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 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, a calling.

UNICEF's Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) in Budapest, Hungary is a center of excellence providing efficient services to UNICEF offices globally in the areas of Finance, Human Resources, Payroll and Information Technology. For more information about GSSC please visit our webpage at Global Shared Services Centre | UNICEF and check this YouTube.

Being part of GSSC, the Strategic Business and Change Management Section (previously titled as Service Quality Management Section) works within with the Director’s Office guiding the strategic direction of the GSSC and its journey to Global Business Services (GBS), is responsible for strategic planning, change management, partnership engagement, UN reform, communications and branding It furthermore covers all internal GSSC quality assurance, productivity analysis, forecasting and chargeback support, performance, service level agreement (SLA) and key performance indicator (KPI) management, efficiency reporting and benefits realization.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) is seeking a Chief in the Strategic Business and Change Management Section to lead on business relationship, performance, internal and external communication, centralized quality assurance, change and project management including UN Reform and to promote an environment of continuous improvement in all global service delivery.  

The function plays a leading role in driving change and efficiency throughout the organization involving new ways of working, including country office business modernization and simplification, transaction efficiency, GSSC initiatives, behavior change and improved quality, implementing the GSSC’s vision to operate as a world class business services center, driving operational business innovation and efficiency throughout UNICEF by adopting proven best practices from both the public and private sectors to provide the Organization with improved business processes with sound performance management.

This will involve leading, coordinating and overseeing:

1. Strategy and Governance
2. Change Management and Continuous Improvement
3. Strategic Business and Change Management Section
4. Communication and Knowledge Management
5. Business Relationship Management
6. Performance Management and Reporting
7. Service Level Management

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

• An advanced university degree, in in business administration, economics, or another relevant field is required.
• A minimum of ten years of relevant experience, at the national and international levels, in business relations management, business process service delivery governance, or a directly related technical fields is required.
• Experience in Change Management, including managing and driving complex organizational change initiatives with multiple stakeholders, divisions and offices is required.
• Proven experience in leading and managing diverse teams, strong ability to nurture staff leading by example, approachability, teamwork, sociability and motivation is required.
• Previous experience in service process design and evaluation, service level program design and management and continuous improvement is desirable.
• Strong collaboration, team player, networking skills are required.
• Strong communication and influencing skills are required.
• Experience and knowledge of ERP Systems (i.e. SAP) is desirable.
• Experience working in United Nations, development sector or international organization context is desirable.
• Experience in leading innovation and continuous improvement in a global shared service centre environment is an asset.
• Fluency in English both written and spoken is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset. 

Conditions of International Professional Posts

International Professional (IP) staff are recruited internationally and serve in duty stations outside their country of nationality. They hold leadership, managerial or specialist functions.

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

During the recruitment process, we may assess candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here

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, breastfeeding breaks 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 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.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.

 Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.