Programme Associate job at United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Description

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is hiring a Programme Associate that provides specialized programme and administrative support to facilitate the development, implementation and monitoring of UNICEF’s programmes. The role involves substantial engagement in data analysis, budget tracking, reporting, and coordination with internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective delivery and compliance with organizational rules. Incumbent exercises judgment, anticipates needs, and recommends actions that contribute to programme planning, implementation and reporting results.

Under the supervision and guidance of the supervisor,

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Project Management and Implementing Partnership Coordination

• Support overall project planning, execution, and monitoring for assigned initiatives
• Assist in establishing and operationalizing the implementation of partnership management functions by coordinating the processes required for risk assessments (Due Diligence, PSEA and Micro-Assessment, Spot checks)
• Work with Programme Managers, Partners and relevant stakeholders in ensuring Funding Authorization and Certificate of Expenditures (FACE) requests submitted are aligned with the project workplan and processed timely.
• Monitors prompt liquidation of Direct Cash Transfer (DCTs)

Data Management, Analysis & Reporting

• Contribute to collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative programme data to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Generate regular reports, dashboards and presentations on key performance indicators and donor reporting.
• Support the application of digital and AI tools for synthesizing complex data and creating actionable insights for statutory reports, dashboards and presentations on key performance indicators.

Grant Management, Budget Monitoring and ReportingSocial Sciences

• Regularly track budget allocations, expenditures and monitor grant utilization for the section and individual grants using relevant systems (e.g., SAP).
• Contribute to grants management, monitor their expiry, and support reprogramming or extension processes.
• Prepare periodic and ad-hoc grant management reports for supervisors, programme leads and for donor reporting.
• Facilitate generating funds utilization report to track expenditures and commitments.
• Contribute to the development of funding proposals and the preparation of statutory reports, ensuring timely submissions.

Digital Innovation & Operational Efficiency

• Use AI, automation tools and digital platforms to streamline repetitive tasks, such as data analysis and report generation.
• Serve as a resource for digital platforms (e.g., SAP, Service Gateway, Power BI, Sharepoint) within the section.
• Safeguard sensitive data and ensure adherence to UNICEF’s data privacy and digital workforce guidelines

Communication, Knowledge Sharing and Dissemination

• Draft clear and well-structured communication to share reports, briefs, and knowledge products for internal and external use.
• Maintain effective document repository systems and Sharepoint for digital and physical programme documentation.
• Contribute to knowledge generation and documentation of lessons learned and good practices.
• Support onboarding of new colleagues and knowledge transfer within the team.

Capacity Building & Event Coordination

• Support the organization of capacity development activities, workshops and field missions.
• Assist in preparation and dissemination of background materials, track logistics, coordinate vendor engagement and liaise with participants.

Flexibility & Surge Support

• Adapt to shifting programme needs and provide support during emergency responses, surge deployments or re-prioritization events.
• Liaison with focal points and provide backup support to other programme sections to ensure business continuity and team support.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

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

Education: Completion of secondary education is required. Professional and/or university courses related to the field of work are highly desirable.

Work Experience: At least 6 years of relevant work experience in Administration, Clerical Work, Program Management, Grant Management, Budget Management, Partnership Management, Risk Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Knowledge Management, Capacity Building and any other related fields.

Skills: Experience in Project Management, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Due Diligence, Data analytics, and reporting.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language.
• Experience within SAP, Power BI, SharePoint and automation tools.
• 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…

• 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

• Support overall project planning, execution, and monitoring for assigned initiatives
• Assist in establishing and operationalizing the implementation of partnership management functions by coordinating the processes required for risk assessments (Due Diligence, PSEA and Micro-Assessment, Spot checks)
• Work with Programme Managers, Partners and relevant stakeholders in ensuring Funding Authorization and Certificate of Expenditures (FACE) requests submitted are aligned with the project workplan and processed timely.
• Monitors prompt liquidation of Direct Cash Transfer (DCTs)
• Contribute to collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative programme data to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Generate regular reports, dashboards and presentations on key performance indicators and donor reporting.
• Support the application of digital and AI tools for synthesizing complex data and creating actionable insights for statutory reports, dashboards and presentations on key performance indicators.
• Regularly track budget allocations, expenditures and monitor grant utilization for the section and individual grants using relevant systems (e.g., SAP).
• Contribute to grants management, monitor their expiry, and support reprogramming or extension processes.
• Prepare periodic and ad-hoc grant management reports for supervisors, programme leads and for donor reporting.
• Facilitate generating funds utilization report to track expenditures and commitments.
• Contribute to the development of funding proposals and the preparation of statutory reports, ensuring timely submissions.
• Use AI, automation tools and digital platforms to streamline repetitive tasks, such as data analysis and report generation.
• Serve as a resource for digital platforms (e.g., SAP, Service Gateway, Power BI, Sharepoint) within the section.
• Safeguard sensitive data and ensure adherence to UNICEF’s data privacy and digital workforce guidelines
• Draft clear and well-structured communication to share reports, briefs, and knowledge products for internal and external use.
• Maintain effective document repository systems and Sharepoint for digital and physical programme documentation.
• Contribute to knowledge generation and documentation of lessons learned and good practices.
• Support onboarding of new colleagues and knowledge transfer within the team.
• Support the organization of capacity development activities, workshops and field missions.
• Assist in preparation and dissemination of background materials, track logistics, coordinate vendor engagement and liaise with participants.
• Adapt to shifting programme needs and provide support during emergency responses, surge deployments or re-prioritization events.
• Liaison with focal points and provide backup support to other programme sections to ensure business continuity and team support.

• Project Management
• Collaboration
• Problem Solving
• Due Diligence
• Data analytics
• Reporting

• Completion of secondary education is required. Professional and/or university courses related to the field of work are highly desirable.
• At least 6 years of relevant work experience in Administration, Clerical Work, Program Management, Grant Management, Budget Management, Partnership Management, Risk Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Knowledge Management, Capacity Building and any other related fields.
• Experience in Project Management, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Due Diligence, Data analytics, and reporting.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language.
• Experience within SAP, Power BI, SharePoint and automation tools.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.