Programme Manager, P-4, Office of Emergency Operations, 9 months, Geneva

Overview

Manage educational programs in emergencies, ensuring high quality and effective coordination.

You have:

• Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Education, International Development, International Relations.
• At least 8 years of relevant professional work experience, including a minimum of 4 years in the education-in-emergencies sector, and any other related fields.
• Proven experience required in programme implementation and management, with a record of delivering high-quality results.
• Demonstrated experience required in inter-agency coordination, ideally both at global and field levels.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language.
• Strong experience in partnership development and networking, including engagement with a wide range of stakeholders desired.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, including flexibility, diplomacy, leadership, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to work effectively within a team.

Contract

This is a P-4 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 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 173,480 USD and 223,666 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 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 Education

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF is the Cluster Lead Agency within the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) humanitarian system for WASH, Nutrition, co-lead for Education, and Child Protection Area of Responsibility. As such, UNICEF is accountable for the establishment and maintenance of appropriate humanitarian coordination mechanisms and associated functions and serve as provider of last resort for the sectors led by the Organization, with the aim to ensure adequate quality and coverage of children’s and community needs.

The UNICEF Education Cluster Manager is situated in the Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS) Division, Global Cluster Coordination Section (GCCS), in Geneva, Switzerland. The direct supervisor is the UNICEF Global Education Cluster Coordinator.

Under the supervision of the UNICEF Global Education Cluster Coordinator and working as a member of the UNICEF-Save the Children Global Education Cluster Team, the purpose of this post is to reinforce UNICEF’s capacity to deliver on its obligations under Education Cannot Wait and DG-ECHO funded initiatives. By providing dedicated technical, coordination and management support, the position will help ensure high-quality implementation, systematic monitoring of results, and timely, accurate communication with donors. It will also play a pivotal role in advancing the GEC’s forthcoming strategy, expected in 2026. At a time when the humanitarian sector is facing significant financial constraints, this role will further bolster UNICEF’s ability to sustain effective partnership engagement and mobilize resources to meet growing needs

Under the supervision of the UNICEF Global Education Cluster Coordinator and working as a member of the UNICEF-Save the Children Global Education Cluster Team, the purpose of this post is to reinforce UNICEF’s capacity to deliver on its obligations under Education Cannot Wait and DG-ECHO funded initiatives. By providing dedicated technical, coordination and management support, the position will help ensure high-quality implementation, systematic monitoring of results, and timely, accurate communication with donors. It will also play a pivotal role in advancing the GEC’s forthcoming strategy, expected in 2026. At a time when the humanitarian sector is facing significant financial constraints, this role will further bolster UNICEF’s ability to sustain effective partnership engagement and mobilize resources to meet growing needs

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: P4_Global Programme Manager GEC.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• • 1. • Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Education, International Development, International Relations.
  • Work Experience: At least 8 years of relevant professional work experience, including a minimum of 4 years in the education-in-emergencies sector, and any other related fields.
  • Skills: Proven experience required in programme implementation and management, with a record of delivering high-quality results; Demonstrated experience required in inter-agency coordination, ideally both at global and field levels; Knowledge and understanding of preparedness, anticipatory action, and rapid response mechanisms; Strong communication and advocacy skills, with the ability to clearly articulate priorities, influence stakeholders, and represent the organisation in high-level fora.
  • Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• • 1. • 1. • Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
  • Strong experience in partnership development and networking, including engagement with a wide range of stakeholders desired; Ability to interpret, translate, and adapt global strategies and priorities to operational realities across diverse contexts desired; Excellent analytical, writing, and drafting skills; Record of designing and executing resource mobilization strategies desired; Exceptional interpersonal skills, including flexibility, diplomacy, leadership, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to work effectively within a team.
  • Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

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

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 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 candidates 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.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to UNICEF personnel only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member's original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.

Potential interview questions