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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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, care. 

In the Pacific we work in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu: These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living on more than 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, an area comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria. 

All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but only a third are on track with reporting obligations. Explore the different areas of our work in the link provided here www.unicef.org/pacificislands   

How can you make a difference? 

Under the direct supervision of the WASH Specialist in Kiritimati, the Programme Associate supports the WASH section of Kiribati by carrying out a range of programme support functions to help develop, implement and monitor the country programme, ensuring effective and timely delivery that is consistent with UNICEF rules and regulations.    

The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with a range of staff, external partners and agency counterparts in support of programme design and delivery. S/He provides regular feedback on the status of programmes and partnerships through monitoring milestones and advises on improvements to keep activities on track.  

Summary of key functions/accountabilities: 

• Facilitating the development of programme cooperation agreements (PCAs) by providing information and drafting selected sections of it.   
• Ensuring the timely and accurate recording and administrative processing of government & NGO’s proposals and requests for direct cash transfers (DCTs). 
• Conducting programme monitoring for cash and supplies and helping conduct regular spot checks to assess partners’ financial record-keeping, expenditure controls and reporting systems, informing team members on the status. 
• Monitoring and tracking the efficient procurement and distribution of supplies that are required for effective programme delivery. 
• Supporting the programme section 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 annual work plans (AWPs) 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, commitments, contracts, etc.  
• 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 section by designing and employing applicable tools, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, keeping supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision and/or follow up. 
• Providing advice and support to WASH team members on VISION, monitoring, financial procedures, etc. to reinforce their capacity and effective use of these systems. Providing support to the broader UNICEF team through contributions to the PA backup system and as part of HACT and other working groups.  
• Helping prepare periodic or ad-hoc financial reports relating to the country office and donors to support the office in optimizing use of programme funds. 

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

Education: 

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

Skills: 

• Good knowledge of the administration which underpins programme/project operations, including monitoring and evaluation processes
• Strong organizational, planning, and prioritizing skills and abilities
• High sense of confidentiality, initiative, and good judgment
• Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds
• Strong office management skills
• High attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively manage the section’s material resources and monitor its budget
• Good analytical skills 
• Experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other software, platforms and applications such as SharePoint 

Experience: 

• A minimum of six years of administrative or clerical work experience is required.  
• Prior experience in programme support functions is an asset. 
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset. 

Language:  

• Fluency in English is required and knowledge of a local language.  

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 

UNICEF competencies required for this post are… 

• Builds and maintains partnerships (1) 
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (1) 
• Drive to achieve results for impact (1) 
• Innovates and embraces change (1) 
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1) 
• Thinks and acts strategically (1) 
• Works collaboratively with others (1) 

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here. 

Remarks: 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. 

We offer 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. 

In regard to higher educational qualifications, UNICEF only considers degrees 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/ 

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background 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. 

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Appointments are also 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. 

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