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, a Champion

The Rome Common Services Center (CSC) is newly established following the relocation of several UNICEF HQ Divisions to Rome, where they will be co-located in WFP HQ. Rome CSC plays a critical role in delivering operational support to all UNICEF Divisions based at WFP HQ, as well as coordinating closely with WFP on the services provided to UNICEF staff. 

The post of Operations Manager, Common Services Center (CSC) reports to the PFP Deputy Director, Operations and Finance. The role will provide strategic leadership and overall direction to the CSC activities to support UNICEF’s core values and business objectives. 

The incumbent will lead the multi-disciplinary teams and manage cross-functional services that directly impact the CSC performance. As a Strategic Business Partner, the incumbent will be responsible for leading results, drive change, provide risk informed, solution-focused analysis, and contribute to delivering results for children.

The CSC serves multiple Divisions including their Senior Management team with very specific functional needs and work mandates.  The role has a critical accountability to these Divisions, must balance competing priorities while ensuring equity in service delivery and maintain neutrality across the diverse mandates. 

How can you make a difference?

The incumbent will provide strategic, technical leadership and guidance on strategic business operations as follows: 

• Manages and provides strategic direction and guidance to CSC in all areas, including Administration, Protocol, Finance, HR and ICT.
• Engages with stakeholders, understands business needs of clients, identifies emerging needs, anticipates challenges, proposes viable solutions, provides creative and innovative ideas aimed at a solution- focused approach to include value for money strategies, all underpinned by quality assurance measures.
• Ensures strategies and processes are in place to identify, promote and empower the potential in operations staff within CSC through career development, opportunities for stretch assignments and succession planning. 
• Works with the Division of Financial and Administrative Management (DFAM), Digital Impact Division (DID), Division of People & Culture (DPC), Global Shared Services Center (GSSC), Supply Division (SD) and other HQ divisions/offices in connecting ideas, people, and systems deploying a flexible model that provides a small footprint, low-cost delivery, and an agile workforce. 
• Leads on the strategic planning and management of Rome CSC facilities, ensuring safe, accessible, and environmentally sustainable premises, including estate planning, space management, and capital project development.
• Ensures effective risk mitigation and governance in Rome facilities management through the assessment of MOU, service contracts, and financial commitments related to UNICEF's premises and operations.
• Implements process efficiencies and leverages innovation to enhance sustainability, cost savings, and operational effectiveness across all functional service areas.
• Acts as a change agent using the principles of change management and drives organizational change by leveraging technology to modernize and automate business workflows, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, quality assurance, and operational excellence.
• Develops and monitors office management and work plans for Rome CSC Operations, ensuring efficient resource utilization and cost-effective service delivery.
• Acts as Security Focal Point for the Rome UNICEF Office. Works closely with the designated UNICEF Security Professional, and security focal point(s) of WFP and the UN Security Management System. Supports the Crisis Coordinator in providing leadership for crisis management and business continuity activities for the Rome Office and acts as alternate for the Crisis Coordinator, including to convene the Crisis Management Team and chair its meetings as required. Leads development of the Business Continuity Plan, conducts and reports on regular crisis and business continuity management tests to ensure emergency preparedness, and coordinates communications and training activities for staff and responsible focal points in the Geneva-based entities. Develops and maintains procedures for safety and security management in coordination with WFP. Monitors and reports on safety and security arrangements, including through the maintenance of incident reports.
• Collaborates with designated event coordinators on the planning and facilitation of events hosted by the Rome Office, comprising conferences, meetings, and workshops for UNICEF staff, partners and visitors. Develops and maintains procedures and systems for meeting planning and facilitation.
• Acts as Secretariat to the Rome Management Team (the governance body of the CSC) and provides risk-informed analysis to inform their decision-making. Establishes the Terms of Reference for this body, including setting up the meeting, agenda, and ensuring implementation of decisions.
• As Operations Manager of CSC, primary UNICEF focal point with WFP, the landlord, for negotiations and consultations related to implementation of MOU, premises and services (protocol, security, among others).
• Provides direction to staff and effectively manages their performance to allow people to elevate into subject-matter expert roles and more consistently deliver high quality work.
• As required, under direction of the supervisor, collaborates with other agencies, local authorities on administrative matters including information exchange and harmonization. 
• Maintains a healthy, safe, respectful and secure work environment that complies with UNICEF’s zero tolerance commitment against all forms of harassment and abuse. 

To qualify as a Champion for every child you will have…

 Education:

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Business Management, Finance, Accounting, Public Administration, and related operations functions (Human Resources, Information Technology, etc.).
• Alternatively, a first level university degree in a relevant field combined with (2) additional years of qualifying professional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

Experience:

• A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant work experience at the national and international level, specifically in implementing strategic organizational initiatives in one or more operations management area, including budget; financial management and reporting; facilities management; administration; information and communication technology; and human resources, is required.   
• Prior demonstrated experience working with large number of clients in service delivery in United Nations system or working in coordination with other UN agencies, funds and programmes or international organization is required.   
• Experience in Results Based Management is required.  
• Strategic management experience in leading successful client-oriented teams is required.  
• Previous hands-on experience in strategic operations is required.  
• Additional experience in one or more of the following areas is an asset:  
  • Internal controls 
  • Audit management 
  • Safety and security  
  • Enterprise Risk Management  

• Experience with UNICEF/UN is an asset. 
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian context is an asset.

Language Requirements:

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

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...

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2) are required.

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. 

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.

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.