Batch Recruitment: Programme Associate (G6), Office of Innovation (Giga), Geneva, Switzerland, Two (2) Positions #129028 and #129029, Temporary Appointment (364 days)

UNICEF is seeking a Programme Associate to join Giga, a UNICEF-ITU initiative to connect every school in the world to the internet. This role involves supporting communications, programme, and administrative tasks to enhance operational efficiency. If you have strong organizational skills, proficiency in MS Office, and experience in diverse team environments, apply now to make a global impact on children's lives.

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, Hope

Giga (giga.global) is a partnership between UNICEF (unicef.org) and the ITU (itu.int) working to connect every school in the world. The team (https://giga.global/about-us/) has experience and background in building technology products, finance and investment, design, and infrastructure. It’s a global team, with two “centers of gravity” (in Barcelona, Spain and Geneva, Switzerland) but with many team members located around the world.

You would be part of the world’s leading organization for children, with more than 75 years of expertise delivering emergency assistance, technical advice, and building health, education, and protection systems in 190 countries. In addition to the UNICEF Core Competencies (https://www.unicef.org/careers/media/1041/file/UNICEF%27s_Competency_Framework.pdf) we take pride in hiring a diverse and global team with four major characteristics: technical excellence, humility, honesty, and a good sense of humor.

Giga is broken into three main areas: Mapping, Finance, Procurement, and then some cross-cutting support services. The Country Engagement Team supports the initiation and implementation of all three areas of Giga’s support in countries. The Mapping team maps schools and their connectivity, creating a real-time display of access and need on Project Connect (https://projectconnect.unicef.org/map). The Finance team works to create the financing (grant, loan, and investment) for connectivity. The Procurement works closely with UNICEF Supply Division to support governments through public procurement processes for contracting sustainable, high quality and affordable school connectivity. There are also crosscutting teams that support on communications, partnerships, staff wellbeing, operations and finance.

The team functions similarly to a tech startup, but within the United Nations. We aim to have agility and flexibility in how we work, and to be driven by Realtime data about what we’re doing. We also work within the political and global framework of the UN, which means that we can collaborate with policy makers and regulators, governments, civil society, and of course, most closely with our 135 country offices, in everything we do. Giga is a new project for UNICEF – we started in 2019 – so it’s also a team that’s always learning and growing. These roles are great for people who like adventure, who want to understand how to apply their skills on an international scale (or who are already experts at that), and who are able to “roll up their sleeves” and do what’s needed to help connect every school in the world to the internet and every young person to information, opportunity, and choice.

How can you make a difference? 

The programme associate is accountable for communications, programme and operations, and administrative support services to enhance the smooth running of the supervisor’s day-to day activities. This involves management of information and coordination of matters within a substantive team. The post is a key interface with a broad range of contacts including high-ranking officials, both within and outside the Organization. The post prioritizes tasks and organizes work independently based on general direction from the supervisor.

 Key Functions:

Procurement Support

• Facilitate the processing of contracts for consultants and external partners that provide a service to the section. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, uploading TORs in VISION, and making necessary logistical arrangements.
• Guide managers in the process of PCA/SSAs in line with the policies and guidance issued by FRI, supply division and DHR.
• Facilitate the processing of institutional contracts in collaboration with HQ supply Division. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, and making necessary logistical arrangements.
• Keep abreast of activities of importance, latest policies, procedures, and organizational changes affecting the team.
• Maintain up-to-date vendor lists, partners, and consultant rosters.
• Support management of administrative supplies, office equipment, and updating the inventory of items.

Budget Monitoring

• Contribute to monitoring budgets and financial expenditures of section, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, keeping supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision/follow up.
• Provides support on budget revision/preparation, implementation status, determination position of funding utilization, operational, and financial closure.
• Prepares and maintains records, documents and control plans for the budget monitoring of project/programme implementation.

Administrative Support

• Maintains office calendar and arrange appointments and meetings, including with high-ranking partners and counterparts with a particular focus on the Head of Initiative/Giga.
• Support organization of internal as well as high-level meetings including taking responsibility for finalization of the meeting agenda, invitations, the production and distribution of documentation, and preparation of minutes of meetings.
• Provide travel assistance to the supervisor as well as the other team members including the visa/hotel arrangements.
• Prepare, collect, and share briefing materials for supervisor concerning official trips or meetings with external counterparts. Select and make pertinent abstracts and undertake searches for information. Brief supervisor of important developments.
• Prepare documentation for the supervisor’s signature reviewing for style, factual and grammatical accuracy. Draft non-substantive correspondence based on first-hand knowledge of work schedule or events, rough notes, or verbal instructions, for supervisor's approval.

Communication Support

• On behalf of supervisor, manage incoming and outgoing correspondence, e-mails, and telephone calls. Apprise the supervisor of urgent and important issues. This includes continuous monitoring of correspondences and actions requiring his personal attention and preparing responses as appropriate.
• Determine routing-for-action to senior staff, follow-up on the actions taken and provide information updates regarding subsequent developments and issues. Establish/manage follow-up system for timely response.
• Establish and maintain a records management system containing reference materials and confidential records as required.
• Communicate sensitive information to senior level managers and coordinate responses on behalf of the supervisor.
• Follow up on established deadlines and ensure timely submissions by staff of reports, correspondence, briefing notes and other documents for supervisor's reference.
• As appropriate, provide information and guidance to staff at all levels within the organizational unit to ensure understanding of intent and deadlines.

Travel and Invoice Processing Support

• Provides travel assistance to staff members in the section for travel arrangements and entitlements based on the organization’s rules and policies. Liaises with relevant travel focal points to ensure that the organization obtains the best service and price for all travel.
• Briefs/de-briefs staff members on issues relating to related administrative matters such as visas, security clearance, and documentation procedures.
• Extracts, inputs, maintains, and verifies correctness of travel records in the organization’s travel system to ensure accurate transactions related to travel costs and staff travel.
• Assists in the preparation of budgets on travel costs and maintain travel plan and budgetary control records.
• Monitors travel certification and report back to the team.
• Responsible for collecting invoices and filing documents for approval and thereafter processing in VISION.
• Uploads electronic files and verifies results to destination system.
• Responds to client transaction status and other inquiries.

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 courses related to the work of the organization

Work Experience:

• At least 6 years of relevant work experience in administrative or clerical work.

• Training and experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other UNICEF software such as SharePoint; knowledge of integrated management information systems required.

• Strong organizational, planning, and prioritizing skills and abilities is considered an asset.

• Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

• Ability to work in a team environment to achieve common goals and to provide guidance to more junior support staff.

• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset. 

Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Knowledge of French is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency

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 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 measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, 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:

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. 

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.

UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

General Service Staff are recruited locally. Candidates must be in possession of an existing visa/work permit or be a resident/citizen of Switzerland and/or a commuting area to be considered eligible for this position.

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.