Youth & Adolescent Development Officer, NO-1, TA (364 days), #137664, Damascus, Syria - MENA

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, the right to a Chance

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of this position is to support UNICEF Syria’s efforts to promote the economic reintegration and sustainable livelihoods of vulnerable and returning Syrian youth through strengthened employment pathways, labour market linkages, and private sector engagement. You will contribute to the successful implementation of youth employability and reintegration initiatives by ensuring systematic follow-up of programme participants, facilitating access to employment and self-employment opportunities, and strengthening coordination with employers, partners, and relevant stakeholders. The position will play a key role in generating evidence on youth employment outcomes and identifying barriers and opportunities that inform programme adaptation and scale-up.

As a Youth & Adolescent Development Officer, you will be accountable for managing youth employment and reintegration activities under the ADAP programme, including case management and follow-up of youth beneficiaries; mapping and engaging employers and labour market actors; facilitating job matching and referral services; monitoring workplace conditions and employment outcomes; supporting coordination with UNICEF Lebanon, government counterparts, UN agencies, and implementing partners; and ensuring timely reporting, documentation, and knowledge management. The incumbent is also accountable for contributing to the quality, effectiveness, and results of UNICEF’s youth employability programming by promoting inclusive, safe, and youth-centred approaches that support young people’s successful transition to decent work and productive participation in Syria’s recovery and development.

Find out how UNICEF programmes drive change for children and young people every day, in Syria by visiting this: www.unicef.org/syria

You will work closely with UNICEF Syria and UNICEF Lebanon to support the economic reintegration of Syrian youth coming from Lebanon, with a strong focus on follow‑up, employment facilitation, and youth‑centered case tracking.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Youth Follow‑Up and Case Management
2. Employment Mapping and Private Sector Engagement
3. Field Visits and Workplace Monitoring
4. Household‑Level Referrals and Support Linkages
5. Coordination and Cross‑Border Communication
6. Monitoring, Reporting, and Knowledge Management
7. Documentation and Human‑Interest Storytelling

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: TOR for ADAP NOA TA 14062026.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in Social Sciences, Economics, Development Studies, Education, Management or any other related fields.
• Work Experience: At least 1 year of relevant experience working on: Youth employment and employability programmes. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), work-based learning, apprenticeships, or economic engagement initiatives. Livelihoods or labour-market integration in humanitarian or recovery contexts. Demonstrated experience in youth follow-up, coaching, or case tracking, preferably with mobile or displaced populations. Practical experience engaging with private sector actors, employers, or MSMEs in job placement or workforce development initiatives.
• Skills: Interpersonal communication, Reporting skills, Documentation management, Data synthesis, Partnership, Organizational skills.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in both Arabic and English is required.

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.
• Additional training in employment programming, youth development, or case management is an asset.
• Experience working with UN agencies, NGOs, or international organizations is strong asset.
• Familiarity with cross border mobility, knowledge of gender and disability inclusion, knowledge of do no harm principles.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

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

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 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 female 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.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

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.