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 to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
For every child, an opportunity...
Please click the link for further information about UNICEF Viet Nam: https://www.unicef.org/vietnam/
How can you make a difference?
Viet Nam faces the harsh impacts of climate change, placing it among the countries most affected. Over the past decade, the country has endured a series of severe climate induced disasters, including the historical drought of 2015 to 2016, Typhoon Damrey in 2017, the historic central region floods in 2020, Super Typhoon Yagi in 2024, and multiple storms and cascading floods in 2025. These events have significantly affected millions of children, their families, and communities. While Viet Nam had previously achieved a long term decline in disaster related mortality, the past ten years show a reversing trend, with increasing deaths and missing persons despite global and national downward trends. This indicates that climate induced disasters are becoming more frequent and more intense. As a result, disaster risk reduction, climate action, emergency preparedness, and response have become crucial cross sectoral priorities.
In recent years, Viet Nam has taken significant steps to address climate change as a top development agenda, particularly through its commitments at COP26 to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. However, existing policies, legislation, and institutional capacities have not yet adequately focused on managing the growing risks and vulnerabilities faced by the most marginalized children, their families, and communities. It is therefore critical for UNICEF to emphasise a stronger child centred approach to climate change and environmental protection, encompassing risk informed programming, child centred disaster risk reduction, environmental health, and adaptive capacity building as key drivers of sustainable development.
The incumbent Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction (CC and DRR) Officer is expected to play an important role in supporting the acceleration of child centred climate action, disaster risk reduction, and emergency preparedness initiatives in Viet Nam, as outlined in the Country Programme Document for 2022 to 2026.
Job organizational context:
2026 marks the final year of UNICEF Viet Nam’s current Country Programme Document (CPD) 2022 to 2026, a period that coincides with major global and national shifts, including declining international assistance and ODA, changing development priorities, and Viet Nam’s accelerated policy and administrative reforms. These transitions present both challenges and opportunities for sustaining and scaling results for children, especially as climate and disaster risks intensify.
At the same time, UNICEF Viet Nam is developing its next CPD for 2027 to 2031, which will further strengthen and broaden the CCDRR and Emergency portfolio into a more comprehensive framework. This includes deeper integration of cross sectoral and sectoral climate action, environmental health, disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, and climate resilient social services. These areas will form core pillars of UNICEF’s contribution to Viet Nam’s child rights agenda.
The new UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026 to 2029 reinforces this direction by introducing a dedicated global result on climate, recognising that protecting children from climate and environmental risks is fundamental to achieving child related Sustainable Development Goals.
The CCDRR Officer will therefore play a key role in delivering ongoing programme commitments and provide support in shaping future directions for a more comprehensive and integrated climate resilience portfolio for children in Viet Nam.
Purpose for the job:
The role provides technical support and coordination for child-centred climate action, disaster risk reduction, and emergency preparedness within UNICEF, ensuring that cross-sectoral work is comprehensively implemented and integrated into programme planning and delivery. It supports the effective provision of climate-smart social services, strengthens coherence across sectors on CCDRR and emergency work, and promotes meaningful engagement of children. The role also contributes to timely and well-coordinated emergency response and advances climate, DRR, and environmental policy advocacy through evidence generation and knowledge management.
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
- Work plans development, implementation, M&E, and coordination
- Risk monitoring and assessment
- Knowledge management and fundraising
- Emergency preparedness and response
- Effective advocacy and partnership building.
Please refer to the full Job Profile for more information: CCDRR Officer.pdf
This is a temporary appointment of 364 days' contract.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education requirement:
University degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Environmental Science, Climate Change, Social Sciences, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development or a field relevant to development assistance.
Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement the main degree are strong assets.
Work Experience:
At least 01 year of professional work experience in child-centred approaches to climate action, disaster risk reduction and humanitarian actions in international development organizations, national government, and or the private sector.
Training/experience in emergency response management is highly desirable.
The following experiences are considered as the assets:
- Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization.
- High level of competence in working with people, especially partners in the Government, international development agencies and INGOs.
- Strong understanding of local government and community contexts in Viet Nam.
- Ability to create relevant and meaningful content across a variety of appropriate mediums.
- Ability to effectively and respectfully work with a team of different cultural and sectoral backgrounds.
- Facilitation skills and ability to manage diversity of views in different cultural contexts.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN 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…
+ Builds and maintains partnerships (1)
+ Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (1)
+ Drive to achieve results for impact (1)
+ Innovates and embraces change (1)
+ Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)
+ Thinks and acts strategically (1)
+ Works collaboratively with others (1)
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
Life at UNICEF
Working at UNICEF is highly rewarding. With attractive remuneration package encompassing competitive pay and benefits, a culture that helps staff thrive and diverse opportunities for personal and professional development, we aim to help you maintain a fulfilling life both at and outside the office.
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. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff. Our contracts, wellbeing policies and initiatives ensure that you are well equipped to effectively deliver for children such as:
Tax exemption, family allowances, hardship benefits, 10 UN holidays and annual leave allowance, maternity, paternity, adoption leave, medical and dental insurance, pension etc.
Pension benefits: You will become a participant in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (https://www.unjspf.org).
Health insurance scheme: You and your eligible dependents will be covered by the UN Medical Insurance Plan (https://www.un.org/insurance/plans/medical-insurance-plan-mip).
Career support, staff wellbeing programme, breastfeeding policy, flexible work arrangements, family support, policies & initiatives, security, reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
Professional Development: The encouragement of professional development for all staff is one of UNICEF’s core values and we put this into practice through various services and initiatives. You will have different learning opportunities to strengthen your skills and competencies.
Be part of the United Nations: As an International organization that is part of the United Nations system, you will be considered an International Civil Servant and you will have career opportunities inside and outside the country.
Quality working conditions:
The workplace and working conditions are a huge asset for all UNICEF employees. Our staff are working in the Green One UN House - the first building in Viet Nam to be awarded gold LOTUS certification from the Viet Nam Green Building Council for efficient and environmentally sustainable use of resources and operations.
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, 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 a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation 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. 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.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. 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 is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable 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 stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.
Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
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.
https://vietnam.un.org/en/86207-announcement-time-hire-un-agencies-viet-nam-national-positions
