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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 security

The Security Officer provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance to the supervisor to manage a range of activities on security planning, management and risk assessments to ensure the safety and security of personnel and their eligible family members and safeguarding of UNICEF premises, assets and resources at the duty station.

How can you make a difference? 

Security Risk Management and Planning

• Provide supervisor with input related to the safety and security of UNICEF personnel and eligible family members, premises, assets, and resources in accordance with UN and UNICEF Security Management Systems. Participate as a member of the security coordination cell established by United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS).
• Assist in the implementation of all technical security requirements contained in the UN Security Plan, Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS), Residential Security Measures (RSM), and other relevant policies, guidelines, and assessments. Provide technical support for contracted security providers.
• Provide technical input to UNICEF security documentation including security contingency plans and assist in drafting mandatory reports in accordance with UNICEF security reporting guidelines including Security Incident Reports (SIRs)

Safety and Security Services

• Monitor the security situation and provide information, through the supervisor, on emerging security threats to UNICEF personnel and eligible family members, premises assets and resources. Assist in security activities that support UNICEF operations and participate, as requested, in security risk management for all locations where UNICEF personnel and eligible family members are present.
• Ensure that UNICEF personnel are kept informed of matters affecting their safety and security and the actions to take in the event of an emergency including those identified in the UNICEF/UN Security Plans. Support the establishment of an effective and functioning communications system for security management within UNICEF that is fully integrated into the UN Emergency Communications System. Coordinate with UNDSS to ensure all UNICEF personnel undertake all mandatory security training/briefings and participate in all security related contingency exercises. Assist in the implementation of security surveys of international personnel residences in accordance with the Residential Security Measures (RSM).

Security Networking and Partnership Building

• In close coordination with UNDSS, actively participate and maintain official liaison with host government agencies, local authorities responsible for security, law and order, and counterparts in the UN.

Innovation, Knowledge Management and Capacity Building

• Identify, capture, synthesize and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.
• Implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders on security related preparedness and operations.

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: A university degree in one of the following fields is required: Security Risk Management, International Relations, Conflict Analysis, Intelligence Analysis, Diplomatic Studies, Conflict and Security, Counter Terrorism or another relevant technical field.
• Work Experience: At least 2 years of relevant work experience in global security risk management and/or security analysis is required. Demonstrated international security management experience and understanding of the United Nations Security Management System is highly desirable
• Language Requirements: Fluency in Spanish and English is required.

Desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about children’s rights and making a lasting difference on children’s lives, one of the global leading entities on children’s rights would like to hear from you.

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 

[add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role]. 

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’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates from all groups 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.

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.