful youth engagement strategies in climate change and child-sensitive climate finance, as well as the ability to work with cross-cultural teams across various geographic locations. Strong communication skills are essential, with the ability to translate technical content into practical guidance for diverse audiences.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree in a relevant field such as sustainable development, climate change, climate policy, economics, environmental management, or international development is mandatory for this position. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of climate finance and its impact on children and youth.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, particularly in working with multilateral organizations like UNICEF. Candidates should have a proven track record in climate finance, youth engagement, and child-sensitive approaches to climate change. Experience in cross-cultural teamwork and the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders are also essential.

Languages:
Fluency in English is required for this position. Additionally, a working knowledge of another UN language such as French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish is considered an asset, enhancing the consultant's ability to communicate effectively in a multicultural environment.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is office-based at UNICEF's New York Headquarters and is expected to last from December 15, 2025, to December 15, 202

• The consultant will be required to submit a financial proposal that includes costs per deliverable and total lump-sum for the assignment. UNICEF will cover travel costs and daily subsistence allowances if international travel is required. The selected candidate must have current health insurance coverage at the time of contract award. Payment will be contingent upon the submission of satisfactory deliverables, and UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment if standards are not met. Candidates must also confirm their fully-vaccinated status against COVID-19 before starting the assignment, unless they are working remotely.