Policy and intersectoral cooperation expert on ECD/ECEC and Adolescents Mental Health, Belgrade, Serbia

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 hope.

Within the UNICEF Country Programme and in support of Government of Serbia commitments on Early Childhood Development (ECD), Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), and child and adolescent mental health, UNICEF has supported systemic reforms across health, education and social protection sectors. Significant progress has been achieved through the expansion of parenting support programmes, family-centred early intervention services, inclusive preschool education, and community-based mental health services, supported by strong intersectoral cooperation and national policy frameworks.

Despite these achievements, challenges remain in ensuring equitable access and quality services for the most vulnerable children and families, particularly Roma, rural, poor households, and children with disabilities. Further strengthening of intersectoral coordination, local service networks, and sustainable system solutions is needed to scale up results.

How can you make a difference?

The ECD/ECEC and Adolescents Mental Health Policy and Intersectoral Cooperation Expert will be engaged to provide analytical, policy and technical assistance to the implementation of the UNICEF ECD Programme and Action Plan 2026-30 signed with the Ministry of Health, with the focus on the most vulnerable populations. The consultant will contribute to mapping of capacities and challenges in service provision, field work and coordination with local partners, as well as in ensuring quality and sustainability of learning and communication assets. The consultant will support cross-sectorial linkages, primarily with education, to address social inclusion of the most vulnerable families. Also, the consultant will support strengthening and institutionalizing intersectoral mechanisms for the promotion, prevention and protection of mental health of children, adolescents and young people, with a focus on effective coordination, joint planning, service linkages, monitoring and sustainability of local responses.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: ToR Policy and intersectoral cooperation expert on ECDECEC and Adolescents Mental Health.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• At least 5 years of experience in projects/programme management and implementation of multiple activities with different counterparts
• Knowledge and experience with ECD and ECEC policy development, advocacy and implementation in Serbia
• Experience of cooperating with government at different levels, NGOs and CSOs and partnership building, particularly for the most at risk populations
• Experience in developing communication assets for public and targeted communities
• Excellent analytical, communication and planning skills
• Ability to work in English and Serbian, spoken and written
• High level of technical competence, gender awareness, cultural sensitivity, and judgment, high level of negotiation and communication skills and characteristics of a team worker.

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Sociology, Pedagogy/Special Education or similar; or medical sciences. Advanced degree will be an asset.

Desirables:

• Expertise and experience in the fields related to the assignments such as health care, education and social welfare of children, community mobilization for social inclusion
• Good knowledge of social systems (health, education, social welfare) and functioning of local authorities
• Knowledge of UNICEF related ECD programming and partners is an asset
• Experience in working with vulnerable groups such as Roma community and children with disabilities is an asset
• Experience in technically supporting campaigns and communication initiatives is an asset
• Knowledge of the UN/UNICEF mandate and UN rules/procedures 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 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, discrimination, fraud, corruption and other forms of misconduct.
UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference, safeguarding and background verification checks. These checks may include verification of academic credentials and employment history, screening against relevant United Nations misconduct databases, and requests for misconduct disclosures from current and former employers, professional associations, other relevant organizations and participating organizations under inter-agency safeguarding initiatives, including the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), where applicable.

Appointment, selection and continued engagement are subject to the satisfactory completion of all required checks. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information and consent to enable UNICEF to undertake these checks.
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. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments are conditional on the selected candidates’ willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel.
Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service

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.

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.