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, empowerment! 

UNICEF is striving for a work environment where staff wellness, resilience and work-life balance are integrated parts of people management and organizational culture. Due to the nature and location of their work, UNICEF staff members are frequently exposed to high levels of day to day and cumulative stress, including stressors related to their workload and the demands related to living and working in multicultural, often unstable and insecure environments. These positions, located in Headquarters locations (New York and Istanbul), report to the P-5 Chief of Staff Wellbeing Section. They will serve HQ staff either based in New York or in HQ locations outside of New York, and work on global staff wellbeing programs and projects. Travel to other global HQ, regional and field offices will be expected from time to time, including to program contexts.

How can you make a difference? 

As a Staff Counsellor at UNICEF, you have the opportunity to make a profound difference in the lives of staff and their families. Your expertise in mental health and wellbeing will be instrumental in developing and implementing programs that support the workforce, enhance team wellbeing, and promote work-life balance. By providing critical services and coordinating care, you will play a pivotal role in fostering a culture of resilience and inclusion. Your contributions will not only improve the health and satisfaction of staff but also increase the organization's ability to deliver on its mission of advancing children's rights. Through your work, you will help create a workplace where everyone can thrive, ultimately contributing to the betterment of communities worldwide.

Key Accountabilities and Duties & Tasks:

1. Develop and Facilitate Psycho-Social Support:

• Provide support to offices, managers, and staff to prevent and mitigate work-related stress.
• Boost protective factors to promote wellbeing.

2. Collaborate on Staff Wellbeing Initiatives:

• Develop new approaches and tools for wellbeing awareness.
• Design and deliver mental health and wellbeing programs aligned with UNICEF strategies.

3. Implement Evidence-Based Wellbeing Programs:

• Develop and implement minimum service standards for staff wellbeing.
• Create specific programs based on annual wellbeing plans and global priorities.

4. Advance Corporate Wellness Programs:

• Contribute to Diversity, Manager Support, Peer Support Volunteer, and Wellness Advocate programs.

5. Provide Subject Matter Expertise:

• Update training materials and support implementation of wellbeing programs.
• Collaborate with various offices and teams on mental health and wellbeing support.

6. Serve as Point of Contact for Headquarters Divisions:

• Proactively assess and address unique wellbeing needs of assigned divisions.
• Provide emergency psychosocial support, design and deliver tailored workshops and training programs.
• Analyze and report on wellbeing trends, recommending actions to enhance workforce experience.
• Advise managers on wellbeing strategies, healthy work practices, and support for staff.
• Provide individual and group counselling, case management, and facilitate referrals.

7. Perform Other Duties as Assigned

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced University degree (Master’s or equivalent) in counselling, clinical psychology or related mental health field, and registration with a professional health body is required. Additional training or certification in occupational health, staff support and traumatic/critical incident stress as well as a broad range of related fields, such as alcohol/substance abuse, family counselling, training, stress management and diversity, equity and inclusion, is an asset.

• Work Experience: 

• • Minimum of five years’ experience (preferably including some international work experience) in: staff support, mental health, counselling, and related areas, preferably gained within the UN system or international development/humanitarian aid sector.
  • Track record showing resourcefulness and keen social awareness and sound judgement pertaining to common counselling caveats, client advocacy, burnout, the need for self-care and personal counselling. Ability to exercise tact and confidentiality and conduct oneself in an empathic, non-judgmental clinical approach of the highest standard.
  • Evidence of previous experience in adhering to professional boundaries, i.e., administering only those services for which supervised training has been received and/or certified.
  • The successful applicant must hold a valid license/registration to practice counselling or psychology or be eligible to hold a license/registration to practice from an accredited academic institution.
  • Experience working in a humanitarian, or emergency programming context is an asset.

• Language Requirements: Fluency in English (oral and written) is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

Please find a link for more detailed Job Description.

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…

• • Relating and Networking (1)
  • Applying Technical Expertise (1)
  • Formulating Strategies and Concepts (1)
  • Planning and Organizing (1)
  • Adapting and Responding to Change (1)

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable Staff Counsellors 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.

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

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.