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 hope
Guinea is a lower-middle-income country facing significant challenges in child development and deprivation. According to the latest Human Development Index (HDI) report, Guinea has a Human Development Index of 0.480, ranking 178th out of 191 countries in 2023, reflecting its ongoing struggle with poverty and social development challenges. Since 1984, UNICEF has worked with the government and various partners, including UN agencies, NGOs, and community-based organizations, to improve conditions for children.
The population of Guinea is projected to be around 15.2 million in 2025, with 63.4% living in rural areas and women comprising approximately 50.3% of the population. The annual growth rate remains steady at about 2.8%. Children under the age of 18 account for roughly 51% of the population, underscoring the critical need for child-focused interventions in areas such as health, education, and protection (World Population Review).
The vision of the 2024-2028 country programme is: "A Guinea where children, especially adolescent girls and children from the most vulnerable families in the most disadvantaged geographical areas, have equitable opportunities for sustainable access to essential social services and quality social protection, and can reach their full potential, including in a context of climate-related vulnerabilities and emergencies".
Currently, Guinea faces regularly natural disasters, such as flooding, which displace populations, damage infrastructure, and exacerbate the already challenging humanitarian conditions. These ongoing challenges necessitate continued support and local resilience-building measures to mitigate their impact on the population.
The UNICEF Guinea office is looking for committed and creative professionals to make a lasting difference for Guinean children.
Purpose for the job:
Under the guidance of the Deputy Representative Programme P4, the Chief Field Office (CFO), NOC, #130115 (Kankan), #13022 (Labe), #13023 (Nzerekore) are accountable for managing and leading the total programme commitment of a field office within Guinea country programme. The CFO represents UNICEF in key local meetings and as assigned by the Representative, leads and oversees the various program sectors and operational service teams ensuring the delivery of quality results in accordance with UNICEF Guinea’s Country programme of cooperation, country programme management plan and overall vision set forward by the Representative. The operationalization of the Country Programme is done through the rolling work plans, including at the field office level.
How can you make a difference?
1. Effective management of UNICEF presence, staff and assets
・Represent UNICEF in the respective field office, by participating in meetings and events, engaging with local authorities in moving forward the agenda for children.
・Facilitate, take and implement measures to ensure safety and security of UNICEF staff and assets.
・Effectively lead the Field Office team and manage the performance and conduct the staff members to deliver results for children.
2. Knowledge Management for Programmes
・Ensure that area/country programmes are supported by knowledge management through data collection and analysis, complete and accurate reporting as well as participation in the Programme Knowledge Network system of "lessons learned" and other corporate-level databases.
・Participate in information exchange through donor and media visits as well as in the development of training and orientation material.
3. Programme Development and Management
・Identify critical intervention points and measures by administering a consistent and transparent monitoring system; analyse country level socio-political-economic trends and their implications for ongoing programmes and projects.
・Draft changes to/or prepare programme work plans as required. Prepare program recommendations for inclusion in formal programme documentation, and new approaches, methods, and practices.
・Establishes programme workplans, monitors compliance and provides training, support and guidance to the programme team in order to meet objectives. Identifies human resources requirements and on-going staff development needs.
・Reviews and evaluates the technical, institutional and financial feasibility and constraints of programme/projects in collaboration with Government and other partners.
・Prepares relevant programme reports required for management, donors, budget reviews, programme analysis, annual reports, etc.
4. Optimum Use of Program Funds
・Establish and supervise programme work plans and monitor progress and compliance. Monitor the overall allocation and disbursement of programme funds, making sure that funds are properly coordinated, monitored, and liquidated, as table of authority. Take appropriate actions to optimize use of programme funds. Ensure programme efficiency and delivery through a rigorous and transparent approach to programme planning, monitoring and evaluation.
5. Programme Monitoring and Evaluations
・Undertakes field visits and ensures that his/her staff conduct field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation and decides on required corrective action.
・Contributes to field monitoring and any evaluation exercise as required.
6. Rights-Based and Results-Based Programme Management Approach
・Adopt rights-based programmes approach in the formulation of programme goals and objectives and development of strategies and implementation frameworks. Formulate consistent and effective planning, design, implementation, monitoring and/or evaluation of programmes and projects. Bring coherence, synergy and added value to the programming planning and design processes using a results-based management approach to programme planning and design.
・Prepare and submit viable recommendations on project implementation, alternative approaches, and optimal utilization of resources that contribute effectively to the fulfilment of the rights of children and women, and recommendations on programme, new initiatives and management issues to ensure achievement of stated objectives.
7. National and Local Capacity Building/Sustainability
・Provide authorities and service providers with technical support and guidance to plan and organize training programmes for the purpose of capacity building and programme sustainability. Ensure the building and reinforcing of the commitment and institutional capacities of the national and local partners starting with taking a strategic approach to the identification of these partners and partnerships.
8. Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration
・Develop partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including those of the UN and national partners, in order to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on programme/project status and implementation and movement/distribution of supplies.
・Collaborate with the Operations Section to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of programming endeavors and to coordinate financial and supply management requirements and accountability.
9. Child Safeguarding and Accountability
Uphold child safeguarding policies, ensuring all team members are trained and accountable to safeguarding standards.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education:
An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: social sciences, international relations, public administration, government and public relations, public or social policy, sociology, social or community development, or another relevant technical field.
Experience:
A minimum of five years of professional work experience in programme management, planning, monitoring and evaluation, project administration or another relevant area is required Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered an asset.
Familiarity/ background with emergencies is considered an asset.
Language Requirements:
Fluency in French and English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
Applicants who have already applied for this post need not to apply again.
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
(8) Nurtures, Leads and Manages People
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 female candidates and candidates with disabilities 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.
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.
