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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 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 Support

While UNICEF's mission is to serve the world's children, we also have a responsibility to care for the people who make that mission possible. This role is at the heart of that commitment, supporting staff and their families through some of life's most challenging circumstances and ensuring they receive the assistance, protection and guidance needed to continue contributing effectively to UNICEF's work.

The Policy, Compensation and Social Benefits (PCS) section in DPC is comprised of two pillars under the supervision of the Chief, PCS. In close cooperation with the Policy Pillar, the Compensation and Social Benefits pillar provide policy and operational support and guidance on UNICEF's human resources policies and procedures concerning social security and compensation schemes, including health and life insurance, disability, sick leave, special needs allowances, medical evacuations and local salaries.

The Social Benefits pillar focuses on ensuring coordination between DPC and UNICEF’s Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC), and between DPC and the UN common services that are ‘serving’ UNICEF, such as the Division of Healthcare Management and Occupational Safety and Health (DHMOSH), the UN Advisory Board on Compensation Claims (ABCC), the Headquarters Life and Insurance Committee (HLIS), the Pension Fund and the Headquarters Salary Steering Committee. The Compensation and Social Benefits Pillar manage also the Medical Insurance Plan (UNICEF’s self-funded insurance plan for locally recruited staff members), the medical evacuation programme and the various insurance provisions for non-staff personnel.

The People and Culture Officer, at the NO-2 level, plays a critical role in supporting UNICEF staff members and their families through some of the most sensitive and complex situations encountered during a staff member's career, including serious illness, disability, workplace injuries, insurance claims and other social benefit matters.

The position requires sound judgement, discretion and a strong service orientation. The incumbent will manage a demanding and diverse workload, often involving highly confidential medical information and emotionally sensitive cases. Success in this role requires initiative, persistence and the ability to proactively engage with colleagues and partners across the UN system to identify practical and compassionate solutions.

Working closely with experienced medical, legal and human resources professionals, the incumbent will contribute to a highly specialized area of UNICEF's People and Culture function that has a direct impact on staff wellbeing and organizational duty of care.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Compensation and Social Benefits Manager, the People and Culture Officer provide support in the management of a full range of Human Resources activities in accordance with the UN Staff Regulations and Rules and UNICEF’s policies and procedures. These activities relate to coordination with different UN entities, including DHMOSH, the UNJSPF (Pension Fund), the HLIS, the UN ABCC and other entities.

This position offers a unique opportunity to work in one of UNICEF's most specialized areas of people management, providing expert support on complex social benefits, compensation and staff welfare matters across the organization. The incumbent will serve as a trusted focal point for sensitive and often complex staff cases requiring professionalism, empathy, confidentiality and careful application of policy. The role demands the ability to balance compassion with objectivity, while ensuring timely and accurate case management in a fast-paced environment.

1. Prepare advice (policy and operational), memos and other correspondence on Social Benefits, including Special Education Grant, Special Dependency Allowance, In memoriam and condolence messages, and life insurance claims;
2. Liaise with the GSSC on systemic and operational matters with respect to the development and implementation of HR policies as well as on simplification of business practices, especially in the medical entitlements area. In particular, work closely with the P&C and GSSC colleagues in order to resolve operational and as appropriate, policy issues related to the Medical Insurance Plan;
3. Liaise with UN and other agency partners in reaching solutions to operational issues arising under medical entitlements/benefits including for difficult sick leave cases, disability etc.;
4. Provide administrative support to the Compensation and Social Benefits Manager with claims submissions before the ABCC and the MAIP (Malicious Acts Insurance);
5. Serve as the pillar’s local focal point responsible for processing social benefits related payments with the GSSC, especially with respect to worker’s compensation cases;
6. Contribute to the revision and update of relevant policies on matters related to the portfolio of the Social Benefits pillar;
7. Update the Social Benefits Sharepoint-site by contributing to the development of new informational material and newsletters
8. Participate in global webinars on social benefits and contribute to P&C capacity building
9. Contribute to reporting to the UN
10. Perform other duties and responsibilities, as needed.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  JD - People and Culture Officer_NOB.pdf

To qualify an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education: A University Degree in law, human resource management, international relations, psychology or another related field is required.
• Work Experience: Two years of professional experience in human resource management in an international organization and/or large corporation is required. Preferably experience in HR benefits and entitlements.
• Skills: 
• Excellent communication, client-service and relationship-management skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary stakeholders, including medical professionals, legal advisers, HR practitioners and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to handle highly confidential and sensitive information with the utmost discretion and professionalism.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a high-volume workload, monitor multiple competing priorities and ensure timely follow-up and resolution of complex cases.
• Proven ability to take ownership of complex cases, proactively manage issues, follow through on outstanding matters and drive them to resolution.
• Strong judgement, diplomacy and tact when dealing with staff members facing difficult personal, medical or employment-related circumstances.
• Emotional maturity and resilience, with the ability to remain calm, patient and professional when dealing with distressing or emotionally demanding situations.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• Knowledge of UNICEF Human Resources procedures is an asset.
• Prior experience in UNCS, knowledge of UNICEF Human Resources procedures.
• Stakeholder Engagement (Medical & Legal).
• Demonstrated experience in HR services. Experience in the UN system is an asset.
• 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
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

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, eligible and suitable 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.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

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.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

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.