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 a fair chance
The Mali Country Office operates in a complex environment characterized by the ongoing humanitarian crises, insecurity, inter-communal conflict, political instability, recurrent climate shocks, and the lingering impacts of COVID-19 – resulting in low coverage of basic social services affecting millions of children. The context is further complicated by disrupted social protection systems and increased risks of exploitation and violence. Despite these challenges, UNICEF remains committed to promoting child rights and the well-being of the most vulnerable through evidence-based programmes and strong partnerships.
Gender disparities continue to hinder progress, particularly for women and girls. Nevertheless, recent infrastructure reforms and a renewed focus on climate action serve as promising pathways toward sustainable development and poverty reduction. The office delivers impactful results across its programmatic sectors, continuously adapting to the evolving needs of affected communities.
UNICEF Mali operates through 5 zonal offices and a central coordination office, ensuring regular implementation and close monitoring of the country cooperation programme. This decentralized structure strengthens UNICEF’s proximity to populations in need and reinforces accountability to those it serves. Key interventions span child protection, education, health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and social protection, alongside robust emergency response and resilience-building initiatives.
UNICEF seeks professionals able to operate effectively in this demanding context to help achieve lasting positive outcomes for all children and adolescents in Mali.
How can you make a difference?
The Deputy Representative reports to the CO Representative for general supervision and direction. The Deputy Representative serves as the principal adviser on the overall management of the CO, development of CO policies and strategies; and under delegated authority, coordinating and managing all phases of the Country Office Programme, from formulation to delivery of results in accordance with UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework, ethics, and integrity.
The incumbent supports the Representative in leading and leveraging partnerships with both public and private sectors for the achievement of results and fulfilment of the rights of children.
In fragile and humanitarian settings, the Deputy Representative is accountable for the delivery of a timely, efficient and principled humanitarian programmes, in accordance with UNICEF global Policy and Framework for humanitarian action.
Key functions and accountabilities are:
- CO Programme planning and development
- Support to the Representative on managing the CO
- Monitoring and quality control of Programmes
- Representation, alliance building and UN System coordination
- Private Sector Engagement and Partnerships
- Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
- Security of personnel, programmes and organizational assets
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
GJD Deputy Representative Programmes Level 5 New 19-04-2023.doc
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, government and public relations, public or social policy, sociology, social or community development, or another relevant technical field.
- Work Experience: At least 10 years of professional development experience that combines technical and managerial leadership in development cooperation at the international level, some of which served in developing countries is required.
- Skills: Negotiation skills, emotional intelligence, risk-taking ability, soft skills required in sensitive political settings, works well under pressure in high threat environments.
- Language Requirements: fluency in French and English are required. Knowledge of another official UN language is considered an asset.
Desirables:
- Experience in humanitarian settings and Children and Armed Conflict is strongly desired
- Relevant professional experience in any UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
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.
This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.
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 women 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 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.
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.
