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 Champion

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF is a leading humanitarian and development agency working globally for over 75 years to improve the lives of children and their families. UNICEF also lobbies and partners with leaders, thinkers, and policy makers to help all children, everywhere realize their rights, especially the most disadvantaged.

The UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026-2029 identifies building an agile, skilled workforce and fosters an empowering, values-driven workplace culture as the key to enhancing organizational performance. The global One People and Culture function is a key enabler of the Strategic Plan. Through the People and Culture Transition and Transformation Initiative, UNICEF’s People and Culture Strategy aims to shape an adaptive and capable people-centered People and Culture Community that actively works with its partners to accelerate results for the children we serve.

The Chief People and Culture, Senior Leadership Support Team is the primary People and Culture business partner to UNICEF senior staff (commonly referred to as “SSR staff”), which includes UNICEF Representatives at all levels, and all other senior staff at D-1 and above levels - a group of about 230 posts globally. They also oversee talent management for UNICEF Deputy Representatives, Chiefs of Field Office, and Chiefs of Field Services/Operations (about 350 posts in total). 

In liaison with the Office of the Executive Director and UNICEF directors, and in collaboration with HQ divisions’ Business Partners and Regional Chiefs of People and Culture, the incumbent directly supports and partners with UNICEF senior staff pertaining to their mobility and career development, strategic workforce and succession planning, including management of talent groups; recruitment including sourcing and assessment, performance management; leadership and development; onboarding and offboarding; and contract management. 

The portfolio also entails partnering with UNICEF senior staff in the areas of their team management/leadership capacity building, coaching, development and learning initiatives; career advice and development; performance as well as policy guidance, in collaboration with the DPC Integrated Talent Management Team, Policy, Compensation and Social Benefits Team, as well as Regional Chiefs of People and Culture.  

The Chief People and Culture, Senior Leadership Support Team works closely with the performance case management function, which supports heads of office in the management of under- and marginal performance cases as well as in continuing to build a stronger performance culture.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

• Strategic workforce and succession planning
• Strategic talent management
• Manage talent pipelines
• Manage the Senior Leadership Support Team

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Chief People and Culture_P5

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Social Sciences or any other related field, e.g., Business Administration, Organization Psychology/Development, Human Resources Management, Management or Industrial Relations.
• Work Experience: At least ten years of professional experience with increasing responsibility, preferably in the UN or another international or multilateral organization. Senior-level Human Resources Management experience and/or experience in senior line management positions at field level is an strong asset. Demonstrated expertise in executive talent management, including navigating complex leadership, succession, mobility, and organizational talent challenges. Experience in partnering with internal and external stakeholders at the senior-most level.
• Skills:
  ○ Strategic thinking, business acumen, strong leadership skills, stakeholder management.
  ○ Ability to manage complex senior leadership talent management issues.
  ○ Strong and tactful verbal and written communication.
  ○ Strong coordination skills.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
• Strong knowledge of UN/UNICEF HR policies and benefits and entitlements.
• 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…

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People 
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness 
• Works Collaboratively with others 
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships 
• Innovates and Embraces Change 
• Thinks and Acts Strategically 
• Drive to achieve impactful results 
• Manages ambiguity and complexity

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 candidates 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.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

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.