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, trust
Chief, People and Culture at the P4/ level is an authoritative experts in the field of People and Culture. The incumbent is responsible for the execution of client services, and regularly supporting senior management in policy direction and design. The incumbent is expected to develop original and innovative means to help advance the profession and also tackle highly complex P&C matters that do not follow established patterns.
Furthermore, the Chief, People and Culture is usually responsible for planning, organizing and supervising a team of P&C staff as well as for managing broad and complex projects.
How can you make a difference?
As the Multi-Country Chief, People and Culture, you play a pivotal role in fostering a positive and inclusive organizational culture aligned with UNICEF’s values and mission. Reporting directly to the UNICEF Representative in Iraq, and with a matrix reporting line to the Representatives in Iran and Libya, you are responsible for designing and implementing strategic People and Culture initiatives that enhance employee engagement, diversity, equity, and inclusion across the three offices.
You lead and supervise the People and Culture teams in Iraq, Iran, and Libya, providing technical guidance and strategic oversight. Through these teams, you oversee key HR functions including talent acquisition, performance management, organizational design, change management, and staff development, with the goal of building a high-performing, values-driven workforce.
In this role, you ensure compliance with organizational policies while also adapting and rolling out global UNICEF People and Culture initiatives to fit the local and regional contexts. As a strategic partner to the Senior Management Teams, you contribute directly to shaping an enabling and effective workplace culture that supports UNICEF’s mandate for children.
Tasks and Responsibilities :
Management of Unit
- Support the representatives in 3 countries in establishing the annual work plan, setting priorities/targets and performance measurements.
- Monitor work progress and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards.
- Establish clear individual performance objectives, goals and timelines; and provide timely guidance to enable the team to perform their duties responsibly and efficiently.
Technical P&C Leadership
- Provide technical leadership in one or more P&C specialty areas with responsibility for reviewing the work of other Professional and General Service staff for compliance with principles and concepts, policies, regulations and rules as well as for soundness of judgement and conclusions.
- Develop, implement and monitor the interpretation and application of new people and culture policies, practices and procedures in area of specialization to meet the evolving needs of the organization including formulating the position of the organization on policies in area of P&C specialization and determining the appropriate application of rules and regulations to highly sensitive or contentious individual cases having implications for other P&C systems and UNICEF as a whole.
Business Partnering
- Serve as the single point of contact for his/her client portfolio on advice pertaining to all aspects of the employment life cycle
- Work with clients to help fulfill their goals through advising on how to attract, retain and motivate staff of the highest caliber.
- Provide accurate and timely advice to clients on P&C processes and policies, ensuring the highest level of client-orientation.
- Proactively advise clients on the resolution of human resources issues ensuring equitable and transparent solutions that protects both the staff and organizations interests in accordance with policies, regulations and procedures.
- Promote the organizational goals and targets for gender equity and cultural diversity.
Strategic People and Culture
- Liaise with the HQ Divisions, regional and country offices to support and contribute to corporate P&C strategy formulation and global implementation. Provide feedback and make recommendations on the establishment and improvement of P&C systems, policies and processes.
- Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best and cutting edge practices in P&C management and contribute to the development of global policies, procedures and introduce innovation through sharing of best practices and knowledge learned.
- Responsible for strategic human resources forecasting for his/her clients including identifying future human resource requirements in terms of numbers, types and levels of staff, and identifying emerging trends in profile requirements.
- Helps design optimal organizational, staffing structures and levels, and, in consultation with senior management develops standards and benchmarks staffing norms.
Implementation of assigned People and Culture Services
- Provide support to various or one specific P&C occupation (recruitment, job classification, career development, performance management, data analytics, learning & development, work place relations, organizational culture, diversity, equity and inclusion, change management and organizational design, staff wellbeing initiatives, etc.) to help their supervisors in implementing efficient client services that help either attract, retain and/or motivate staff of the highest caliber.
- When assigned casework in the relevant area on either a routine or non-routine basis, analyze and synthesize issues and problems, and interpret established, formal guidelines to address and recommend solutions or further actions required
Learning and Capacity Development
- In collaboration with business owners, design and deliver learning plans for staff to enhance their knowledge and build skills in new areas.
- Contributes to the mapping of competencies for all staff in assigned client portfolio, assisting in the development of a comprehensive framework in support of the development of the talent pipeline.
- Recommend efficient and cost-effective learning products which strengthen staff capacity to contribute effectively to business goals.
- Participate as a resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.
- Provide orientation briefings to new staff.
- Provide day-to-day performance and talent management guidance to line management (e.g., coaching, counseling, career development, career conversations, and disciplinary actions)
P&C Data Analytics
- Interpret and analyze P&C data to help inform strategic decision making on P&C processes and strategies.
- Develop data collection systems to optimize data quality.
- Coordinate with country offices and partners to provide assistance in their P&C information management.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
Chief People and Culture multi country, P4 , Iraq JD.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
- Education: An Advanced University Degree in human resource management, business management, international relations, psychology or another related field is required.
- Work Experience: Eight years of professional experience in human resource management in an international organization and/or large corporation is required.
- Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.
Desirables:
- Experience in leading office-wide efforts on staff relations and workplace culture is highly desirable.
- Experience in supporting the implementation of organizational change management processes is highly desirable.
- Prior experience leading a human resources function, including supervising teams is highly desirable.
- Prior work experience in the UN Common System is an asset.
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. (This criteria is essential as a desirable and should be included in all job postings.)
- Knowledge of Arabic is a strong advantage. Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
Skills:
Managerial
- The ability to allocate appropriate time and resources for successful achievement of goals, and foresee risks and allow for contingencies when planning.
- Ability to implement clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies, identify priority activities and assignments, adjust priorities as required.
Strategic
- Experience and ability to help design and implement targeted and innovative human resources strategies to address clients’ people-related needs.
- Ability to help design and implement innovative HR programs within a fast paced, evolving, and wide organizational setting.
Technical
- Authoritative technical knowledge of the principles and concepts of human resources management.
- Capacity to adapt policies, approaches and models to meet emerging needs.
- Ability to identify and analyze systemic issues, formulate opinions and make conclusions and recommendations to resolve same.
- Excellent knowledge of organizational and HR information technology systems and tools.
Interpersonal and Communication
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in a diverse organization tailoring language, tone, style and format to match audience.
- Ability to empathize with client managers, supervisors and staff while advocating for consistent and equitable applications of promulgated HR regulations and rules.
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
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people
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 male candidates from industrial countries 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.
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
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.
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.
