Director, D-2, Programme Division, New York Headquarters, USA

Contract

This is a D-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 16 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 270,944 USD and 326,557 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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.

For every child, dedication.

UNICEF is seeking to appoint a Director for its Programme Group. The Division provides leadership to the organization’s programme function to achieve results for the most disadvantaged and excluded children everywhere within the overall framework of the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025and in response to the universal scope of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the international commitments related to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Programme Group provides global thought leadership, influences global policies and partnerships in support of child rights, and provides technical support to Regional and Country Offices in pursuit of programme excellence. The Division shapes internal policy and practice in priority areas, supports UNICEF engagement in key programme partnerships and is a key collaborating division for fundraising, advocacy and influencing. It also plays an important role in technical talent management and promotes a management approach that fosters strong links with Regional and Country Offices and enhances cross-sectoral and inter-divisional synergies including through the Global Technical Teams it convenes.

The Director, Programme Group guides UNICEF programmes, and has the authority to commit the organization to programme strategies and approaches towards achieving the goals and targets of the Strategic Plan, SDGs and universal Child Rights.

How can you make a difference?

Under the general direction of the Deputy Executive Director—Programmes the incumbent of the post will provide strategic leadership and technical guidance for evidence-informed programme strategies, analyze sector trends to influence global policy issues, enhance technical capacity in the organization and lead the management of programme partnerships and allocation of global financial flows towards the achievement of the goals of the Strategic Plan and the SDGs. S/he will also drive innovation to increase the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of programming approaches and to accelerate results for children. The Director will also serve as the senior policy advisor for programmes to the Executive Director, Deputy Executive Directors, Global Management Team (GMT) and other senior managers across the organization.

While the post reports to the Deputy Executive Director, the Director maintains direct working relations with the Executive Director.

The Director’s key functions and accountabilities include:

Vision & Strategy

• Develop a strategic vision for Programme Group which translates into the successful delivery of UNICEF’s mandate and Strategic Plan goals, targets and strategies
• Develop strategies to support UNICEF’s current and future programme requirements and direction.
• Help UNICEF to identify emerging global issues of importance to the rights and well-being of children and help evolve these into core programming solutions/opportunities? for UNICEF.
• Ensure that the formulation of programme policies and practices are sufficiently comprehensive and flexible to meet UNICEF’s accountabilities to deliver results for children in both developmental and humanitarian contexts.
• Develop criteria, set priorities, and establish procedures to prepare, manage and monitor global and inter-regional programmes in areas of UNICEF cooperation intended to provide strategic support to accelerate the implementation of high priority programmes at global and country level.
• Provide overall technical guidance to regional and country offices on programmes.

Management of people and resources

• Provide advice and recommendations on the allocation and management of global programme resource flows.
• Provide leadership and direction by effectively managing the human, financial and material resources assigned to the division.
• Ensure accountability and fiduciary integrity in Programme Group’s budget execution when leading divisional strategic budget preparation exercises.
• Create a unified culture to achieve common divisional goals and objectives by motivating, coaching and supporting staff of the division.
• Develop workforce planning, recruitment of diverse talent, performance management, learning and career management of staff.
• Manage staff performance and development through regular feedback, mentoring and career planning.
• Instill an enabling and nurturing working environment that encourages staff engagement and connection, respect for others’ opinions and diversity in skills and competencies.

Representation & Networking

• Develop and maintain management, programme and strategic partnerships with counterparts in governments, UN agencies, institutions/ foundations, development agencies, the private sector and non-governmental organizations for the purpose of programme cooperation, knowledge-sharing, policy, and/or resource mobilization.
• Advise the Office of the Executive Director, her Deputies, Regional Directors and Country Representatives in strengthening relations with key technical programme and development partners through effective policy dialogue and advocacy to mobilize and leverage resources for children and more effective collaboration.
• Develop and capitalize on new and emerging opportunities for resource mobilization, especially innovative financing and partnership.

• Serve on the Boards and Executive Committees of Global Programme Partnerships and advise on their establishment, governance and management.

  Policy Development and Advice

• Provides leadership in the development of the major policies, regulations and rules, and systems that underpin the work of the division.

• Serve as the chief advisor to the senior management of the organization including Regional Directors and Country Representatives on policy interpretations related to programmes for internal activities and in policy dialogue for external representational activities, as well as undertake high level advocacy of policies and strategies for the well-being of children as part of broader socio-economic development programmes.
• Represent the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director of Programmes in interagency meetings and in public fora to advocate UNICEF’s mandate, policies and strategies in development.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An Advanced University Degree from an accredited institution in a technically relevant area is required.
• A minimum of 15 years of professional experience that combines intellectual and managerial leadership in an international organization or corporation is required.
• Fluency in English is required. A good working knowledge of another UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or Portuguese is an asset.

For every child, you demonstrate…

Core Values

• Commitment
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Sustainability

Competencies

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others

• Nurtures, leads and manages people

  To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Remarks

This position is classified as “rotational” which means the incumbent is expected to rotate to another duty station upon completion of their tour of duty.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. 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.