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, Opportunity!

Background:

Ethiopia has faced severe challenges due to climatic shocks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing conflicts, particularly in the northern regions in Afar, Amhara, and Tigray. These crises have caused extensive damage to infrastructure, significant loss of life, and massive displacement, disrupting the lives of millions. The collapse of essential services has severely impacted the physical and psychological well-being of the population, particularly young people. These youths have experienced forced labour, recruitment into armed groups, violence, exploitation, trauma, displacement, and separation from their families. Young women and persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected due to prevailing social norms and limited access to education and economic opportunities. 2

The conflict in Northern Ethiopia has led to the destruction of infrastructure, disruption of production, and displacement of more than 4.5 million people, resulting in considerable social trauma and economic crisis. In response to these challenges, UNICEF and the Mastercard Foundation have partnered to co-design and implement the Biqu Wetat (ብቁ ወጣት) Programme. This initiative aims to help young people pursue and sustain opportunities in education, skills development, entrepreneurship, and employment. The program is driven by the belief that equipping young people with knowledge, positive attitudes, and relevant skills, including social-emotional, soft, and technical skills through mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), can enable them to rebuild social connectedness, become more resilient, and unlock their potential to create positive and sustainable change in their communities.

The program will be implemented in the conflict-affected regions of Afar, Amhara, and Tigray, targeting 50 economically disadvantaged woredas selected through an iterative prioritization process. The program will focus on youth prioritizing the most vulnerable and marginalized, including women, and persons with disabilities. Building on its human rights mandate and commitment to the "leave no one behind" principle (LNOB), the program will ensure that all youth in the affected areas have access to program-supported opportunities and can fulfil their basic needs and rights, regardless of their background, location, gender, or disability.

How can you make a difference? 

• Support risk and quality assurance, technical support, and capacity-building on the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) framework and relevant UNICEF operational policies, guidelines and procedures and mainstreaming of risk-management to partners and local actors working with UNICEF to implement the Biqu Wetat (ብቁ ወጣት) Programme in Ethiopia’s conflict-affected regions of Afar, Amhara and Tigray.
• Conduct the rollout of the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) framework process and lead the development of plans to implement HACT assurance activities (programme monitoring, financial spot checks, scheduled/special audits) in the Biqu Wetat (ብቁ ወጣት) programme.
• Review partner programmes and reports for compliance with UNICEF programme priorities as outlined in workplans, operational requirements and quality assurance of project documents with particular attention to assurance requirements and risk mitigation.
• Work closely with UNICEF Programme and Operations teams, government partners, communities, civial society organizations and groups to conduct assessment of partners’ implementation capacities, quality assurance, financial and management systems to inform capacity development support.
• In collaboration with UNICEF Programme and Operations teams Government partners, communities, civial society organizations and groups, co-design quality interventions to enhance the operational capacities, risk and quality assurance, financial accountability and management systems of local grassroots actors, third-party service providers and groups led by and for youth, women, and persons with disability to ensure that they are knowledgeable on all aspects of partnering with UNICEF, with particular emphasis on the HACT framework, the rights and results based approach to program management as well as other relevant corporate policies, procedures and guidance that impacts on implementing partnership management.
• Support partners to develop robust systems to comply with respective operational policies, guidelines, and procedures in line with HACT framework and register in the UN Portal - helping them to become co-leads at the national and subnational levels, and advance UNICEF’s commitment to localization and sustainability.
• Support UNICEF decision-making processes with robust strategic/contextual risk analysis relating to operations and programme risk, including reputation, fiduciary, misappropriation of assistance, partner management, programme management and fraud.
• Organize workshops, roundtables, and forums to facilitate knowledge exchange, transfer and partnerships between UNICEF, Government, local actors and other stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities and provide direct support or linkages to coaching, mentorships to cultivate for grassroot organizations and groups led by youth, women, and persons with disability to contribute to robust institutional capacities among local actors and enhance their development potential.
• Foster linkage of grassroot organizations and groups led by youth, women, and persons with disability with UNICEF sections, NGOs, and UN partners to increase the involvement of local actors in humanitarian and development planning processes and programming.
• Prepare reports, case studies, and success stories to highlight the achievements and lessons learned from strengthening the capacities of youth-led, women-led community groups and organizations.
• Participate in country office Enterprise Risk Management exercises to ensure that risks for implementing partnership management are identified and mitigation measures put in place.
• Provide advice and recommendations on programme budgeting through contribution in programme document and support the financial impact analysis and determination of refund and amounts owing to the CSOs.
• Follow up on and close open action points resulting from spot check and audit findings.

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• A university degree in one of the following fields is required: Development studies, International Development, Business Administration, Financial Management, Economics, Auditing, Project/Programme Management or another relevant technical field.
• A Professional Accountancy degree CPA, ACCA, CA, CIA in addition to an advanced university degree is an added advantage.

Work Experience:

• At least 2 (two) years of progressive experience in programme development/management, financial planning and management, or another related area.

Skills:

• Proven experience conducting Capacity Needs Assessments and capacity building training is required.
• Strong understanding of fundamental concepts of Risk Management and Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is required.

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in English language is required.

Desirables:

• Knowledge of another official UN language (French, Spanish, Arabic, or Russian), Amharic or the local language is an asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.

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…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (1)

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (1)

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact (1)

(4) Innovates and embraces change (1)

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

(6) Thinks and acts strategically (1)

(7) Works collaboratively with others (1)

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes[KR5] , and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.

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 female candidates and persons with disability 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.

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.