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, a childhood

Within the context of UNICEF Chile, the programme Section aims to strengthen the national child protection system, promoting policies and programmes to safeguard children from violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect.

The Programme Assistant (Child Protection) operates within this context, contributing specifically to administrative and logistical functions critical to the smooth implementation of UNICEF’s Child Protection initiatives. The incumbent will collaborate closely with internal teams, governmental entities, civil society organizations, and other partners, playing a pivotal support role in the effective execution of the UNICEF in Chile Programme.

How can you make a difference? 

Summary of Key Functions/Accountabilities:
• Administrative and logistical support for programme implementation.
• Support contract management and procurement processes.
• Maintain accurate financial and administrative records.
• Support for capacity-building activities, meetings, and workshops.
• Provide administrative assistance for programme monitoring and evaluation activities.
• Maintain relationships with local authorities, institutions, and territorial partners.

Detailed Duties/Tasks:
1. Administrative and Operational Support:
o Prepare, review, and systematically archive documentation for contracts, procurements, and partnerships, ensuring compliance with UNICEF standards and procedures.
o Coordinate administrative processes through UNICEF’s management systems (VISION, MyCase, etc.), effectively processing contracts, procurements, and related documentation.
o Regularly update and maintain vendor and consultant rosters to ensure readily available resources.
2. Financial Management:
o Monitor and review financial transactions, invoices, and expenditures to ensure alignment with approved budgets, financial guidelines, and donor conditions.
o Prepare and submit accurate financial reports, ensuring documentation is thorough, timely, and transparent.
3. Programme Monitoring Support:
o Assist in developing monitoring frameworks, collecting relevant data, and compiling comprehensive reports to support periodic reviews of programme progress.
o Maintain and update structured records of programme activities, outcomes, and achievements, ensuring data is organized and easily accessible for reporting and analysis.
4. Assist in monitoring the child protection situation in the territory by actively participating in intersectoral working groups, conducting programmatic visits, and facilitating coordination among key stakeholders involved in child protection.Capacity Building and Event Coordination:
o Manage all logistical aspects of training sessions, workshops, meetings, and conferences, coordinating closely with internal and external stakeholders, facilitators, and participants.
o Facilitate the Implementation of capacity-building activities for local authorities, institutions, and territorial partners to strengthen comprehensive child protection.Prepare, distribute, and manage training materials and documentation, ensuring accurate and timely dissemination to enhance participant engagement and effectiveness.
5. Travel and Calendar Management:
o Facilitate efficient travel arrangements, ensuring compliance with UNICEF policies on travel entitlements, cost-effectiveness, and accurate documentation.
o Maintain and coordinate the section’s calendar, effectively scheduling meetings, managing invitations, and accurately documenting meeting proceedings and outcomes.

The incumbent supports the section in the compilation and coordination of key work products, ensuring deadlines are met andthat established rules and procedures are followed. The support provided by the programme assistant therefore creates the strongest possible administrative platform from which the country programme can then be delivered. The key results have an impact on the overall performance of the country office and success in the implementation of project/programme activities.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: 
  • Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university studies in administration, social sciences, management, or a related field is highly desirable.
• Work Experience: 
  • A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in administrative, operational, or programme support roles.
  • Demonstrated experience supporting administrative processes, procurement, financial monitoring, and event management.
  • Previous experience within an international organization, preferably in programme support or child protection, is considered a significant asset.
  • A bachelor’s degree from a recognized academic institution in a field relevant to the position may be considered to compensate for three (3) years of experience in case the candidate lacks the required experience.
  • A master’s degree from a recognized academic institution in a field relevant to the position may be considered to compensate for an additional two (2) years (in addition to the three years from above, totaling 5 years).
• Skills: 
  • Thorough knowledge of UNICEF administrative policies and procedures.
  • Strong organizational, planning and prioritizing skills and abilities.
  • High sense of confidentiality, initiative and good judgment.
  • Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
  • Training and experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other UNICEF software such as SharePoint
  • Strong office management skills.
• Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in Spanish is required. Knowledge of English is considered advantageous.

Desirables:

• 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 

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 [Insert candidates from targeted underrepresented 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.