Current vacancies

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 for as long as we are needed. 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 professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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

For every child, the right to a Digital future

The Office of Strategy & Evidence - Innocenti provides leadership across UNICEF in the areas of data, research and evidence generation, foresight, and assure development effectiveness through strategic planning, monitoring and results & risk management. It drives the evidence to globally position the Organization on all child related issues, monitor SDGs and serves as the institutional lead for excellence in data, research and foresight on children and child rights within UNICEF, the United Nations and the global community.

The purpose of this role is to manage and drive the Data Transformation Enabling AI Initiative from start to finish, ensuring it progresses through agile, iterative delivery. The position is responsible for planning and executing project activities so that all deliverables are completed on time, within scope and budget, and that the initiative achieves its intended benefits, including measurable results enabled by data and AI solutions.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:
    1. Lead on the delivery of the project activities
    2. Develop and maintain project documentation:
    3. Collaborate across teams to track implementation of key project deliverables
    4. Prepare reports and communication

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the Terms of reference here:  Terms of reference

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

Minimum requirements:

1. Education: Completed Advanced University Degree (master`s or higher) related to the position, such as Management, Information Technology, Information Management, Computer Science, Data science, Data analytics, Artificial intelligence, Management information systems, Digital transformation.  A completed first level university degree combined with an additional two years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

2. Work Experience:

• A minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in areas relevant to the role, including digital, data, or AI-enabled transformation initiatives is required.
• Prior experience managing medium scale cross organizational projects is required.
• Prior experience with Agile and other project management methodologies is required, using Agile or hybrid delivery approaches.
• Proven expertise in identifying opportunities to use data through effective stakeholder engagement, whether that is the use of data to guide decisions, to inform operations, or to develop data products, including AI-driven and analytics-enabled solutions is required.
• An in-depth understanding of Data Governance, Data Architecture, and Data Technologies including AI, with awareness of data quality, security, and responsible AI principles is required.

3. Skills: Completed current Project Management certification is required (Prince 2 or PMP).

4. Language Requirements: English - Proficient/Fluent level is required.

Desirables:

1. 1. Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or local language is an asset.
   2. Experience in the development and roll out of complex, global programmes is desirable.
   3. Familiarity with concepts of change management is desirable.
   4. Experience in international development and/or UNICEF is considered an asset.
   5. Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. 

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…

(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

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, male candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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 does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member's original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.