Job vacancies at UNV - United Nations Volunteers

Welcome to the job site of UN Volunteers (UNV) at Impactpool!

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development, and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.

The vision of UNV is a world where volunteerism is recognized, within societies, as a way for all people and countries to achieve peace and development through the simultaneous eradication of poverty and significant reduction of inequalities and exclusion.

Volunteering brings benefits to both society at large and the individual volunteer. It makes important contributions, economically as well as socially. It contributes to a more cohesive society by building trust and reciprocity among citizens.

Be a UN Volunteer

UNV is inspired by the conviction that volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges worldwide.  Everyone can contribute their time, skills and knowledge through volunteer action, and their combined efforts can be a significant force for achieving peace and development.

Volunteering makes important economic and social contributions, contributing to a more cohesive society by building trust and reciprocity among citizens. It can be both challenging and rewarding and require you to use your skills in a new context. You can also transfer useful knowledge while gaining a greater understanding of the issues affecting other people.

At the request of UN agencies, national governments and other partners, UNV mobilizes more than 7,000 UN Volunteers to work in Development Assistance projects and in Humanitarian and Peacekeeping Operations across the world. Although UN Volunteers from diverse professional and technical backgrounds are always in demand, there are particular areas of expertise where potential UN Volunteers with relevant backgrounds and skills are more frequently requested.

Support UNV and UN Volunteers in the field

UNV Programme Officers (UNV POs) are UN Volunteers assigned by UNV to the task of representing UNV at the country level in addition to managing the needs and expectations of other UN Volunteers assigned to that country. Read the story of a UNV PO in Zambia.

For information on serving in countries other than your own as an international UN Volunteer, go to register to be a UN Volunteer.  For information on serving in your own country as a national UN Volunteer, please contact your local UNV or UNDP office.

Through the UN Online Volunteering service, volunteers can take action for sustainable human development by supporting the activities of development organizations over the Internet.

For information about how to become a UN Online Volunteer and about the UN Online Volunteering service, visit the UN Online Volunteering service website.

Who does the UNV Hire?

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme recruits skilled professionals from around the world to serve as volunteers in UN peacebuilding, development, and humanitarian missions. UNV hires both international and national volunteers, across a wide range of technical and non-technical fields.

UNV looks for individuals with:

• Professional work experience (typically 2–5+ years)

• Relevant academic or technical qualifications

• Strong interpersonal, cross-cultural, and communication skills

• A commitment to UN values, peace, development, and volunteerism

Fields in Demand 

UNV places professionals in various sectors, depending on the host UN agency’s needs:

Requirements (Typical)

• Education: Bachelor’s degree minimum; master’s preferred for technical roles

• Experience: Minimum 2 years (some roles require 5–10+)

• Languages: English or French; others (Arabic, Spanish) often an asset

• Commitment: Usually 6–12 months, with possible extensions

• Nationality: Open to all nationalities, depending on role type

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You will regularly find UNV vacancies at Impactpool. Update your Impactpool profile to stay alerted when UNV advertises an International Volunteer assignment. Find information how to apply in the job advertisements. When sending your application, please indicate that you found the opportunity at Impactpool.org.