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For every child, Innovation

ORG CONTEXT:

The UNICEF office in Somalia operates in a complex and highly insecure humanitarian and developmental context, where affected people are impacted by conflict, natural disasters, and significant health crises. UNICEF Somalia focuses on enhancing child protection, improving health and nutrition, ensuring education access, promoting social protection and providing essential humanitarian aid. These goals align with UNICEF’s global mission to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs, and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. In this setting, the Chief of Field Operations plays a critical role in coordinating UNICEF’s led clusters (Education, Nutrition, WASH & CPAoR) and in managing and directing field operations, ensuring that programmatic interventions are effectively implemented and that emergency responses are promptly and adequately executed.

The incumbent’s responsibilities are crucial for integrating and coordinating various programmatic efforts, thereby enhancing UNICEF’s overall impact in the country and ensuring effectiveness and efficiency. By leading the field offices and emergency team, the Chief of Field Operations ensures that UNICEF’s strategies are effectively implemented on the ground. This position is vital in ensuring that UNICEF’s presence in the field is robust and the office is well-prepared to respond to emergencies. Through strategic leadership and coordination, the incumbent significantly aids UNICEF in achieving its mission of promoting the rights and well-being of every child in Somalia, ensuring that no child is left behind in the pursuit of development and humanitarian goals.

How can you make a difference?

PURPOSE:

Under the supervision of the Representative, the incumbent is responsible for the oversight of the SCO’s field offices, each headed by a Chief of Field Office as well as emergency response to ensure the effective implementation of the operations and project/programme activities in the field as well as emergency response, to safeguard the survival, well-being of children and mothers and affected community in the country.

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

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children.

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.

All selected candidates will 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.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.