Programme Officer (Risk Management and Safeguarding), NO-1, Fixed Term, #129286, Sana’a – Yemen, MENA

Under the supervision and guidance of the Programme Manager (Risk Management), you will support the Risk Management Unit and the other sections in assessing and managing the risks pertaining to their scope of work – both from an operational and programmatic perspective – to help develop, implement, and monitor their country programme, ensuring effective and timely delivery that is consistent with UNICEF rules and regulations.
You will work in close collaboration with a range of staff in the CO, external partners, and agency counterparts in support of programme design, delivery, and monitoring. S/He provides regular feedback on the status of risk management at programme and project levels (and, when requested, at subproject level too), through monitoring risks assessments and related mitigation measures, and advises on improvements to keep activities on track.

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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, love

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias, or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic, and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education, and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

How can you make a difference? 

Under the supervision and guidance of the Programme Manager (Risk Management), you will support the Risk Management Unit and the other sections in assessing and managing the risks pertaining to their scope of work – both from an operational and programmatic perspective – to help develop, implement, and monitor their country programme, ensuring effective and timely delivery that is consistent with UNICEF rules and regulations.  

You will work in close collaboration with a range of staff in the CO, external partners, and agency counterparts in support of programme design, delivery, and monitoring. S/He provides regular feedback on the status of risk management at programme and project levels (and, when requested, at subproject level too), through monitoring risks assessments and related mitigation measures, and advises on improvements to keep activities on track.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Support the risk units in the development and update of the office risk matrix and act as a penholder of the office risk matrix itself, contributing to the implementation of the overall enterprise risk management.
2. Act as GPRC/PRC Secretariat, contributing to the improvement of the quality of Programme Documents – in line with Partnership SOP, HACT guidelines, CSO Procedure, and Environmental and Social Safeguarding Standards (ESS).
3. Support the implementation of IPM/HACT procedures and the programmes’ compliance with ESS standards within Yemen CO, contributing to the quality and effectiveness of programme delivery and to the system strengthening.

To view full job description, please press Ctrl & click here  129286_Specific JD_Programme Officer (Risk Management and Safeguarding) NOA – not signed.docx

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

Education: 

A university degree in one of the following fields is required: Development Studies, International Development, Business Administration, Financial Management, Economics, Auditing, Project/Programme Management, or another related field.

Work Experience: 

• A minimum of one year of relevant professional experience in Administration, Financial Management, Business Administration, Accounting, or related field is required.
• Prior experience in program support functions is an asset.
• Prior experience in risk management support functions is an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.

Language Requirements: 

Fluency in English and Arabic are required, Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

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

The 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 is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.

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:

“The VA is open to all (internal and external candidates)”

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’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable females are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/.

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.

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.