Job Vacancies at nited Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

The Operations Associate supports the effective and compliant delivery of UNICEF’s operational services, ensuring that core functions—finance, supply and logistics, administration, and asset management—are delivered efficiently and in line with UNICEF’s operational policies and procedures.

Under the direct supervision of the Operations Officer or Operations Manager, the incumbent contributes to improving service delivery by coordinating operational processes, monitoring compliance, and facilitating collaboration between operations and programme teams. The role ensures that UNICEF offices and staff have the operational support and resources needed to deliver results for children on time and within budget.

How can you make a difference?

The incumbent plays a critical role, responsible for executing a broad variety of procedural and specialized Operations tasks, requiring in-depth knowledge of UNICEF Operations procedures, processes, and policies. Support the day-to-day management of operational processes, maintaining accurate records, and ensuring timely service delivery to programme and field colleagues. The Operations Associate contributes to improving operational efficiency, strengthening internal controls, and ensuring value for money in all operational transactions.

Operational Coordination and Planning

• Support coordination of operations functions—including finance, supply, logistics, and administration—to ensure timely and quality support to programme and field teams.
• Track the implementation of the operations work plan, monitoring progress against targets and deadlines.
• Provide operational guidance to colleagues on UNICEF procedures and standards.
• Ensure the availability of timely and accurate data for preparing operational and project management plans.
• Undertake basic analysis of operational information to support management decision-making.

Financial and Budget Support

• Review, prepare, and process financial transactions. 
• Monitor budgets and financial expenditures of assigned areas, keeping the supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision or follow-up.
• Support budget preparation, revisions, expenditure tracking, and financial reporting.
• Prepare and maintain financial records and control plans for budget monitoring and audit readiness.
• Support petty cash management, cash forecasting, and timely liquidation of advances.
• Carries out transactions in VISION pertaining to grants for the Operations section, such as registering grant allotments and tracking expiring Programme grants.
• Contribute to the preparation of operational budget
• Review invoices and process payments as per policies/procedures and ensure accuracy and completeness of supporting documents.
• Submit periodic financial reports for management oversight, monitoring, and review, and confirm availability of funds as required.
• Provide relevant information for the response to audits and peer reviews.

Procurement, Supply and Logistics

• Assist in the procurement of goods and services, including preparation of requisitions, solicitation of quotations, tabulations of bids, and processing of purchase orders.
• Maintain up-to-date vendor lists and consultant rosters.
• Facilitate processing of contracts for consultants and external partners, ensuring completeness of documentation and compliance with procedures.
• Coordinate logistics and transport arrangements for supplies and field operations.
• Support inventory control, asset management, and disposal procedures in VISION.

Administrative and Facility Management

• Provide administrative and logistical support for meetings, workshops, and official events, including venue setup, documentation, and travel facilitation.
• Oversee office supplies, utilities, maintenance services, and related contracts, ensuring cost efficiency and accountability.
• Maintain administrative records, correspondence, and filing systems (digital and hard copy) and update database systems, ensuring timely and appropriate recording, safekeeping, and disposal of confidential information.
• Support office transport arrangements and protocol matters for staff and visitors.
• Ensure compliance with UNICEF’s administrative procedures in all operational activities.
• Ensures the safekeeping of assets, annual physical count/verification, prepares reports, including cost analysis, and recommends replacement/disposal of equipment and supplies. 
• Reconcile physical assets data with office records to ensure the count taken is complete and identify discrepancies for corrective action.  Prepares annual reports on subjects for the Country Office.
• Prepares Property Survey Board (PSB) submissions for asset disposal and assists with implementing approved PSB recommendations. 
• Supports all aspects of maintaining office premises and ensures that services and upkeep meet organizational standards.

Travel and Logistics Coordination

• Provide travel assistance to staff members for travel arrangements and entitlements in accordance with UNICEF travel policies.
• Liaise with relevant travel focal points to ensure the best service and pricing for official travel.
• Maintain accurate travel records and cost data in UNICEF’s travel system.
• Support the preparation of travel plans and budgets and follow up on travel claims and certifications.
• Review Travel Authorizations (TAs) for compliance with policies and procedures, along with the related DSA and other entitlements in the system. Post or perform administrative approval as delegated, maintain the necessary records, and ensure that the office opens and TAs are closed on time.
• Support the booking of flights and tickets. Organize airport pickups, hotel reservations, and all other arrangements related to staff and visitor reception.
• Briefs/de-briefs staff members on issues relating to related administrative matters such as visas, security clearance, and documentation procedures. 
• Extracts, inputs, maintains, and verifies the accuracy of travel records in the organization’s travel system to ensure correct transactions related to travel expenses and staff travel.
• Assists in the preparation of budgets on travel costs and maintains travel plan and budgetary control records.

Risk Management and Compliance

• Support implementation of internal control systems and follow up on audit and compliance recommendations.
• Monitor and report on operational risks, escalating issues as needed.

Coordination and Reporting

• Support preparation of management reports, statistics, and data visualizations for operational performance.
• Act as liaison between programme, field, and operations units to ensure coordinated service delivery.
• Promote teamwork, accountability, and a solutions-oriented culture within the operations function

Attendance Management

• Responsible for accurately maintaining monthly attendance and absence records, including Rest and Recuperation (R&R) and SECTO for applicable staff, and promptly completing all related transactions in VISION while preserving all hard copy records. Periodically generate the utilization report for both R&R and SECTO for management follow-up.
• Maintains and updates a system that monitors the absence of staff.

Key functions/accountabilities:

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

Education:     

• Completion of secondary education is required. Professional and/or university courses related to the field of work are highly desirable.

Experience:   

• Minimum six years of progressively responsible administrative or clerical work experience required.

Language Requirements:   

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

go to method of application »

How can you make a difference?

Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) with emphasis on Birth registration and Legal Identity is one of the key programmatic priorities in the UNICEF Nigeria Country Office and is one of West and Central Africa Region’s(WCAR’s) eight Key Results for Children (KRCs). UNICEF Nigeria has made significant progress in birth registration coverage, with a high annual rate of change, in 2023 UNICEF supported the Government of Nigeria through the National Population Council ( NPC) to register over 11 million  births of children under the age of five years old.  

Informed by the Regional KRC#7 Multi-Country Formative Evaluation (2021), Nigeria is iplements three priority strategies endorsed by the AU Africa Programme on Accelerated Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (APAI-CRVS)  to accelerate universal birth registration: digitisation of systems, interoperability and decentralisation of service delivery. UNICEF Nigieria's visionary support materialized in 2023 with the establishment of an advanced digital Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system. This transformative platform facilitated digital birth registration services at healthcare points and within communities across 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Complemented by a robust legal framework ensuring data protection and identity theft prevention, the integration of birth registration with primary health care services became a reality. Collaborative efforts with the National Population Commission and National Primary Health Care Development Agency enhance the synergy between civil registration and health, significantly advancing birth registration coverage nationwide.

Ensuring a fixed term staff capacity at the country level to coordinate and manage the Nigeria CRVS and legal identity agenda is critical to sustain results in Nigeria by ensuring high quality technical assistance, management of country-wide programmes and initiatives, management of political and financial partnerships, and ensuring coordination between the different UNICEF sections, government Ministries and Departments that contribute to this multi-sectoral agenda.

The Child Protection -CRVS with a focus on Birth Registration - Specialist reports to the Child Protection Manager for guidance and general supervision. The Specialist supports the development and preparation of the  Civil Registration with emphasis on Birth Registration programme(s) and is responsible for the management, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of the Civil Registration programmes/projects within the country programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes. H/She facilitates the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable contributions to national and international efforts to create a protective environment for children against all harm, and to protect their rights to survival, development and wellbeing as established under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, international treaties/frameworks and UN intergovernmental bodies. The Specialist contributes to the achievement of results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), and UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

Key functions/accountabilities:

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Support to programme/project development and planning
• Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
• Technical and operational support to programme implementation
• Networking and partnership building
• Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

Support to programme/project development and planning

• Support the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis for the child protection Civil Registration -Birth Registration programmes/projects to ensure that current and comprehensive data on child protectionlegal identity issues is available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy advocacy, intervention and development efforts on child rights and protection, and to set programme priorities, strategies, and design and implementation plans. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance programme management, efficiency and delivery.
• Participate in strategic programme discussions on the planning of child protection programmesbirth registration programme/projects. Formulate, design and prepare programme/project proposals for the sector, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s overall Strategic Plans and the Country Programme, as well as coherence and integration with the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.
• Establish specific goals, objectives, strategies, and implementation plans for the sector using results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for programme review and approval.
• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine national priorities and competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated

Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Plan and collaborate with colleagues and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators, other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurements, to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in child protection programmes.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required actions and interventions to achieve results.
• Prepare and assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths and/or weaknesses in programme management. Identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
• Actively monitor programmes/projects through field visits, surveys and exchange of information with partners to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems. Take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.

Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners and donors on the interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, best practices, and approaches on child protection related issues to support programme management, implementation and delivery of results.
• Arrange and coordinate availability of technical experts with Field office collegues to ensure timely and appropriate support throughout the programming process.
• Participate in child protection programme meetings, including programme development and contingency planning discussions on emergency preparedness in the country or other locations designated, to provide technical and operational information, advice and support.
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration.

Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders, global partners, allies, donors, and academia - through active networking, advocacy and effective communication - to build capacity, exchange knowledge and expertise, and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results in child protection.
• Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances and to support fund raising for child protection programmes and emergency interventions.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on birth registration related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF planning and preparation of programmes/projects. Ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process for development planning and agenda setting.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders, and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best practices in child protection management and information systems. Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders to promote sustainable results in child protection and related programmes/projects

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

Education:     

An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field.

Experience:   

• A minimum of five years of professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection related areas is required.
• Experience working in at international or national level in developing to middle -income countries in the implementation of birth registration programmes is required.
• Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is considered as an added advantage.

Language Requirements:   

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

go to method of application »

The Supply and Logistics Specialist GJP is to be used in small/ medium size Country Offices (CO), or in larger size Country Offices where the role is part of a larger Supply and Logistics structure.

How can you make a difference?

The Supply and Logistics Specialist reports to the Supply Specialist as per the Country Office (CO) set-up and is responsible for managing the supply chains, and/or emergency response operation, or elements of the supply chains of a larger supply operation. The supply chain operations include planning, procurement, contracting, customs clearance, warehousing, in-country transport and distribution, as well as monitoring of supplies, services, and construction works. The incumbent supports management collaboration with programmes in defining supply interventions to meet programmatic needs and achieve results for children, and provides technical and advisory support to governments, national systems, and partners on supply chain management.

Key functions/accountabilities:

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Support Management of the supply team
• Supply Chain service delivery and emergency response
• Collaboration with programme and implementing partners
• Technical, advisory support to government/national systems
• Innovation, products and markets
• Internal Controls over the Supply Chain

Management of the Supply team

• Prepare the annual work plan for the Supply team; determine priorities/targets and performance measurements and monitor work progress to ensure that results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards.
• Supervise and coach team members, ensure timely performance management of staff. In collaboration with Supply Division, Regional Office and the global supply community, ensure knowledge sharing and learning is prioritized in order to continuously build capacity of individuals and the team.
• In consultation with supervisor, ensure establishment and maintenance of operational capacity to handle CO supply chains, including staffing (appropriate staffing structure, timely recruitment, clarity of roles and responsibilities) and contracting of third party services if applicable (e.g. customs clearance, warehousing, transport, distribution).
• Function as part of a cross-functional task team with oversight over integrity of transactions, ensuring internal controls governing transactions are actively adhered to along the entire supply chain; and provide guidance/coaching to the Transactional Teams along the supply chain.

Supply chain service delivery and emergency response

• In consultation with supervisor, provide input to the Country Programme Action Planning and advice on Supply requirements for the Plan of Operations and Annual Work Plans. Ensure appropriate planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the supply chain operations, including establishment of performance indicators, and assessment of fit for purpose of products and services.
• Analyze supply spend and develop procurement strategies based on category management in order to focus on strategic, essential supplies and services that contribute to results for children, including establishment of long term agreements (LTAs) where relevant. Ensure effective procurement of goods, contracting of services and construction works, while maintaining the highest level of integrity, ethical standards and accountability.
• Ensure timely customs clearance of supplies entering the country. Ensure appropriate warehousing, inventory management and in-country transport in support of the country programme implementation.
• Ensure appropriate vendor management practices e.g. supply performance reviews are established and applied including establishment of  key performance indicators for contractors / vendors for goods and services
• Analyze supply dashboards, implementation rates of key performance indicators and supply information/data from various systems and conduct root cause analysis of supply chain bottlenecks and challenges, with a view to drive improvements and ensure efficient and effective supply chains for children.
• In consultation with the supervisor, develop an emergency supply & logistics strategy based on risk assessment analysis and Programme assumptions. Ensure an emergency supply and logistics preparedness action plan for the CO is established in line with Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCC) and implemented (establishment of relevant LTAs and frame agreements for emergency response, prepositioning of stock, and training of staff in the country office).
• Participate in high-level emergency coordination, implementation, and monitoring meetings with internal and external partners and establish close collaboration with the Logistics Cluster/National Logistics Working Group if such is activated/existing.
• In collaboration with the supervisor, establish strong working relations with Regional Chiefs of Supply/Regional Chief of Operations, as well as the Supply Division, to align with global and regional approaches and initiatives in supply chain management.

Collaboration with programme and implementing partners

• In collaboration with supervisor, develop close collaboration with programme sections through involvement in programme design, planning, and preparation for implementation of supply components as well as monitoring and evaluation. Establish accountability framework with programmes, for delivery of results for children.
• Provide technical support to programmes including field offices and conduct supply clinics on procurement processes and procedures as part of capacity development of staff on supply activities
• Provide supply input to donor dialogue, and support development of supply components of proposals to donors including budgeting and use of innovative financing mechanisms for supplies, services and construction works.
• Support assessment of and collaboration with implementing partners including civil society, establishment of Programme Cooperation Agreements (PCAs), and monitoring of supply components under Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT).
• • Develop and maintain partnership and collaborative relations with Government, UN organizations and bilateral counterparts in supply and logistics activities including harmonized and collaborative procurement.

4. Technical and advisory support to government/national systems

• Promote/drive supply chain strengthening and change management initiatives with governments and partners, to ensure efficient and effective supply chains for children.
• Provide input to capacity development initiatives in the area of supply chains for children, in close collaboration with programme colleagues. Support supply components of health systems strengthening as might be relevant in the country context.
• Advisory support to Governments/national systems in defining and determining supply solutions for children, such as use of procurement services; supply financing solutions; local market development; private sector engagement.

Innovation, products and markets

• Contribute to pilots and support the actual roll-out of new products and services, in close collaboration with Supply Division.
• Promote critical thinking, innovative approaches and good practices on supply chain management within the organization as well as with externals to ensure effective and efficient supply chains for children.
• Further to analysis of supply spend and related procurement strategies, in collaboration with supervisor run initiatives to ensure local market development where relevant.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

Education:

• An advanced university degree is required in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Procurement, Contract/Commercial Law, International Development, Health or related social science field, or relevant first-level university degree (Bachelor’s) in conjunction with a valid relevant professional certification is required.

Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience, at the national and international levels, in supply, logistics, procurement, contracting, administration and/or other directly-related technical fields is required.
• Understanding of development and humanitarian work.
• Emergency experience is an advantage.
• Health supply chain management experience is an advantage.