🇵🇦 Policy Specialist, Strategic Political and Economic Foresight (P-4) 🧭 UNICEF Job in Panama City, Panama 🌎

Reading where a whole region is heading — the politics, the economics, the emerging risks — and turning that into advice senior leaders can act on is a rare and influential role. UNICEF is hiring a Policy Specialist (Strategic Political and Economical Foresight) at the P-4 level in its Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office in Panama City. At Youth Works Hub we track senior UN roles, and this is a strategic advisory post at regional-leadership level, so here is the full breakdown from the official vacancy.

Where the Role Sits

🌎 The Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office (LACRO), headquartered in Panama City, provides strategic leadership, technical guidance and oversight to 24 Country Offices. The region faces a complex landscape — structural inequalities, climate change, technological transformation, demographic shifts, political instability, migration and displacement — and UNICEF is strengthening its policy and foresight function to anticipate trends, spot risks and opportunities, and position UNICEF as a thought leader.

How You'll Make a Difference

🧭 The Policy Specialist provides strategic policy advice, political analysis and foresight to the Regional Director, Deputy Regional Director and Regional Office leadership — enabling informed decision-making and strengthening UNICEF's influence across the region. Through horizon scanning, political-economy analysis and assessment of emerging trends, the role identifies opportunities, risks and leverage points, translating complex political, social and economic developments into clear, actionable insights, and leading high-impact strategic products (briefing notes, speeches, talking points, policy analyses).

Key Functions and Accountabilities

🔎 Strategic intelligence, foresight and policy analysis.

🧠 Strategic advisory support to leadership.

🗣️ Thought leadership and strategic communications.

🤝 Strategic positioning and partnerships.

🌐 Regional coordination and knowledge sharing.

Who Can Apply

🎓 Education: a completed Master's (advanced university degree) in political science, international relations, public policy, development studies, law or a related field.

💼 Experience: a minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience in political analysis, governance, policy advisory, international development or a closely related field, including substantive, strategic and confidential policy-advisory support to senior officials and management decision-making.

🧠 Skills: strong analytical and synthesis skills (distilling complex information into concise, actionable recommendations); diplomatic engagement with a broad range of stakeholders; and strategic policy foresight coordinating cross-functional initiatives.

🗣️ Languages: fluency in English and good working knowledge of Spanish are required; another UN language (Arabic, Chinese or Russian), Portuguese or French is an asset.

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Competencies and Values

⭐ UNICEF's core values — Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS). Required competencies: building and maintaining partnerships, self- and ethical awareness, drive to achieve results, innovating and embracing change, managing ambiguity and complexity, thinking and acting strategically, and working collaboratively.

Conditions

💼 This is a Fixed-Term Appointment at the P-4 level in Panama City. Mobility is a condition of international professional employment, appointments are subject to medical clearance, and staff can be called on to support humanitarian response.

💸 UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of recruitment.

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Frequently Asked Questions

❓ What level and where? P-4, Fixed-Term, at UNICEF's LAC Regional Office in Panama City, Panama.

❓ What experience is required? A Master's plus at least 8 years in political analysis, governance, policy advisory or international development, including advisory support to senior leadership.

❓ What languages are required? Fluency in English and good working knowledge of Spanish.

❓ Is there a fee? No — UNICEF charges no processing fee at any stage.

Deadline

⏳ 08 September 2026. The vacancy was advertised on 25 August 2026. Youth Works Hub tracks senior UN roles like this so you can apply before the closing date.