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 thrive
The Kenya Country Office is seeking a dynamic professional to serve as the on-site operations lead for the HQ office in Nairobi, supporting outposted divisions and offices, and providing risk-informed, solution-focused analysis, advice, and services and contribute to management decisions for delivering results for children. The S/M will also play a key role in the operations change management transition as the Centre of Excellence is established in Nairobi.
How can you make a difference?
1. Review monthly staff movement and location readiness for a smooth transition of staff from the HQEI Location in Nairobi-Kenya
2. Contribute to regular updates/inputs to the HQEI Project team’s communication and engagement actions, including roundup documents, responses to staff queries, and participation in Q&A sessions/focus-group discussions with staff
3. Ensure staff recruitment and relocation are coordinated between HR, local operations, GSSC, and Division/Office
4. Be Involved in detailed planning on the ground of:
- Legal coverage for incoming HQ staff
- Number of new HQ IP Staff functions and timing of the relocation
- Governance and management structures
- Admin, IT, security, and protocol support needs
- Workspace and budget requirements
- Staff and family well-being needs – including schooling
- Where UNICEF is already present in the location, preparation of existing teams/staff for HQs teams/staff presence
- Staff Association coverage
5. Support the development of a Welcome Package for staff
6. Engagement in the planning process and facilitating the change management process
7. Support the provision of operational services and liaise with respective KCO and ESARO teams as needed
8. Support the coordination of the Onboarding Committee and welcome HQEI staff in Nairobi
9. Act as the contact person for HQ staff and Divisions for questions/answers and extra demand by HQEI
10. Update the welcome guide, keep an eye on the tracker, support staff information sessions, special needs requests, set up staff association, informal networks, etc.
11. Provide regularly updated information about HQEI to relevant KCO and RO teams in Nairobi
12. Support collecting the HQ Divisions’ needs for the design of the HQ office, in collaboration with ESARO and KCO
13. Coordination HQ staff installation in the new offices
14. Support KCO/ESARO review and write-up on common services needs and act as a backup where needed
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
- Education:
- An Advanced University Degree in one of the following areas is required: Business management; Financial management; Accounting; Public Finance; and related operations function (Supply Chain, Human Resources, Information Technology, International Business, Project management, etc.) or a full professional accounting designation (CA, ACA, ACCA, CPA, CIMA, CPFA, Expert Comptable) from an internationally recognized institute/body of accountancy with valid membership in good standing is required.
- *A Bachelors or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in a relevant area stated above, combined with two (2) additional years of relevant work experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
- A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience, at the national and/or international level, is required, specifically in implementing organizational initiatives in one or more operations management areas including budget; financial management and reporting; facilities management; administration; supply and logistics management; information and communication technology; human resources, risk management.
- First-hand experience operating as the lead operations management focal point for an entire office is required.
- First-hand experience in supporting change management projects is required.
- Experience in working with corporate ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) and familiarity with Microsoft Office applications is required.
- Fluency in English and Swahili is required.
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
(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.
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.
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.
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.
[CO/ HQ specific: 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.
