Programme Assistant (GS-5), Programme Group – Child Protection (CHPA), New York # 00127776 (Temporary Appointment 6months)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

UNICEF’s work for and with children and adolescents on the move is guided by UNICEF’s Agenda for Action for Children Uprooted, the Global Programme Framework on Children on the Move, and Core Commitments for Children in humanitarian action. UNICEF aims to address the root causes that uproot children, combat xenophobia and discrimination, and ensure inclusive access to basic services without discrimination based on a child’s migratory status. UNICEF works with UNHCR, IOM and other key stakeholders and networks such as the UN Migration Network to prevent and mitigate harmful migration practices, such as child immigration detention or family separation, and ensures migrant and displaced children are heard, involved and empowered to reach their potential.

A dedicated focus on children on the move is critical to meet the SDGs commitment to leave no one behind. UNICEF’s Strategic Plan (2022-2025) reflects children on the move across Goal Areas and as an important cross-cutting priority, supporting recent global commitments such as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and Global Compact on Refugees. The new Strategic Plan commits UNICEF to a renewed focus on inclusion of children on the move into education, child protection and social protection systems to tackle root causes for forced displacement or unsafe migration, discrimination, and exclusion.

For every child, an opportunity……

Under the supervision and guidance of the supervisor, the Programme Assistant will be responsible for executing a broad variety of routine tasks and some specialized tasks for the respective section, requiring thorough knowledge of UNICEF administrative procedures, processes and policies.

How can you make a difference?

• Facilitating the processing of contracts for consultants, vendors and external partners that support the office in programme delivery. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, uploading TOR’s in VISION, and making necessary logistical arrangements.
• Keeps vendor lists, partners, and consultant rosters up-to-date.
• Preparing and maintaining records, documents and control plans for the monitoring of project/programme implementation and financial expenditures.
• Maintaining and updating a system which monitors the absence of staff.
• Preparing and maintaining records pertaining to programme planning and development for his/her respective section.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION ensuring programme results, activities and programme coding are as per annual work plans (AWPs) and makes amendments and alterations as per section revisions when necessary.

Office Planning & Management

• Arrange meetings (in person and virtual) for the team, prepare agenda, take meeting minutes and coordinate specific follow-up, as needed
• Facilitate capacity development activities, workshops, and events by making the logistical arrangements, engaging with facilitators and guests, as needed.
• Prepare monitoring and reporting information for the supervisor and team on agreed performance indicators in immunization unit to drive more efficient management and accountability for results.
• Maintain office calendar and arranges meetings, taking minutes of meetings and keeping the correspondence of the team well organized.
• Communicate routine and some non-routine information pertaining to the work of the team
• Take minutes of team meetings, ensuring accuracy, attention to detail and coherence
• Supporting capacity development activities, meetings and conferences by making the logistical arrangements, through engaging with facilitators, caterers and hosts; arranging times through liaising with participants over availability; liaising with budget focal points and section over costs and needs; and preparing background materials for participants.

Procurement/Operations

• Support procurement and contracting of individual consultants/contractors, Institutional contracts, Programme Cooperation agreements, UN-UN agreements and recruitment of interns as per the annual work plans.
• Support the team on developing and monitoring Programme Documents (PD) with partners including providing guidance to partners on tools and templates required for the PDs.
• As guided by the supervisor, lead the management of administrative supplies, office equipment, and updating of inventory.
• Liaise with the Operations Hub in coordinating the onboarding and offboarding of new staff, management of team’s office space, and finance related issue.
• Provide travel assistance to staff members in unit for travel arrangements and based on the organization’s rules and policies.
• Providing travel assistance to staff members in section for travel arrangements and entitlements based on the organization’s rules and policies. Liaising with relevant travel focal points to ensure that the organization obtains the best service and price for all travel.
• Assist the team with travel arrangements and entitlements based on the organization’s rules and policies to ensure compliance.

To qualify as a champion for every child, the candidate must have…

• Completion of secondary education in public administration, finance, international relations, political science, or another relevant technical field is required.
• A minimum of five years of administrative or clerical work experience is required.
• General Service Staff are recruited locally therefore candidates MUST be US permanent resident/citizen.
• Prior experience in programme support functions is an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to effectively manage the section’s material resources and monitor its budget.
• Experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other UNICEF software such as SharePoint.
• Fluency in English is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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 including 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, 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 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. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. 

Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid).

Government employees that 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 only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/”

For more information on remuneration and benefits, please visit UNICEF’s Entitlements’ page.  If you would like to find estimates for entitlements, you may use the online Salary Estimate Calculator

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.