UNICEF Nigeria Country Office in Abuja, Nigeria, seeks a passionate and skilled Adolescent Development Specialist and invites applications from highly motivated and committed persons who want to contribute to making a difference and getting results for children. If you are that person, we encourage you to apply and become part of a highly motivated and dynamic team.

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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, dedication

Nigeria has one of the largest youth populations in the world, with most of the population (74%) under 35 years old. (National Youth Survey 2020). As the country continues to grow and develop, it’s essential to engage with youth to harness their energy and potential for positive change. UNICEF Nigeria aims to support the government in strengthening youth participation and engagement. To achieve this, UNICEF Nigeria established a communication platform, U-Report, which enables youth to access information and participate in key issues that affect them.

U-Report is a social monitoring tool that allows youth to speak out on community issues via SMS, polls, messages and on digital platforms. It amplifies their voices through local and national media and provides real-time data for stakeholders, service providers, and decision-makers. The platform also empowers youth to work towards change and improvements in their communities. With Nigeria’s high mobile density rate and increasing access to internet, U-Report has the potential to make a significant impact.

How can you make a difference? 

Under the supervision of the Chief of Communications, Advocacy and Partnerships, the Adolescent Development Specialist (U-Report) will support the scaling up of the U-Report programme including U-Report communities, and make it meaningfully used for programming for children by UNICEF, Government, and implementing partners. The incumbent will work with programme sections to develop and deploy demand-driven U-Report use cases that address development challenges and accelerate results for children. The incumbent will be tasked to support integrating social innovation approaches into traditional UNICEF programming, especially for adolescents and young people.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Managing and maintaining the U-Report digital platform (RapidPro), ensuring its smooth operation and technical integrity.
• Collaborating with program sections to design and deploy regular U-Report polls and other digital content.
• Analyzing incoming messages, feedback, and data to assess progress, identify trends, and inform decision-making.
• Promoting U-Report as UNICEF’s flagship program for advocacy, leveraging digital channels to amplify its impact.
• Supporting youth mobilization by developing and implementing campaigns to engage young people, increasing U-Report participation, and fostering a sense of community.
• Driving digital engagement by creating and curating content, moderating online discussions, and encouraging user-generated content by young people
• Building and maintaining U-Report communities, including community leaders and platform users, to ensure high engagement and reach.
• Supporting the Chief CAP in fostering partnerships with government counterparts, media outlets, and mobile telephone operators to expand U-Report’s reach, influence, and impact.
• Assisting in proposal development, reporting, and other communication-related tasks for development, advocacy, adolescents, and youth.
• Managing U- U-Report Territory Officers

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  JD Adolescent Development Specialist (U-Report) NOC.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Communication, Journalism, Digital Media, Information Technology, International Development, Adolescent Development, or a related field.

  *A Bachelor’s degree with an additional two years of relevant work experience may be accepted.

• Work Experience: At least a minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, at the national and international level working with children and marginalized youth in the global south, including on adolescent/youth/community engagement and innovation
• Skills:
• Strong technical and digital background, with experience in managing digital platforms and social media.
• Ability to manage U-Report digital platforms, including RapidPro and other related tools.
• Proven understanding of how to engage young people through digital channels, including social media, SMS, and online communities.
• Excellent digital communication skills, including content creation, curation, and moderation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience in data analysis and reporting.
• Experience with digital campaign management, including strategy development, implementation, and evaluation.
• Excellent communications skills, verbal and written, with strong interpersonal, public speaking, presentation, and writing skills.
• Good computer skills with software proficiency in Windows, Microsoft Office Suit (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote)
• Knowledge of youth-related issues, trends, and behaviors, particularly in Africa, with familiarity with UNICEF’s programming and goals.
• Language Requirements:

  Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another Nigerian language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.