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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
For every child, … a champion
The Human Rights Unit is located within UNICEF’s Programme Group with staff situated in both New York HQ and Geneva HQ.
The Human Rights Unit supports UNICEF’s work to elevate child rights, and to reaffirm the independent status of every child as full rights-holders, including through steering the development and advancement of organizational strategic frameworks to strengthen the organisation’s child rights agenda.
The post of Global Lead – Human Rights provides strategic leadership for all aspects of the Unit’s work, operates with minimal supervision in the overall framework of organizational guidelines, supervises and leads the staff of the Unit, and works in close collaboration with senior staff across UNICEF HQ, ROs and COs, as well as representatives of other UN agencies, member States, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors, child rights experts and CSOs amongst others.
How can you make a difference?
Strategic Leadership and Program Management:
The role involves providing strategic vision, leadership and coordination for UNICEF's reinvigorated child rights agenda. This includes a focus on child rights monitoring, advocacy, and in the planning, development and implementation of human rights programmes and initiatives. It require the fostering of partnerships with key stakeholders including member states, civil society organisations, independent child rights institutions, and others to amplify child rights advocacy and influence policy reforms. The Global Lead – Human Rights will manage the Human Rights Unit’s strategic objectives, ensuring excellence in technical leadership, influencing and contributing to broader organizational strategies, and grounding efforts of support at all levels of the organization.
Technical Expertise, Capacity Building, and Advocacy:
This position serves as the principal advisor on human rights issues, guiding and providing support to senior management. The role involves championing relevant research, providing technical support at HQ, RO and CO levels, and overseeing human rights work globally. Additionally, it includes developing capacity-building initiatives, advocating for children's rights, and forming strategic partnerships. Resource mobilization is also crucial, involving the planning and execution of fundraising efforts, donor engagement, and ensuring effective use of resources. Finally, the role includes enhancing knowledge management by fostering global networks and promoting impactful knowledge-sharing on human rights.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have to…
Strategic Leadership:
Program Development and Management:
Technical Expertise:
Capacity Building:
Partnerships and Advocacy:
Resource Mobilization:
Knowledge Management:
The following minimum requirements:
An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Human Right, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Science, or another relevant technical field.
Work Experience:
Desirables/Assets:
Language Requirements:
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…
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
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.
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.
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:
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
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.
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.