Chief Field Office, P-4, FT, #099121, Bunia -Democratic Republic of Congo, WCAR full-time NEW

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 Hope

How can you make a difference?

Under the guidance of the Chief Field Operations, you as the Chief Field Office (CFO) will be accountable for managing and leading the total programme commitment of a field office within a country programme. You will represent UNICEF in Bunia, leads and oversees the various program sectors and operational service teams ensuring the delivery of quality results in accordance with UNICEF’s programme of cooperation, country programme management plan and overall vision set forward by the Representative. The role operates in a protracted, multi-hazard emergency environment characterized by armed violence, large-scale displacement, severe protection risks, recurrent disease outbreaks, constrained humanitarian access, community mistrust and disruption of essential services. You will provide area-based leadership for UNICEF’s response across Ituri and, when delegated, supports operational coherence with Haut-Uélé and adjoining outbreak and displacement corridors.

In fragile and humanitarian contexts, UNICEF action is guided by its global Policy and Framework for humanitarian action: the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS

Effective management of UNICEF presence, staff and assets
Knowledge Management for Programmes
Programme Development and Management
Optimum Use of Program Funds
Programme Monitoring and Evaluations
Rights-Based and Results-Based Programme Management Approach
National and Local Capacity Building/Sustainability
Rights Perspective and Advocacy at the National, Community and Family Levels
Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: JD – Chief Field Office P-4.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: A Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in one of the following fields is required: social sciences, international relations, public administration, government and public relations, public or social policy, sociology, social or community development, or another relevant technical field.
Work Experience: At least 8 years of relevant work experience in in programme management, planning, monitoring and evaluation, project administration or another relevant area is required. Substantial experience leading humanitarian response in complex emergencies, including conflict-affected and public-health emergency settings, is required.
Skills:
Specific Technical Knowledge Required

– Rights-based and Results-based approach and programming in UNICEF.
– UNICEF programme policy, procedures and guidelines in the Manual.

Common Technical Knowledge Required
– Methodology of programme/project management
– UNICEF programmatic goals, visions, positions, policies and strategies.
– Knowledge of global human rights issues, specifically relating to children and women, and the current UNCEF position and approaches.
– UNICEF policies and strategy to address on national and international issues, particularly relating to conflicts, natural disasters, and recovery.
– UNICEF emergency programme policies, goals, strategies and approaches.
– Gender equality and diversity awareness.

Language Requirements : Fluency in English and French are required.
Desirables:

Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
Demonstrated experience in humanitarian access, security risk-informed programme management, inter-agency coordination, emergency operations and staff duty of care is highly desirable.
UN policies and strategy to address international humanitarian issues and the responses.
UN common approaches to programmatic issues and UNICEF positions
UN security operations and guidelines.
Humanitarian access analysis and negotiation; conflict sensitivity; do-no-harm; civil-military coordination; and principled engagement in environments involving armed actors.
Public-health emergency and outbreak coordination, including risk communication and community engagement, infection prevention and control, continuity of essential services and operational readiness.
Accountability to affected populations, community feedback systems, PSEA, child safeguarding and safe referral mechanisms.
Emergency supply-chain, warehousing, fleet and asset management; business continuity; crisis management; remote monitoring; and data protection in high-risk environments.
Risk management, internal controls, HACT/partnership assurance, construction oversight and responsible management of emergency resources.
Security Management training for members of Security Management Team.
UNICEF policies, strategies promoting and supporting gender equality and diversity.
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
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

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, discrimination, fraud, corruption and other forms of serious misconduct.

UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference, safeguarding and background verification checks. These checks may include verification of academic credentials and employment history, screening against relevant United Nations misconduct databases, and requests for misconduct disclosures from current and former employers, professional associations, other relevant organizations and participating organizations under inter-agency safeguarding initiatives, including the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), where applicable.

Appointment, selection and continued engagement are subject to the satisfactory completion of all required checks. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information and consent to enable UNICEF to undertake these 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, 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 are conditional on the selected candidates’ willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

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 female candidates from high income countries 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.

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.

Advertised: 21 Oct 2026 W. Central Africa Standard Time
Deadline: 28 Oct 2026 W. Central Africa Standard Time

How to apply
Vacancies | UNICEF Careers