Regional Youth Engagement Specialist
Organizational Context
UNICEF operates in challenging global environments to protect children's lives, rights, and potential. In Latin America and the Caribbean, its Regional Office in Panama supports 24 country offices across 36 territories. This role specifically aids the Advocacy and Communication team in advancing adolescent well-being, empowerment, participation, and leadership, focusing on accelerating Sustainable Development Goals through meaningful and safe engagement with young people.
Job Purpose
The Regional Youth Engagement Specialist will support UNICEF's Advocacy and Communication team in the Latin America and Caribbean region to accelerate positive development and well-being for adolescents and young people, with a particular emphasis on girls' empowerment, participation, and leadership. The role involves facilitating the creation and operation of a new Regional UNICEF Adolescent Action Board, supporting youth engagement in advocacy and communication initiatives, and planning, monitoring, and supporting youth engagement activities across the Regional Office and Country Offices. This position aims to ensure young people's voices meaningfully shape UNICEF's work and contribute to achieving SDGs.
Responsibilities
The UN Volunteer will coordinate the Regional UNICEF Adolescent Action Board, managing selection, orientation, workplan development, and fostering peer support through virtual communities. This includes ensuring safe and meaningful participation, coordinating meetings, and documenting the board's process and member stories. The role also involves supporting youth engagement in advocacy and communication by assisting in content production, facilitating participation in events through capacity building and logistical coordination, and supporting programming focused on adolescent girls. Furthermore, the specialist will contribute to developing robust youth engagement strategies and communication plans for the LAC region, support Country Offices in their youth engagement efforts, and assist in implementing local Youth Advocates programs. Finally, the position will support annual reporting analysis, quality assurance, and the drafting of regional reports, establishing baselines and monitoring campaign KPIs.
Work Experience
Requires at least 5 years of experience in international development with proven project management skills, and at least 3 years of experience working with adolescents and young people in both virtual and physical settings. Experience in child safeguarding, PSEA principles, strong digital literacy, and using social media/virtual collaboration tools is essential. Experience in designing and managing projects, monitoring results, and leading youth engagement strategies is also required. Experience in advocacy, communication initiatives, stakeholder networks, and coalitions is an asset.
Skills
Core values include care, respect, integrity, trust, and accountability. Key competencies involve building and maintaining partnerships, demonstrating self-awareness and ethical awareness, driving results, managing ambiguity and complexity, and working collaboratively. Technical skills include communication, advocacy, public information, project management, programme development, and strategy development, with proficiency in MS Office and virtual collaboration tools.