Chief Field Office

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, operates in over 190 countries and territories with a mission to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential from early childhood through adolescence. Established in 1946, UNICEF is dedicated to promoting the rights of every child, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to survive, develop, and reach their full potential without discrimination. The organization emphasizes equity, focusing on the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, and works tirelessly to address inequities that violate children's rights. UNICEF is committed to building a diverse workforce and offers a culture that fosters personal and professional development, along with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Job Overview:
The Chief Field Office position in Kano is a leadership role responsible for managing and overseeing UNICEF's programmatic commitments in the region, specifically across three states: Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano. The incumbent will be accountable for ensuring the effective delivery of quality results in alignment with UNICEF's program of cooperation and country management plan. This role requires a strategic approach to program management, with a focus on driving change, providing risk-informed analysis, and contributing to management decisions that impact children's welfare. The Chief Field Office will lead operations across five key pillars: Valuing People, Valuing Money, Valuing Risk Management, Valuing Systems and Structures, and Valuing Partners, ensuring that all operations functions are executed effectively to meet UNICEF's mission.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Chief Field Office will be responsible for a comprehensive set of duties, including:

• Managing UNICEF's presence, staff, and assets in the Area of Responsibility effectively.
• Implementing knowledge management systems to enhance program management.
• Conducting situation analyses and preparing program work plans and reports.
• Ensuring optimal use of program funds.
• Overseeing program monitoring and evaluations to improve performance and prepare timely status reports.
• Incorporating gender/sex disaggregated data into programming.
• Integrating rights-based and results-based approaches into all program phases.
• Building commitment and capacity among national and local partners.
• Advocating for children's rights at various levels to enhance UNICEF's credibility. 1
• Establishing and maintaining effective partnerships for advocacy and program development. 1
• Identifying and managing risks that could impact UNICEF's operations and reputation.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in social sciences, international relations, public administration, or a related field. A minimum of ten years of professional experience in program management, planning, monitoring, and evaluation is required. Candidates should demonstrate strategic and innovative thinking, risk management capabilities, and strong interpersonal and leadership skills. Experience in a UN system agency or organization is an asset, and familiarity with humanitarian settings is highly desirable. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications is also required.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree in relevant fields such as social sciences, international relations, public administration, government and public relations, public or social policy, sociology, or community development is essential for this position.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of ten years of professional work experience in areas such as program management, planning, monitoring, and evaluation. Candidates should have a proven track record in similar roles, with the ability to balance development and humanitarian demands effectively. Experience in humanitarian settings and working with diverse stakeholder groups is highly desirable.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
This position is full-time and may involve working in challenging environments. UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion, encouraging eligible female candidates to apply. The organization has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct incompatible with its aims, including discrimination and harassment. Selected candidates will undergo rigorous background checks and must meet medical clearance and vaccination requirements. UNICEF does not charge any processing fees during the recruitment process.