Organization: UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund
Location: Addis Ababa
Grade: Administrative support – GS-7, General Service – No need for Higher Education – Locally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
Administrative support
Project and Programme Management
Closing Date: 2025-01-06

Working closely with a variety of employees in the UNICEF Ethiopia Country Office, Afar, Amahara, and Tigray Field Offices, as well as external partners and agency counterparts, the Senior Program Associate supports the program’s execution. In order to keep program activities on track, he or she routinely gives input on the state of financial and program indicators, keeps an eye on financial and program implementation milestones, and offers suggestions for enhancements.

In more than 190 nations and territories, UNICEF strives to protect children’s rights, save lives, and enable them to reach their full potential from infancy through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we take pride in our work and are dedicated to it. Supporting every child’s rights is a calling, not simply a job.

UNICEF is a career guidance organization.

Background and Strategic Context

The conflict in Northern Ethiopia has led to the destruction of infrastructure, disruption of production, and displacement of more than 4.5 million people, resulting in considerable social trauma and economic crisis. Youths have witnessed violence and experienced mass displacement, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had profound effects on their mental health and overall well-being. More than 2.8 million children missed education in Afar, Amhara, and Tigray in 2021, and 4,600 schools in Amhara, nearly 2,000 schools in Tigray, and 545 in Afar were damaged by the conflict (UNICEF 2023). Youth owned and led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in these areas have significantly reduced or shut down their operations, with limited access to finance and recovery support. To recover from these multiple shocks, it is essential to support economically disadvantaged youth, families, and communities in rebuilding their lives, restoring essential services, and reviving the economy.

In response to these challenges, UNICEF and the Mastercard Foundation have partnered to codesign and implement the Biqu Wetat (ብቁ ወጣት) Programme. This initiative aims to help young people pursue and sustain opportunities in education, skills development, entrepreneurship, and employment. The program is driven by the belief that equipping young people with knowledge, positive attitudes, and relevant skills, including social-emotional, soft and technical skills through mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), can enable them to rebuild social connectedness, become more resilient, and unlock their potential to create positive and sustainable change in their communities.

The program will be implemented in the conflict-affected regions of Afar, Amhara, and Tigray, targeting 50 economically disadvantaged woredas selected through an iterative prioritization process. The program will focus on youth prioritizing the most vulnerable and marginalized, including women, and persons with disabilities. Building on its human rights mandate and commitment to the “leave no one behind” principle (LNOB), the program will ensure that all youth in the affected areas have access to program-supported opportunities and can fulfil their basic needs and rights, regardless of their background, location, gender, or disability.

Responsiblities:

• Facilitating the development of programme cooperation agreements (PCAs) by providing information, reviewing and or developing selected sections of it.
• Maintain and prepare programme budget /resources reports with special focus on programme budget monitoring; analysis of trends on programme budget allocation and utilization by UNICEF and partners; and analysis of trends in project agreements for management and decision making.
• Ensuring the timely and accurate recording and administrative processing of implementing partner proposals and requests for direct cash transfers (DCTs).
• Generates reports on Programme DCTs and status of reporting/liquidations and reimbursements by partners. Disseminate the report with programme manager, follow-up actions to liquidate the outstanding DCT.
• Conducting programme monitoring in UNICEF target locations for cash and supplies and informing team-members on the status.
• Support the coordination of regular spot checks of partner’s projects to assess their financial record-keeping, expenditure controls and reporting systems.
• Monitoring and tracking the efficient distribution of supplies that are required for effective programme delivery.
• Supporting the Programme team in researching, compiling and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data and information from a variety of sources on subject matters relevant to the work of the section to facilitate programme delivery as well as preparation of reports, working papers and presentations.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION ensuring programme results, activities and programme coding are as per agreed work plans, and making amendments and alterations as per section revisions when necessary.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION pertaining to grants and programme-related items for his/her section including but not limited to registering grant allotments and tracking expiring programme grants.
• Establish and maintain information database system of partner profiles, agreements, partner assessments, check lists, internal and external meeting minutes and other information and documentation relevant to programme coordination and reporting.
• Preparing monitoring and reporting information for supervisor and team on agreed performance indicators to drive more efficient management and accountability for results.
• Regularly monitoring budgets and financial expenditures of the Programme by employing applicable tools, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, keeping supervisor informed and advise on actions for decision and/or follow up.
• Prepare periodic or ad-hoc financial reports relating to Programme to support the Programme in optimizing use of programme funds.
• Assist in coordinating, compiling and consolidating inputs from all team members, programme sections, field offices and partners related to reports including meetings.
• Supports capacity development activities related to programme development by preparing training materials and participating in exercises.
• Other assigned duties and responsibilities are effectively accomplished.

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

Requirements:

Education:

Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the work of the organization.

A bachelor’s degree from a recognized academic institution in business administration, public administration, social sciences, international relations, or other related areas may replace three years of related work experience. A master’s degree may replace an additional two years.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible administrative or financial management experience is required.
• Good handling of data and spreadsheets using excel is required together with an ability to effectively manage the programme’s material resources and monitor its budget.
• A high sense of confidentiality, initiative, attention to detail, and good judgment are required.
• Good communication skills, ability to work in cross-functional teams and collaborate with diverse stakeholders are required.

Skills:

• Strong analytical, organizational, planning, and prioritizing skills and abilities are an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Amharic language is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (French, Spanish, Arabic, or Russian) or the local language is an asset.

Desirables:

• Experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other UNICEF software such as SharePoint are an asset.
• Prior experience in private sector or programme support functions is an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered an  asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.

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

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.

How to apply

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