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?

The Programme Associate (Emergency Operations Center) provides real-time support toUNICEF staff across the globe by monitoring emergency-related developments,identifying and communicating current and emerging trends through real-timeinformation products, and producing information products that integrate text and datavisualizations. To ensure uninterrupted 24/7 coverage, the Programme Associate(Emergency Operations Center) is required to work on a rotating shift schedule as well asweekends and UN-observed holidays. Internal compensatory mechanisms are in place tosupport staff working these shifts.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

• Deliver 24/7 emergency information and communication services to UNICEF personnel and offices worldwide, ensuring timeliness, accuracy, and operational relevance.
• Produce high-quality information products and data visualizations to support OPSCEN’s crisis communication and coordination functions, enabling informed decision-making by senior leadership. 
• Contribute to the smooth functioning and continuous improvement of OPSCEN’s internal operations and workflows. 
• Demonstrate strong client service orientation and professional communication skills. 

Specific duties: 

• Deliver quality and timely 24/7 emergency information and communication services to UNICEF offices and personnel globally.
• Contribute to the optimization of OPSCEN’s crisis communication and emergency coordination services.
• Support the quality and continuity of OPSCEN’s internal daily operations.
• Demonstrate client service orientation and professional communication skills.

1. Deliver quality and timely 24/7 emergency information and communication services to UNICEF offices and personnel globally:

a. Monitor global media, emergency and security platforms, as well as alert systems to detect and assess events with potential humanitarian or security implications for UNICEF operations and personnel.

b. Issue timely and accurate real-time information products and updates (e.g. alerts, media and situation briefs, etc.) on unfolding or critical incidents/events to relevant stakeholders at UNICEF country, regional, and HQ levels.

c. Produce and disseminate regular media monitoring products, emergency briefs, and data visualization products (e.g. maps, infographics).

d. Support the Information Management Officer in ensuring effective knowledge management, dissemination, and archiving of emergency and security information and data -e.g. UNICEF Humanitarian Situation Reports (SitReps), including uploads to UNICEF’s public website through the Drupal platform and archiving them in SharePoint. 

2. Contribute to the optimization of OPSCEN’s crisis communication and emergency coordination services: 

a. Provide immediate, 24/7 emergency assistance to UNICEF offices and personnel globally, via phone, email and other communication methods, including referral to appropriate focal points for further support and ensuring timely follow up.

b. Following a critical emergency or security event, coordinate with field-based security professionals or focal points to verify the safety of UNICEF staff and dependents, ensuring appropriate follow-up by relevant teams.

c. Coordinate emergency management team meetings by scheduling sessions, sending invitations and agendas, distributing supporting materials, and facilitating videoconferences in coordination with IT. Upon activation by the UNICEF Crisis Management Team, implement business continuity procedures to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of OPSCEN. This includes issuing timely crisis communications and leadership notifications, as well as activating the Emergency Notification System (ENS) to keep personnel informed.

3. Support the quality and continuity of OPSCEN’s internal daily operations:

a. Maintain and update internal databases and emergency mailing/distribution lists, in coordination with the Information Management Officer.

b. Assist OPSCEN leadership and team members in developing and implementing the quarterly Emergency Watch Associate rotational shift schedule to ensure uninterrupted 24/7 coverage and services.

c. Support the OPSCEN management team in the onboarding and training of new staff, consultants, or volunteers on the Watch functions, as needed. d. Contribute to strengthening internal operational efficiency by participating in team knowledge-sharing activities, including the documentation of operational best practices and lessons learned.

e. Support the OPSCEN management in briefings by joining presentations and providing contextual input on OPSCEN’s role, functions and services to internal and external stakeholders, as required.

4.  Demonstrate client service orientation and professional communication skills:

a) Demonstrate strong client service orientation and professional communication skills, recognizing OPSCEN’s role as a central organizational focal point.

b)     Engage effectively with diverse stakeholders across headquarters, regional, and country offices, including senior leadership, to ensure clear, responsive, and tailored information delivery.

Capabilities required: 

• Project Management 
• Collaboration 
• Problem Solving
• Digital Dexterity 

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  Classified Job Descriptions - Programme Associate (Emergency Operations.._ (3).pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Completion of secondary education. 
• Work Experience:  A minimum of six years of relevant administrative or clerical work experience is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the work of the organization. 
• Skills: reporting, client service, risk management, project management.
• Language Requirements:  Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

1. 1. Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
   2.  Experience in related functional areas such as Information, Media & Public Relations Support; Protective & Security Services; Executive, Secretarial & Office Support is an asset 
   3.  Prior experience in an emergency or security operations center is a strong asset. 
   4. Client oriented communication skills, with the ability to engage professionally and tailor messaging for diverse audiences, including senior leadership. 
   5.  Real time monitoring platforms expertise, including interpreting humanitarian data and information to support timely situational updates, alerts, and escalations. 
   6.  Ability to assess and synthesize complex information into high quality, digestible written products (e.g., alerts, situation reports, briefs) in English under tight deadlines, ensuring clear and timely internal communications during crises.
   7. Foundational proficiency in data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Esri ArcGIS, Google Earth Pro) to create clear visuals such as basic maps, charts, and infographics, that support situational awareness, operational analysis, and informed decision making in emergency contexts.
   8.  Familiarity with digital dashboards and emergency coordination platforms, and the agility to adapt quickly to evolving technologies that support global emergency operations. 
   9. 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 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.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to UNICEF personnel only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member's original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

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.