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.

For every child, a future…

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?

UNICEF Office of Innovation is looking to fill a temporary position of Programme Associate, level GS6. Under the supervision of the Senior Advisor Innovation (Head of Giga), the Programme Associate is accountable for communications, programme and operations, and administrative support services to enhance the smooth running of the supervisor’s day-to day activities. This involves management of information and coordination of matters within a substantive team. The post is a key interface with a broad range of contacts including high-ranking officials, both within and outside the Organization. The post prioritizes tasks and organizes work independently based on general direction from the supervisor.

Key functions, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks

PROCUREMENT SUPPORT:

• Facilitate the processing of contracts for consultants and external partners that provide a service to the section. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, uploading TORs in VISION, and making necessary logistical arrangements.
• Guide managers in the process of PCA/SSAs in line with the policies and guidance issued by FRI, supply division and DHR.
• Facilitate the processing of institutional contracts in collaboration with HQ supply Division. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, and making necessary logistical arrangements.
• Keep abreast of activities of importance, latest policies, procedures, and organizational changes affecting the team.
• Maintain up-to-date vendor lists, partners, and consultant rosters.
• Support management of administrative supplies, office equipment, and updating the inventory of items.

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT:

• Maintains office calendar and arrange appointments and meetings, including with high-ranking partners and counterparts with a particular focus on the Head of Initiative/Giga.
•  Support organization of internal as well as high-level meetings including taking responsibility for finalization of the meeting agenda, invitations, the production and distribution of documentation, and preparation of minutes of meetings.
• Provide travel assistance to the supervisor as well as the other team members including the visa/hotel arrangements.
• Prepare, collect, and share briefing materials for supervisor concerning official trips or meetings with external counterparts. Select and make pertinent abstracts and undertake searches for information. Brief supervisor of important developments.
• Prepare documentation for the supervisor’s signature reviewing for style, factual and grammatical accuracy. Draft non-substantive correspondence based on first-hand knowledge of work schedule or events, rough notes, or verbal instructions, for supervisor’s approval.

COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT:

• On behalf of supervisor, manage incoming and outgoing correspondence, e-mails, and telephone calls. Apprise the supervisor of urgent and important issues. This includes continuous monitoring of correspondences and actions requiring his personal attention and preparing responses as appropriate.
• Determine routing-for-action to senior staff, follow-up on the actions taken and provide information updates regarding subsequent developments and issues. Establish/manage follow-up system for timely response.
• Establish and maintain a records management system containing reference materials and confidential records as required.
• Communicate sensitive information to senior level managers and coordinate responses on behalf of the supervisor.
• Follow up on established deadlines and ensure timely submissions by staff of reports, correspondence, briefing notes and other documents for supervisor’s reference.
• As appropriate, provide information and guidance to staff at all levels within the organizational unit to ensure understanding of intent and deadlines.

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

• Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the field of work.
• A minimum of six (6) years of relevant administrative and/or clerical work experience is required.
• Training and experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other UNICEF software such as SharePoint; knowledge of integrated management information systems required.
• Strong organizational, planning, and prioritizing skills and abilities is considered an asset.
• Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with visitors, as well as have a high sense of confidentiality, initiative, and good judgment.
• Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to work in a team environment to achieve common goals and to provide guidance to more junior support staff.
• Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of Swedish is required. Knowledge of a second UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is considered.

Applicants must be nationals of Switzerland or in possession of a valid work permit in Switzerland. Please attach a copy of your work permit to your application submission.

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.

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: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

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 benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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 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.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.