Adolescent Programme Coordinator, Adolescent Programme Coordinator, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

General

Description of assignment title: Adolescent ProgrammeCoordinator

Assignment country: Malaysia

Duty stations: Kuala Lumpur

Work location: On UN premises

Expected start date: 08/11/2026

Duration: 12 months(with possibility ofextension)Long-term benefits and allowances

Sustainable Development Goal: 16. Peace, justice andstrong institutions

Host entity: UNICEF Malaysia

Modality: Onsite

Type: National

Volunteer category: Specialist UCoS from Apr2026

Work schedule: Full-time

Number of Assignments: 1

Details

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International Relations

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Poverty & Hunger

Mission and objectives:

• UNICEF works in the world's toughest places to reach the mostdisadvantaged children and adolescents - and to protect the rightsof every child, everywhere.

Context:

• Since 1964, child rights have anchored the strong partnershipbetween the Government of Malaysia and UNICEF. UNICEF's work inMalaysia aims to ensure every child, especially the mostvulnerable, has a fair, equitable start in life — with allgirls and boys, regardless of location, family income ordisability, enjoying equal access to quality services and an equalchance to reach their full potential.
• Malaysia is an upper-middle income, culturally diverse countrywith a large, dynamic youth population: children and young peopleunder 24 make up roughly 40% of the population and are a criticalconstituency for the country's development. While access toservices and opportunities has expanded, many young people —particularly from low-income households, indigenous communities,disability communities, and migration-affected populations —still face barriers to learning, protection, wellbeing andparticipation. They are also navigating a rapidly shifting socialand economic landscape shaped by climate risks, technologicalchange, misinformation and evolving civic spaces. These trendshighlight the need for stronger, more inclusive systems that buildrelevant skills, protect rights, and create safe, meaningfulopportunities for young people to influence decisions affectingtheir lives.
• Malaysia's national priorities — including MalaysiaMadani and the Thirteenth Malaysia Plan — emphasize equity,wellbeing, sustainability, unity and human capital development,creating important openings to strengthen adolescent developmentand participation. Continued investment in system strengthening,inclusive participation platforms, evidence generation andcross-sectoral partnerships is essential to ensure developmentgains reach all children and young people, especially the mostmarginalized.
• Operating in an upper-middle income context, UNICEF Malaysiadrives advocacy, policy influence and targeted programming throughevidence generation, technical advice and scalable models forsystem-wide change. Using a human rights-based approach, thecountry programme is designed with the Government of Malaysia andaligned with the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 and the 13thMalaysia Plan, while responding to UNICEF's global priorities,Agenda 2030, and the "Leave No One Behind" and "Build BackBetter" agendas.
• UNICEF Malaysia's 2026-2030 Country Programme places adolescentdevelopment, meaningful participation and civic engagement amongits key priorities, shaped in part by consultations with diversegroups of children and young people. UNICEF has also establishedthe Young People's Advisory Group (YPAG) to strengthen youngpeople's role in shaping programmes, advocacy anddecision-making.
• Within this context, the UNV Adolescent Programme Coordinatorwill provide coordination, knowledge management and documentationsupport to the Adolescent Development and Participation (ADAP) team— helping coordinate YPAG and other youth initiatives,supporting capacity building on meaningful participation, anddocumenting learning, good practices and results to strengthenUNICEF's work with and for children and young people inMalaysia.

Task description:

• Under the general supervision of the Adolescent Development andParticipation (ADAP) Officer, the UNV Adolescent ProgrammeCoordinator will support the planning, coordination, delivery anddocumentation of programmes with and for young people. The rolewill contribute across four areas: 1. Young people's participation,civic engagement and advocacy; 2. Capacity building on meaningfulparticipation; 3. Knowledge management and documentation; and 4.Broader ADAP programme support. The main responsibilities areoutlined below:
• 1. Young people's participation, civic engagement andadvocacy
• Coordinate and support initiatives that strengthen youngpeople's participation, civic engagement and advocacy, includingUNICEF's Young People's Advisory Group (YPAG), World Children's Dayand engagement with children's councils and related platforms onjoint child rights and advocacy initiatives;
• Engage with UNICEF programme sections to identify andcoordinate safe, inclusive and meaningful opportunities for youngpeople to contribute to programme initiatives and advocacy;
• Liaise with young people's networks, children and youthcouncils, civil society organizations, human rights bodies andother partners to support coordinated engagement andcollaboration;
• Support the coordination of consultations, participatory groupdiscussions, roundtables and panel discussions, ensuring that youngpeople's participation is safe, ethical, inclusive andmeaningful.
• 2. Capacity building on meaningful participation
• Support the planning, design and delivery of skills-buildingworkshops and interactive sessions for young people, partners andUNICEF colleagues;
• Contribute to capacity-building activities on meaningfulparticipation principles, safeguarding and practical approaches forengaging young people safely and effectively;
• Coordinate with national and subnational partners, youngpeople's networks, civil society organizations and private sectoractors to support capacity-building initiatives.
• 3. Knowledge management, documentation and learning
• Support the monitoring, drafting and consolidation of programmeresults to inform periodic reporting, learning andknowledge-sharing;
• Document and amplify young people-led impact by curatingstories, supporting multimedia assets, contributing todissemination plans and identifying appropriate communicationchannels;
• Maintain data management tools and tracking systems to monitoroutreach, engagement and participation of young people;
• Contribute to a resource repository of guidance, tools andmaterials on adolescent development, safeguarding and meaningfulparticipation for internal and external stakeholders;
• Monitor and curate relevant current affairs, evidence,statistics and data on young people to support programme planning,advocacy and reporting.
• 4. Broader ADAP programme support
• Provide coordination support for key child rights and otherrelevant advocacy opportunities;
• Provide additional coordination, administrative and programmesupport as required for the ADAP programme and country programmedelivery. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integratethe UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment andpromote voluntary action through engagement with communities in thecourse of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a partof their working time to some of the following suggestedactivities:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept ofvolunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications andtake an active part in UNV activities (for instance in events thatmark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local formsof volunteerism in the host country;
• Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UNVolunteer actions, results, and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submitthem for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases,etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UNVolunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of onlinevolunteering or encourage relevant local individuals andorganizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenevertechnically possible.
• Results/Expected outputs:
• As an active UNICEF Malaysia ADAP team member, efficient,timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality supportrendered to the team and its beneficiaries in the performance ofher/his/their functions, including:
• Strategic growth and involvement of our digital and traditionalmedia audience,
• Lessons learned and best practices are shared,
• The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring andformal on-the-job training, when working with (includingsupervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counter-parts,including Implementing Partners (IPs),
• Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematicallyapplied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout theassignment
• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism forpeace and development during the assignment, such as reporting onthe number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in andcapacities developed

Eligibility criteria

Age: 18 - 80

Required experience: 3 years

Nationality: Candidate must be a national, legal residentor hold refugee status in the country of assignment.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience:

• 3 years

Languages:

• English, Level: Fluent, Required
• Malay, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level:

• Bachelor's degree in Bachelor's degree in political or socialscience, international development, human rights, socialanthropology or related field;

Competencies and values:

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operationsrelevant to UNICEF; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant ortransferrable to UNICEF procedures and rules; discretion, politicalsensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability toapply good judgment; ability to liaise and coordinate with a rangeof different actors, especially in senior positions; whereappropriate, a high degree of autonomy, personal initiative andability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness toaccept wide responsibilities and ability to work independentlyunder established procedures; ability to manage informationobjectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive andclient-oriented;
• Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of theUN and UNICEF in daily activities and behaviors while actingwithout consideration of personal gains; resist undue politicalpressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in theorganization's interest even if they are unpopular; take promptaction in cases of unprofessional or unethical behavior; does notabuse power or authority;
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: the ability to operateeffectively across organizational boundaries; excellentinterpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effectivepartnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural,multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respectfor diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender,religion, nationality, and age; commitment to implementing the goalof gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and fullinvolvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations;ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training tocolleagues;
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingnessto learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in thearea of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in the workenvironment.
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational andproblem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of workin an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish prioritiesand to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to workunder pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multipleconcurrent projects/activities;
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken andwritten communication skills, including the ability to prepareclear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations,articulate options, and positions concisely; ability to make anddefend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize withstaff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers,counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diversebackgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to awide range of different target groups;
• Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work inpotentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physicalhardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austereenvironments for protracted periods; willingness to travel withinthe area of operations and to transfer to other duty stationswithin the area of operations as necessary;
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntaryengagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity, andself-reliance; and commitment towards UNICEF's mission and vision,as well as to the UN Core Values.

Skills and experience:

• Area of Expertise
• At least 3 years of work experience at the national orinternational level, in implementing
• development programmes at the community, national and/orinternational level;
• Experience of working in civil society, government, UN or otherinternational development organizations is an asset;
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting,formulation, reporting skills;
• Experience in developing young people's friendly assets(visual, written, multimedia etc.);
• Child safeguarding experience is an asset.
• Excellent oral and written skills;
• Accuracy and professionalism in programme management andreporting;
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and sociallysensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with arange of partners, including grassroots community members,religious and youth organizations, and authorities at differentlevels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications fordevelopment;
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in achallenging environment; capacity to function effectively in amulticultural team of international and national staff;
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in avariety of MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) andemail/internet; familiarity with database management; and officetechnology equipment;
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimal oversight; abilityto work with tight deadlines;
• Sound security awareness;
• Have affinity along with or interest in children and youthdevelopment and participation, volunteerism as a mechanism fordurable development, and the UN System;
• Skills in photography/videography will beneficial.

Area(s) of expertise:

• Administration, Communication, advocacy, public information,Youth

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