UNV Experto/a en Participación Adolescente y Cambio Social
Organizational Context
UNICEF is the United Nations agency dedicated to protecting the rights of children and adolescents, advocating for the visibility and addressing of complex rights violations affecting children in Colombia. The UNICEF Colombia Country Programme 2025-2028 aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, guiding collective UN support for the 2030 Agenda. The program focuses on government priorities including peacebuilding, migration as a development factor, and accelerating SDGs, while addressing persistent inequalities and the impact of armed conflict on vulnerable children.
Job Purpose
This role supports UNICEF's efforts in Colombia by providing technical assistance, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation for programs focused on adolescent development, participation, and rights. The assignment aims to strengthen adolescent skills, promote their engagement, and ensure their rights are upheld within the framework of the UNICEF Country Programme 2025-2028. The expert will contribute to cross-cutting programs such as early childhood development, mental health, child marriage prevention, adolescent participation, and climate action, working across various strategic areas to improve the lives of children and adolescents in a context marked by persistent inequalities and conflict.
Responsibilities
Provide technical assistance to UNICEF, implementing partners, and local authorities on Adolescent Development and Participation (ADAP) and Social and Behavior Change (SBC) strategies. Harmonize ADAP and SBC approaches within territorial planning and sectoral activities. Monitor indicators, objectives, and activities, reporting issues for timely resolution. Participate in territorial decision-making spaces affecting adolescents and communities. Promote opportunities for and with adolescents among government, civil society, and the private sector. Empower communities, adolescents, and youth regarding participation rights and leadership. Facilitate the development of Program Cooperation Agreements (PCAs). Support program sections with qualitative and quantitative data research, analysis, and reporting. Prepare performance monitoring reports for supervisors. Support capacity-building activities for ADAP and SBC through training material preparation and participation. Monitor social, behavioral, community, and cultural transformation strategies and actions. Additionally, promote volunteerism, contribute to UNV program activities, share field experiences, assist with the Young Volunteer Mentoring Program, and promote UNV's Online Volunteering service.
Work Experience
Requires 7 years of relevant professional experience, including direct work with communities and adolescents, and experience in programs promoting children's and adolescents' rights. Experience in community participation, social change, and cultural transformation strategies at the local level is essential. Facilitation of non-formal education processes with children, adolescents, and communities is also required. Desirable experience includes developing evidence-based strategies for community engagement or adolescent participation, conducting qualitative and quantitative research, working with a gender focus, preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, and prior experience within the UN System.
Skills
Core competencies include Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability. Professional skills encompass teamwork, continuous learning, planning and organization, communication, and flexibility. A genuine commitment to the principles of volunteerism, including solidarity, compassion, reciprocity, and autonomy, is essential. Specific expertise areas include community development, communication, advocacy, public information, and youth engagement.