UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere. Over the decades, UNICEF has worked to protect the rights of children of all ages — from earliest childhood through adolescence – and will continue to deliver for all children and adolescents under the five goal areas of the Strategic Plan. In recent years, our work to support the unique needs of adolescents has gained momentum, as the challenges facing them have come more sharply into view. The second decade of life is a time of tremendous opportunity – but for far too many adolescents, great risk and increasing challenges.

Building on work across the UN with and for young people, and in line with the UN Youth Strategy, in 2018 UNICEF launched a new global partnership dedicated to expanding opportunities for young people, ages 10-24.  Generation Unlimited (GenU) is centered on finding new ways to ensure that every young person is in school, learning, training or employment by 2030 — with a focus on those in the greatest danger of being left behind, including girls, the poorest, those with disabilities, young people on the move and those affected by conflict and natural disasters. This partnership brings together leaders from governments, UN agencies, the private sector, academia, international and civil society organizations, and young people, and identifies, co-creates, resources and scales-up innovative solutions to expand opportunities for young people. Young people participate meaningfully in the co-creation of solutions, informing, advising and helping implement at every step of the way.

For every child, Education…

Under the supervision and guidance of the Deputy Director, Partnerships, the Programme Associate is responsible for executing a broad range of tasks for the Partnerships, Communications and Front Office teams, requiring thorough knowledge of UNICEF administrative procedures, processes and policies. The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with a variety of internal and external stakeholders and partners, from headquarters, country and regional offices to resource and implementing partners. In this capacity, the need to project the image of a credible and reliable partner is critical, and the efficiency and effectiveness of efforts directly reflects on the overall reputation of the team in terms of responsiveness to client needs and quality and impact of process execution.

How can you make a difference?

Travel

• Provides travel assistance to staff members in the team for travel arrangements and entitlements based on the organization’s rules and policies.
• Liaises with relevant travel focal points to ensure that the team obtains the best service and price for all travel.
• Briefs/de-briefs staff members on issues relating to related administrative matters such as visas, security clearance, and documentation procedures.
• Extracts, inputs, maintains, and verifies correctness of travel records in the organization’s travel system to ensure accurate transactions related to travel costs and staff travel.
• Assists in the preparation of budgets on travel costs and maintain travel plan and budgetary control records.
• Monitors travel certification and report back to the team.
• Meetings/Events/Logistics
• Support meetings and events by coordinating availability and making the logistical arrangements, through engagement with facilitators, caterers and hosts.
• Prepare and maintain agendas on meeting and events; coordinate background materials for participants and upload cleared materials where necessary.
• Liaise with budget focal points regarding costs and needs.

Budget Monitoring

• Monitors budgets and financial expenditures of the team, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, keeping supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision/follow up.
• Provides support on budget revision/preparation, implementation status, determination position of funding utilization, operational, and financial closure.
• Prepares and maintains records, documents and control plans for the budget monitoring of project/programme implementation.
• Carries out transactions in VISION pertaining to grants for his/her section such as registering grant allotments and tracking expiring programme grants.

Communications & Workflow

• Facilitates the communications and workflow of the team to enhance the efficiency and timeliness of operations and outputs.
• Communicates routine and some non-routine information pertaining to the work of the team.
• Establishes and maintains the team’s filing and reference systems, both traditional and digital; and ensures the inter/intra-net websites are up to date and accurate.

Supplies/Equipment

• Support management of office supplies and equipment.
• Monitor adequate and appropriate use of supplies; update inventory of items as needed.
• Ensure that services and maintenance of supplies are in accordance with organizational standards.
• Arrange for the purchase and timely distribution of office supplies.

Calendar/Meetings/Correspondence Management

• Maintains the team’s calendar and arranges meetings
• Takes minutes of meetings, ensuring accuracy, attention to detail and coherence.

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

• Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the field of work is required.
• For this position, a bachelor’s degree from a recognized academic institution in a relevant field may replace three years of related work experience.
  * A master’s degree may replace additional two years.
• A minimum of 6 years of relevant administrative services or clerical work experience is required.
• Non-US candidates must be a US permanent resident or citizen.
• Experience in budget and financial planning, monitoring and management is highly desirable.
• Advanced computer literacy and the ability to effectively use standard office software tools (MS Office, Enterprise database) and other office technology to create documentation, exchange and archive e-mail, and maintain electronic filing systems.
• Proficiency in using SAP/ERP systems (VISION) will be an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to including everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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.

UNICEF is committed to promoting 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.

Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid).

Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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 only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/”

For more information on remuneration and benefits, please visit UNICEF’s Entitlements’ page.  If you would like to find estimates for entitlements, you may use the online Salary Estimate Calculator

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.