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, for every child, the right to a future
UNICEF is a leading humanitarian and development agency working globally for the rights of every child. Child rights begin with safe shelter, nutrition, and protection from disaster and conflict and traverse the life cycle: prenatal care for healthy births, clean water and sanitation, health care and education. UNICEF has spent nearly 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Working with and for children through adolescence and into adulthood requires a global presence whose goal is to produce results and monitor their effects. UNICEF also lobbies and partners with leaders, thinkers, and policymakers to help all children realize their rights—especially the most disadvantaged.
How can you make a difference?
Purpose for the job
Under the guidance of the Chief Field Services, the Chief Field Office (CFO) is accountable for managing and leading the total programme commitment of a field office within a country programme. The CFO represents UNICEF in his/her Area of Responsibility (AoR), leads and oversees the various program sectors and operational service teams ensuring the delivery of quality results in accordance with UNICEF’s programme of cooperation, country programme management plan and overall vision set forward by the Representative.
In fragile and humanitarian contexts, UNICEF action is guided by its global Policy and Framework for humanitarian action: the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action.
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
- Effective management of UNICEF presence, staff and assets.
- Knowledge Management for Programmes.
- Programme Development and Management.
- Optimum Use of Program Fund.
- Programme Monitoring and Evaluations.
- Rights-Based and Results-Based Programme Management.
- National and Local Capacity Building/Sustainability.
- Rights Perspective and Advocacy at the National, Community and Family Levels.
- Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
Chief of Field Office Barishal #BGD260019 & Chittagong #BGD260014 - Internal VA.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Education:
-
An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: social sciences, international relations, public administration, government and public relations, public or social policy, sociology, social or community development, or another relevant technical field.
A first University combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree
Work Experience:
- A minimum of five years of professional work experience in programme management, planning, monitoring and evaluation of social development programmes is required.
- Familiarity with emergency preparedness and response is required.
Desirables:
- Experience of managing operations of an office, including managing diverse teams and supervising professional staff is highly desirable.
- Experience in developing partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including the UN and national partners for advocacy, technical cooperation, programme development/management/coordination, information sharing and networking
- Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset
- Strong knowledge and understanding of UNICEF programming policies and procedures is an advantage
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development and fragile settings
-
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.
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…
- Nurtures, Leads and Manages People
- Builds and maintains partnerships
- Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
- Drive to achieve results for impact
- Innovates and embraces change
- Manages ambiguity and complexity
- Thinks and acts strategically
- 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:
- This recruitment exercise is to fill two (2) vacant CFO positions based in Chittagong and Barisal field offices in Bangladesh. Candidates can specify in their application letter which duty station they are interested in.
- This position is open to Bangladeshi Nationals only.
- This VA is open to internal UNICEF staff only i.e. UNICEF staff holding permanent, continuing, and fixed term appointments.
- For the purpose of this vacancy, internal candidates on abolished posts, performing at the level of the post or a level higher in the relevant functional area, or an internal candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, will be given first consideration.
- Per the UNICEF Staff Selection Procedure, alternate recommended candidate(s) from this selection process may be placed in the Talent Group which may be used to fill similar positions in the future. Therefore, all eligible candidates are encouraged to apply.
- All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
- The selected applicant will have an initial two (2) year fixed-term contract, with the possibility of extension, subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds.
- 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, interested and eligible female candidates and persons with disabilities meeting the required qualification and experience 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.
- UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited / recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/.
- 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.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.
