General
Description of assignment title
Climate Change Associate
Assignment country
Côte d’Ivoire
Duty stations
Abidjan
Work location
On UN premises
Expected start date
15/08/2026
Duration
9 monthsLong-term benefits and allowances
Sustainable Development Goal
6. Clean water and sanitation
Host entity
UNICEF
Modality
Onsite
Type
International
Volunteer category
Associate UCoS from Apr2026
Work schedule
Full-time
Number of Assignments
1
Details
Mission and objectives
The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.
Context
Côte d’Ivoire faces multiple challenges in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Rising temperatures, varying rainfall patterns, coastal erosion, water resource pollution and rapid urbanization affect sustainable access to safe drinking water, hygiene and sanitation services. It is therefore imperative to revise WASH programming strategies to consider the risks associated with climate change and water scarcity to ensure resilient and sustainable WASH services. In this context, UNICEF is working with all relevant stakeholders in Côte d’Ivoire to strengthen the “WASH sector resilience to climate change”, by launching an evidence-based multi-sectoral process that would result in the prioritization of WASH solutions that are resilient to climate change and water scarcity, including adaptation options. To support this ongoing process and implement the recommendations, the recruitment of a young United Nations International Volunteer (UNV) Associate is required. The interventions in which the volunteer will participate are part of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and UNICEF cooperation programme. Thus, the volunteer will collaborate with the implementing partners of the country programme of cooperation both at the national and decentralized levels. The country programme of cooperation between the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and UNICEF is composed of the following programme components: (i) Health-HIV and Water, Hygiene and Sanitation, (ii) Nutrition, (iii) Education, (iv) Child Protection; (v) Social Policies and Adolescents and Youth and (vi) Programme Effectiveness. The team counts several multisectoral units such as Planning, Monitoring, Data and Research, External Communication, Social Behavior Change, and Emergency Coordination and Resilience, as well as two Field Offices with multi-sectoral expertise. The ongoing cycle of cooperation 2026-230 is marked by a major “programmatic shift” including the integration of climate change into programming, which is a new and transversal area for the entire office.
Task description
Under the direct supervision of the Chief WASH, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: • Contribute to the formulation of proposals for the mobilization of green climate funds • Contribute to the development of periodic reports on the relevance of WASH climate resilient solutions • Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices in WASH and climate change, to support programme implementation. • Support the monitoring of WASH outputs indictors and related projects • Monitor and report on the use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administra-tive and other assets), • Contribute to the implementation of My Green School concept • Participate in the meetings of the Technical Working Group “Resilience of the WASH sector to climate change. During the first month of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will work with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed-upon work plan. This plan will include regular meetings with the supervisor to review progress and receive feedback on performance against agreed objectives. The final work plan will be discussed and mutually endorsed by both the UN Volunteer and the supervisor.
Eligibility criteria
Age
18 – 80
Required experience
1 month
Donor priorities
.
Nationality
Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.
Additional eligibility criteria
ELIGIBILITY As this assignment is funded by KOICA, specific eligibility criteria apply: – Applicants must be Korean nationals aged between 18 and 29 years at the time of application. – Applicants must be currently enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or have graduated within the past 12 months at the time of application. – Applicants must not have more than 12 months of relevant professional experience at the time of application. – Individuals who have previously served under a KOICA-funded UN University Volunteer assignment are not eligible. APPLICATION – If you are currently enrolled in a university and have not yet obtained a university degree, indicate in the section ‘Academic qualifications’ under ‘diploma/degree obtained’ that you are still studying and towards which degree. In the ‘to’ field, enter the current date, as the system does not allow you to enter a future date. Instead of the degree certificate, upload any evidence of your enrollment, for example a transcript. – You may apply to a maximum of three assignments and indicate the order of preference in the ‘Additional remarks’ field when filling in the application form. – Application deadline: 7 June 2026, midnight UTC SELECTION – Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The selection will be done by the UN Host Entity at the level of the country of assignment. Interviews will be conducted by the UN Host Entity in June. +++ UN Volunteer entitlement calculator: https://app.unv.org/calculator +++
Assignment requirements
Relevant experience
No experience required
Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required French, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable
Required education level
Bachelor’s degree in (currently enrolled or recently graduated) climate change, environmental sciences, water and sanitation engineering, disaster management or other relevant disciplines.
Competencies and values
Accountability Adaptability and Flexibility Building Trust Client Orientation Commitment to Continuous Learning Communication Creativity Ethics and Values Integrity Judgement and Decision-making Knowledge Sharing Planning and Organizing Professionalism Respect for Diversity Working in Teams
Skills and experience
Demonstrated interest or experience (up to 12 months) in: • Resilient WASH systems and water scarcity challenges in the context of climate change • Supporting policy development, research, or advocacy on climate and WASH-related issues • Multi-sectoral collaboration with government, development partners, or technical groups • Data collection, reporting, and monitoring of climate change adaptation or WASH interventions • Engagement in academic projects, fieldwork, or volunteer initiatives related to climate, water, or sanitation Skills: The UNICEF core values of (i) care, (ii) respect, (iii) integrity, (iv) trust, (v) accountability and (vii) sustainability, together with the competency framework, provide a guide for our behaviours in our daily interactions. • A good analytical and problem-solving skills. • Ability to work in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams. • Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the capacity to produce clear and concise reports. • Adaptability, flexibility, and commitment to continuous learning. • Demonstrated integrity, ethics, and respect for diversity in professional interactions. • Capacity for knowledge sharing and collaborative work.
Area(s) of expertise
Energy and environment , Development programmes, Business management
Driving license
–
Other information
Volunteerism is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken of free will, for the general public good, for which monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.
Living conditions and remarks
Côte d’Ivoire is in West Africa. It is bordered to the northwest by Mali, to the northeast by Burkina Faso, to the east by Ghana, to the southwest by Liberia, to the west by Guinea and to the south by the Atlantic Ocean. The population is estimated at over 30 million inhabitants. Côte d’Ivoire’s official language is French, and its currency is the CFA franc. Its political and administrative capital is Yamoussoukro, but almost all the institutions are in Abidjan, its main economic center with over 6 million inhabitants or about 20% of the country’s population. Abidjan has a humid and dry tropical climate with a long rainy season from March to July, a short rainy season from September to December and three dry months (January, February and August). Houses/apartments are readily available and usually have electricity and running water, but water service and electricity can be interrupted occasionally. House costs are reasonable but vary by location. Common illnesses include malaria, yellow fever, typhoid and meningitis. Food and dietary needs of all kinds are found in the many supermarkets. There are markets that stock fruits and vegetables, and bakeries offer pastries and breads. Fresh fish and meats are also readily available. Côte d’Ivoire offers an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in difficult and potentially dangerous conditions, involving physical hardship and few comforts, are essential.
Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Reasonable accommodation
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
In addition to duty station-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.
Scam warning
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