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 offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, hope.

The Office of Innovation (OOI) works to catalyze UNICEF’s and all its partners’ expertise and resources against key children-outcomes bottlenecks, with a view to continuously ideate and scale the most effective solutions with transformational potential at scale to achieve the child-related SDGs.

The office is doing this by continuously exploring new ways of accelerating results for children, investing across a range of early-stage solutions, and harnessing internal and external expertise towards continuously iterating and finetuning the most promising solutions for children through a systematic portfolio management approach, and leveraging all stakeholders’ innovation energy, knowhow, and resources from intergovernmental, multilateral, private sector and non-.governmental fora (think tank, academia).

How can you make a difference?

Under the close supervision and guidance of the Human Resources Specialist, the Human Resources Associate provides administrative, procedural, and operational support and assistance to the efficient implementation of a broad range of Human Resources functions for all categories of staff in his/her office, ensuring accurate and timely delivery that is in compliance with UNICEF HR rules and regulations.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Support to business partnering.
• Support in processing of entitlements and benefits of local staff.
• Support in recruitment and placement.
• Support in organization design and job classification.
• Support in learning and capacity development.
• General office support

 Support to business partnering.

• Support the business partners in developing initiatives to encourage employee well-being and employee recognition schemes.
• Support the management of change processes by advising clientele on changes to HR processes under the guidance of HR Business Partner.

Support in processing of entitlement and benefits.

• In consultation with supervisor, analyze, research, verify, and compile data and information on cases that do not conform to UN or UNICEF’s HR Rules & Regulations, to support consistent and equitable application of decisions and implementation of agreed upon action.
• In consultation with supervisor, analyze, research, and verify information for the purpose of responding to staff queries on areas related to benefits and entitlements.

 Support in recruitment and placement.

• Prepares and circulates internal and external advertisements.
• Liaises with candidates in the various stages of the recruitment process.

Support in organization design and job classification.

• Participates in the review of GS positions specific JDs, ensuring effective application of ICSC methodology.
• Drafts and edits job descriptions to be submitted for classification for review by supervisor.

Support in learning & capacity development.

• In consultation with supervisor, research and analyses data and information to help identify training needs within his/her office for the development of learning plans and other targeted training interventions.
• In consultation with supervisor, researches, analyzes, verifies, and compiles information on external training courses available and educational institutions to help supervisor decide on learning programmes that address learning gaps in his/her country office.

 If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  HR Associate G-6 Generic JD.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: Completion of secondary education, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the work of the organization.

Work Experience: A minimum of 6 years of progressively responsible administrative or clerical work experience required.

Skills (Technical): Extensive knowledge of HR principles, rules, regulations, and procedures within the UN

Computer literacy and the ability to effectively use standard office software tools as well as good knowledge and skill in using HR systems.

Ability to extract and format data and to solve operational problems.

Ability to organize own work, set priorities and meet deadlines.

Skills (Interpersonal and communication): Takes responsibility to respond to internal and external service needs promptly and proactively; takes initiative to ensure that deadlines, rules, and regulations are met. Uses own discretion to address unforeseen situations.

Demonstrates a high degree of confidentiality, initiative, and good judgment.

Demonstrates courtesy, tact, patience, and ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

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.

Desirables:

Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.

Being a good team player.

Excellent communication skills.

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 (1)

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (1)

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact (1)

(4) Innovates and embraces change (1)

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

(6) Thinks and acts strategically (1)

(7) Works collaboratively with others (1)

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, 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 promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.

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’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

All selected candidates will 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.

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.

Applicants must be nationals of EU states or in possession of a valid work permit in Sweden.

General Service (GS) staff are locally recruited staff and therefore, candidates are personally responsible for any travel and accommodation arrangements.

UNICEF does not facilitate accreditation for locally recruited staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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.

In case of any questions, contact us at swe-ooi-recruitments@unicef.org