Representative, P-5, Tunis, Tunisia

Contract

This is a P-5 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 10 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 153,110 USD and 191,882 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.

The Representative serves as the accredited representative of the UNICEF Executive Director in the Country and reports to the Regional Director for general direction. The Representative is responsible for establishing dialogue with the government to develop the framework of cooperation in the country and for working closely and collaboratively with the government and national institutions, stakeholders and partners, to develop the UNICEF Country Program of Cooperation in support of UNICEF’s and national and international development efforts to advance children’s rights to survival, development and wellbeing as established under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, international treaties/framework and UN intergovernmental bodies.

How can you make a difference?

As Head of a medium Country Office, the Representative is responsible for managing and supervising the CO programs/projects and operations, providing leadership and vision to the UNICEF country programme team in managing and leveraging resources for the achievement of results and fulfilment of the rights of children. The Representative leads and manages the various program sectors and operational service teams ensuring delivery of quality results in accordance with the UNICEF Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework, ethics and integrity.

The Representative’s key functions and accountabilities include:

• Developing and planning the Country Program
• Leading and managing the CO
• Monitoring and quality control of the Country Program
• Representation and external relations at global/national level
• Building alliance, resource mobilization and UN System coordination
• Leading innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
• Safety and security of staff, programs and organizational assets

Country Typology:

• Country Income Level: Tunisia is a Lower Middle Income Country
• Duty Station: Tunis is an “A”, family, and non-emergency duty station.
• Office Size: 46Staff (40 posts + 1 JPO + 5 UNV) , 11 IP (60% F, 40% M)
• Annual Budget: 23,5 M USD in 2021
• Good for 1st time Representative: (Yes/No?) NO
• Schooling: (no. of IB schools and other concerns) 5 IB schools in Tunisia

Brief country context:

The situation in Tunisia has been critically marked in the past years by the COVID-19 pandemic, by political transition and economic fragility. In mid-July 2021 the country registered the worlds’ worst COVID-19 case fatality ratio. The health emergency came on top of an economic crisis: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Tunisia’s economy has been severe with a contraction of 9.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020, only partially recovered in 2021 (+3%) (World Bank Tunisia Economic Monitor, January 2022); and a political crisis between the President, Prime Minister and Speaker of the Parliament, ongoing since January 2021, became even more critical. On 25 July 2021, the President dismissed the Prime Minister and put the activities of the Parliament on hold, largely backed by the population, and assumed the role of head of government based on a situation of national emergency. A new government headed by the first woman in the Arab region to hold the position of Prime Minister was later appointed in October 2021, with major changes introduced at political and administrative levels. In December 2021, the President announced national consultations for early 2022, a Referendum on the Constitution in July 2022 and legislative elections in December 2022, prolonging the suspension of the Parliament until then The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Tunisia’s economy has been severe, with a 8.6% contraction of GDP in 2020, a decline sharper than Tunisia’s regional peers, and an increase in national poverty from 14% in 2019 to 21% in 2020 – A 15 years set back in development process. Adolescents and young adults under 35 make up about 85% of the unemployed. Monetary poverty among children saw an even steeper increase from 19% to 29% in 2020, resulting in over 1 million children living below the national poverty line. National poverty may further deteriorate due to the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war. This may also result in further risks in school dropout. In the meantime, discussions with the IMF on a new support programme to Tunisia are ongoing and expected to require important reforms on public spending.

The international community provided major support to the health sector over the course of 2021, including with significant donations of the COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX initiative, or via other channels, multi-laterally and bilaterally, with medical equipment, and personnel protective equipment for health workers. With the support from the military in the roll out of the vaccination campaign since July 2021 Tunisia rapidly increased its vaccination rates and reduced the pressure on the health system, enabling the country to get the pandemic back under control. Tunisia benefited from important Official Development Assistance over the past decade, including to support democratic transition. However, statements by the Group of Seven (G7) indicate support may be more difficult until functioning of democratic institutions are restored. The COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered and exacerbated existing system fragilities but also provided an opportunity to address some of these as part of the COVID-19 national response. The increase in poverty levels and disruptions in public service provision however may further undermine social cohesion, reinforcing the need to focus on the leave no one behind agenda going forward.

The UNICEF Tunisia CPD 2021-2025 was approved by the Executive Board in February 2021, with the key presentation of a young Tunisian Scout girl. It is closely aligned with the UNDSCF for Tunisia that was signed off by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in December 2020. UNICEF strongly supports the UN coordination, being the lead of the Outcome 3 of the UNSDCF (Education, Health and Social protection). In alignment with the UNSDCF, UNICEF CPD prioritizes the empowerment, participation and inclusion of marginalised populations, including children and adolescent boys and girls, in the national development, and in the cohesion of communities. Tunisia offers limited opportunities for the 3.3 million children and adolescents account (33%) in terms of active participation in decisions that concern them. Young people also face the challenge of high rates of underemployment, unemployment and instability in the region. The impact of COVID-19 is expected to increase the number of children living in monetary poverty to 900,000, around 25% more than in the pre-pandemic situation. These vulnerabilities put children at risk of increased poverty, unsafe migration, abuse and exploitation and exposure to violence. UNICEF will work with national and international partners to put children and adolescents at the heart of the country's political agenda, to promote their greater social and political participation in the family, in and out of school and throughout NGOs and other community mechanisms. The UNICEF country office had a huge increase of funds since 2020 and 2021 due to the covid response, and the office will need to sustain this huge investment while remaining focused on priority issues by effectively leveraging partnerships and investments made so far on selected priorities for children based on UNICEF specific comparative advantage in, the division of labour and synergies with UN agencies and other development partners.

High level Representation with government, and within the UNCT.

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

Qualifications:

• An Advanced University Degree in social sciences, international relations, government and public relations, public or social policy, sociology, social or community development or other related fields, is required.
• A minimum of 10 years of professional development experience that combines managerial and technical leadership in development cooperation at the international level, some of which served in developing countries is required. Relevant professional experience in any UN system agency or organization is an asset.

• Oral and written proficiency in French and English is required. Arabic is an asset.

  Person Profile:

Previous experience as a Representative or experience in a high level managerial role (e.g. Deputy Representative, Chief Field Office) preferably in a low mid-income country. In particular:

• Proven capacity and strengths to strategize/analyze/manage and at the same time achieve results– in the 2021-2025 CPD key programmes and in the UNSDCF outcome areas with focus on system strengthening and innovations, on both upstream and down streaming programming, advocacy on child rights, partnerships and leveraging resourcess, to support a Government working on long term strategic reforms in key sectors supported by UNICEF such as Education and Social Protection, while coping with a political and socio-economic transition as well as with the post covid19 impact on children. Hands on experience of development issues and emergency preparedness, including staff security.
• Proven capacity to lead and motivate a multi-cultural team
• Political savvy, tact and capacity to ensure elevated level representation and advocacy, with strong communication skills
• Strong resource mobilization, partnerships and networking skills

For every child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Core Values

• Commitment
• Diversity and inclusion
• Integrity

Leadership Competencies

• Delivers Results
• Engages and Nurtures
• Demonstrates Self-Awareness
• Manages Complexity and Change
• Creates and Maintains Impact and Partnership
• Innovates and Takes Risks

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.