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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 a Champion

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF’s mission is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, across programmes, advocacy and operations. In the Gulf region, this approach is being further strengthened through the GAO Reset, a strategic transformation that repositions UNICEF’s engagement model across the Gulf Area Office, including offices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The Reset reflects a shift to models that integrates programme, partnerships and positioning to maximize impact for children globally. Within this sub-regional ecosystem and strategic context, UNICEF operates in the GCC with a dual mandate: supporting national priorities while also serving as critical platforms for high-value partnerships, policy influence and resource mobilization at scale. This positions the Gulf not only for engagement, but as a key driver of UNICEF’s global impact and sustainability.

Purpose of the job:

The Head of Office (Partnerships Manager) in Qatar reports to the GAO Director and works in close coordination with the Pillar Heads and the Head of Office for PRM in the UAE. Under the guidance of the Gulf Area Director, you are accountable for the overall management and delivery of the office’s programme and partnership commitments, as defined in the current APD (through end-2026) and the forthcoming framework for 2027–2031. You represent UNICEF in Qatar and provide strategic leadership across partnerships and programme areas, ensuring UNICEF is strategically positioned to deliver of high-quality results in line with UNICEF’s programme of cooperation, management plans, and the overall vision of the Gulf Area Office.

Key Function:

1)Building partnerships, resource mobilization and UN System coordination

2)Programme Development and Management

3)Management of UNICEF presence, staff and assets

4) Knowledge Management and Quality of Partnerships and Programmes

5) Optimum Use of Program Funds

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  Classified Job Descriptions - Head of Office-Qatar April 13.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in one of the following fields is required: Social Science, International Business Relations, Public Relations/Communication, Public or social policy, sociology, social or community development, or any other related fields.
• Work Experience: A minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience in Partnerships, Operations, Managerial and technical leadership in development cooperation, public financing in a substantial programme in HICs. UN system agency, private sector, and any other related fields.
• Skills: Partnerships, Programme Development, Management, Leadership, Deliver Results, Teamwork are required.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Language: Fluency in Arabic is highly desirable and considered as a strong asset. Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.
• Experience in the GCC context 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

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.

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 female candidates 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.