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 Chance

Sudan is surrounded by complex conflicts in a volatile and rapidly evolving region. Sudan is by size the third biggest country in Africa, with a diverse population of around 42 million people. Sudan’s children make up half of the total population, and the past two decades have seen their lives improve: fewer girls and boys are dying before their fifth birthday, primary school attendance is increasing, immunization coverage is high, and the country remains polio free. Still, millions of children continue to suffer from protracted conflict in Darfur, the Kordofans, and Blue Nile, from seasonal natural disasters, malnutrition and disease outbreaks, and from under-investment in basic social services.

UNICEF has been in Sudan since 1952 and continues with a presence in 12 of Sudan’s 18 states. The Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) Section reports directly to the Deputy Representative - Programmes and works in close coordination with all programme teams and Field Offices. The section is responsible for the strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, information management, reporting and implementing partnerships.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Chief of PME, you contribute primarily to the strategic and programme planning of a large-size country programme. By the nature of your functions, you work closely with other functions such as monitoring, evaluation, the Information Management Hub, programme management, and situation reporting. You provide professional technical, operational, and administrative assistance throughout the planning, implementation, and monitoring of the Country Programme while strengthening capacities for risk-informed, rights- and results-based programme planning and performance management at the national, sectoral, and decentralized levels.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities: 

Programme performance planning and monitoring

• Provide technical guidance and coordinates the Situation Analysis for the relevant programme areas and its periodic updates by monitoring and analyzing the social, political, and economic trends in the country, as they affect women and children. Ensure the evidence is available on the magnitude and location of the most vulnerable children and better prioritization and targeting, and programme convergence.
• Leads country office change management process, providing direct support to programme sections and operations units to facilitate transition to new planning and management processes.
• Support country programme planning and routine updates, including mid‑term adjustments, in emergency and rapidly changing contexts; support humanitarian and crisis response planning by contributing to CRP/HAC alignment, basic scenario analysis and prioritization under access and operational constraints; ensure day‑to‑day consistency and alignment across the Country Programme Document (CPD), Crisis Response Plan (CRP), sector strategies, donor requirements and relevant inter‑agency frameworks; and assist in integrating risk‑informed programming, conflict sensitivity and humanitarian‑development‑peace (HDP) nexus considerations into planning and review processes..
• Participates in the development of programme/project goals and objectives and planning the implementation of programme/project strategies. Ensure strong technical guidance and quality assurance for developing High quality results-based Sector programme, Programme Proposals with Civil Society, Fundings Proposals with Donors, and planning the implementation and accountability for results.
• Coordinates Leads the preparation process of programme planning documents such as Annual Work Plans at the State level and for sector, as well as UN Joint Work Plans (as well as other as needed) ensuring they are risk informed and aligned across humanitarian, development and peacebuilding objectives. Establishes constructive working relationship with the relevant Government counterparts to ensure timely approval of the Work Plans.
• Lead or support RAM planning and reporting, clinics and analysis, ensuring quality and consistency of results reporting.
• Leads and manages annual/mid-term/end term country programme reviews ensuring consistency with objectives and goals set out in the CPD and contribute to the Annual Management Plan. . Act as the focal point for the Ministry of Finance and Planning and lead for the organization and coordination of quarterly meetings with the Government.
• Liaise with M&E Specialist and ensure that sections and field offices utilize strategic information from studies, surveys, evaluations and data to develop programme results, programme/project strategies and implementation and reporting frameworks that are equity and gender equality focused.
• Contributes to quality and timely corporate reporting requirements, including Sitreps, donor reports and annual reports (COAR). Ensures that programme results are adequately and accurately reflected in such reports.    
• Coordinates the development of the workplans for the programme sectors, supports the Chief PME and Deputy Representative in integrated, multisectoral and resilience programming, ensures that objectives and targets are achieved. Identifies capacity needs of programmes to implement the work plans and others and provides on-the-job training.
• Assists government authorities to plan and organize training programmes. Identifies training needs for capacity building at decentralized level. Act as the focal point for the Ministry of Finance and Planning and lead for the organization and coordination of quarterly meetings with the Government.
• Ensures the RRBM capacity gap need assessment of partners on RRBM and ensures technical leadership in building capacities of government authorities and counterparts for the purpose of adequate governance for results, value for money for children and sustainability of programme.
• Ensures the strong innovative performance monitoring of the Country Programme of cooperation through VISION-RAM, develop and operationalize strong accountability systems for results vis-à-vis government and Donors; ensure that the Country Office has quality information to assess progress towards expected results established in annual work plans.
• Undertakes field visits to monitor and evaluate programme implementation, as well as conduct periodic programme reviews with government counterparts and other partners. Identifies problems or alternative courses of action to accelerate/improve programme delivery.
• Contributes substantively to UNICEF’s participation in the CCA/UN Strategic Framework process, represents UNICEF at working and technical levels as required, and provides adequate UNICEF input and contributions in the UN planning frameworks to ensure improvement of the well-being of children and women.
• Coordinate UNICEF inputs into UN planning and reporting processes (e.g. UNSDCF, UN Country Results Report) with particular attention to humanitarian coherence. Leads RIME’s eview of Programme Documents in collaboration with IM Hub ensuring proper alignment of the proposed activities and results with the Annual Workplan and other planning documents as needed. 

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  JD_Planing Specialist_P3.pdf

To qualify an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree in Social Sciences or other related field.
• Work Experience: 5 years of relevant work experience in strategic planning, programme planning, results based management, monitoring and evaluation, performance management, humanitarian planning, change management, stakeholder management, government relations and reporting.
• You demonstrate strong skills in planning, performance monitoring, quality assurance, technical guidance, strategic framework development, and accountability
• 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.
• Desirable qualifications include international project experience, knowledge of multilateral systems and processes, experience in conflict-sensitive programming, and experience in government stakeholder coordination.
• Experience in working in international settings or projects is a plus.
• Knowledge of the UN system and processes and specific experience in results-based management and country programme planning cycle is highly desired.
• 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, eligible and suitable female candidates from industrial countries 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.

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.