Advocacy & Partnerships Consultant (UN 2026 Water Conference), GPD WASH, 8 months, CoE Nairobi, Kenya (Remote) #593066

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 [link removed] to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, clean water

How can you make a difference?  

The Advocacy & Partnerships Officer will provide strategic and operational support to deliver UNICEF’s WASH Advocacy Plan 2026, with a focus on UNICEF’s engagement in the UN 2026 Water Conference and the connected Advocacy Campaign and Youth Leadership Track. The consultant will ensure coherence between the Advocacy Plan and the Conference’s political processes, strengthen youth‑led advocacy and accountability mechanisms, and connect fundraising and donor engagement directly to the UNWC campaign.

Deliverables

• Advocacy milestones delivered on schedule (quarterly).
• Youth Leadership Track successfully implemented (consultations, co‑creation labs, plenary sessions, accountability platform).
• Minimum of six donor concept notes/proposals advanced.
• Senior leader briefing packages prepared for all UNWC milestones.
• At least five major events delivered with full documentation (briefing notes, speeches, communications).
• Consolidated report of UNICEF participation at the Kigali Symposium.
• Internal advocacy plan launched and embedded across UNICEF.
• Final synthesis report produced post‑UNWC 2026.
• Evidence synthesis briefs prepared ahead of UNWC.
• Donor visibility integrated into flagship report, immersive advocacy tools, and youth track outputs.
• Knowledge management maintained (shared folders, monthly updates, help desk).

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the Terms of Reference here:   ToR Advocacy & Partnerships Consultant UN 2026 TMS.pdf [link removed]

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

Minimum requirements:(Qualification/Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills)

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in International relations, communications, public policy, or related field.
• Work Experience:
• 5 to 7 years of experience in advocacy, partnerships, or resource mobilization
• Language Requirements:
• Fluency in English
• Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
• Experience in advocacy and communication. Proven track record in youth engagement. Donor relations and event coordination.
• Strong drafting, organizational, and stakeholder management skills
• Desirables:
• Experience working in UN or international development contexts preferred
• Good understanding of the global water landscape preferred
• Experience with the UN 2023 Water Conference or similar political processes preferred.

For every Child, you demonstrate Care

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 [link removed]

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 [link removed], 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 reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 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 [link removed]. 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.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter 
• A separate financial proposal  Financial proposal Consultancy - Advocacy & Partnerships Consultant UN 2026.docx [link removed]

Remarks:  If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not visible on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers [link removed]

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.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here [link removed].