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

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision and guidance of the Admin Manager, the Senior Business Support Associate is responsible for the coordination and overall monitoring, planning and guiding the execution of various standardized tasks and actions for the operational support of respective Centers, and ensuring compliance with the UNICEF Financial Rules and Regulations, Divisional Procedures, Supply Division Manual and other applicable policies and procedures. The Senior Business Support Associate manages the work of the Business Support Unit.

The scope of key results extends beyond small, discrete teams to impact support services of entire SD division. S/He supports the team and the supervisor in the compilation and coordination of work products, ensuring deadlines are met and established rules and procedures are followed. The work is standardized; yet the incumbent must apply a good knowledge of guidelines, to operationally support SD. Key performance indicators go beyond the timeliness and accuracy of work to include planning and organizing the work of the team.  

BSU Associates at this level represent the supervisor in communications involving the exchange of non-routine information, coordinating and following up on deadlines as well as establishing and maintaining communications with staff across various divisions and within the team. Communications require tact and discretion. They may also provide guidance and directions to temporary or lower-level staff.

• The Senior Business Support Associate leads and enables team to effectively deliver support and services. S/he is overall responsible for monitoring, planning and guiding the work of the BSU, quality assurance and service delivery for tasks related to people and culture, financial and budget monitoring and management, procurement services, and events, travel, knowledge management support and services
• Conducts quality checks and monitors the efficiency of services and support provided to SD, as well as the work of both units.
• Acts as the focal point for troubleshooting unit-related issues, provides project management support, and engages in cross-functional initiatives to improve service delivery within SD.
• The Senior Business Support Associate oversees rapporteur support services for statutory committees.
• Carry out duties assigned to the unit with the main focus on the most complex and compelling queries.
• Responsibilities include ensuring the BSU is adequately trained and skilled to deliver expected results, with workloads distributed efficiently and outputs that are measurable and quantifiable.
• Additional responsibilities include ensuring the availability and effective use of ticketing systems to support workflow management, reporting, analysis, and related needs.
• Accountability of position is to ensure that BSU’s output meets all expected norms of quality assurance and is in full compliance and conformity with applicable regulations, rules, policies and procedures pertaining to financial, operational and other relevant frameworks.
• Prioritizes BSU activities to meet expected support and services, and coordination of the same internally within BSU and AU, and externally with relevant Centers and within SD.
• Communicates and coordinates BSU activities with external stakeholders within UNICEF and other UN entities as needed, and others as relevant.
• Stays abreast of internal and external developments, both in terms of needs and requirements for changes and future BSU functions as relevant to support and services provided, prepares analysis, design and business cases, and lead change management process as needed.
• Analyses multiple process functions and processes, prepares proposals for integrating services, strives for efficiency and effectiveness, and leads process innovation. 
• Serves as backup for other colleagues within AU and OiC for Admin Manager as needed.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: JD_136118_Senior Business Support Associate_G7_FT.pdf

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

Minimum requirements

• Education: Completion of Secondary Education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the field of work.
• Work Experience: A minimum of 7 years of relevant administrative or clerical work experience is required. Experience supervising people and teams is highly desirable.
• Skills: People management skills; Organizational, planning and prioritizing skills and abilities; Nurturing and building partnerships, ability to deal patiently and tactfully with visitors; High sense of confidentiality, initiative and good judgment; Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural background; Ability to work in a team environment to achieve common goals and to provide guidance to more junior support staff.
• 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 (Danish) is an asset.
• Thorough knowledge of UNICEF administrative policies and procedures.
• Training and experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other UNICEF software such as SharePoint; knowledge of integrated management information systems required. 
• 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

The 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

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.

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.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

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.