Programme Associate, GS-6, Polio Eradication Programme, Nairobi, Kenya, # 128300 (Open to Kenyans only)

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, Health

By reaching the most underserved communities with polio vaccine, UNICEF is realizing the rights of the most excluded children and preventing girls and boys from being paralyzed. Within the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), UNICEF maintains a leading role in the areas of strategy development, strategic oversight, vaccine procurement, technical assistance in vaccine management, communication and social mobilization, social data, monitoring and evaluation. The GPEI seeks to ensure that future generations of children will be free from the threat of polio paralysis. Achieving this goal depends on ensuring rapid and effective responses to poliovirus outbreaks in polio-free countries. Polio eradication continues to be an organizational priority and is a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The number of polio outbreaks has far exceeded global expectations in recent years. UNICEF is scaling up support to ensure countries have the resources to be prepared and respond, in our areas of accountability.

The Polio Outbreak Response Workstream of the UNICEF Global Polio Team provides oversight, quality assurance, technical assistance, and knowledge management to country offices, with particular emphasis on communication for social and behavior change and vaccine management within the outbreak response and preparedness context.

How can you make a difference?

Under the close supervision and guidance of the Senior Programme Manager (Outbreak Response), you will support the Polio Outbreak Response Work Stream in Nairobi, Kenya, by carrying out a range of procedural, administrative, and operational tasks, to help develop, implement, and monitor the team activities, ensuring timely and effective delivery that is consistent with UNICEF rules and regulations. The Assistant works closely with other Programme Assistants within the Polio Eradication Programme.

Key functions and accountabilities include the following: 

• Facilitate the processing of contracts for consultants, vendors and external partners that support the office in programme delivery. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, uploading TOR’s in VISION, and making necessary logistical arrangements.
• Assist in basic research, drafting of presentations, statements, day-to-day correspondences, and memos. Prioritize and track the schedule of meetings and respond to information queries in person or by telephone or e-mail.
• Collecting invoices and filing documents for approval and thereafter processing in VISION and Mycase.
• Preparing and maintaining records, documents, and control plans for the monitoring of project/programme implementation and financial expenditures.
• Supporting the management of administrative supplies and office equipment.
• Maintaining office calendar and arranging meetings. Taking minutes of meetings and keeping the correspondence of the team well organized.
• Arrange for the Senior Programme Manager – Outbreak Response’s participation in internal and external meetings, conferences, and visits to UNICEF regional and country offices, and prepare background information and briefings on sponsoring offices and institution as required.
• Supporting capacity development activities, meetings, and conferences by making the logistical arrangements, through engaging with facilitators, caterers, and hosts; arranging times through liaising with participants over availability; liaising with budget focal points and section over costs and needs; and preparing background materials for participants.
• Arrange travel for the unit using online bookings tools to set-up itinerary, requesting visa, security and medical clearance, hotel booking and ground transportation.
• Maintain travel plan, certifications in VISION in coordination with travel unit, manage travel arrangements including preparation of TAs, processing of itinerary, visas, health and security clearances and other related work for travel of professional staff, and for consultants, as necessary.
• Provide support in preparation of interviews for recruitment and liaise with Polio Operations Assistant in HQ to ensure supporting documentation is in order.
• Monitor and update the financial commitments and expenditures against the budget within Cross-Sectoral Areas such as travel, contracts, and meeting expenditures.
• Assist in preparation of Annual Work Plans budget, flag any deviations from agreed plans and coordinate with the Operations Assistant and Polio Finance Team as needed.
• Preparing and maintaining records pertaining to programme planning and development for the Polio Outbreak Response Work Stream.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION ensuring programme results, activities and programme coding are as per annual work plans (AWPs) and makes amendments and alterations as per section revisions when necessary.

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

The following minimum requirements:

Education: 

• Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the work of the organization.

Work Experience / Skills:

• A minimum of six years of progressively responsible administrative or clerical work experience is required.
• Excellent understanding of contractual regulations and processes in UNICEF or UN system.
• Experience in facilitating the processing of contracts for consultants, vendors and external partners that support the office in programme delivery.
• Experience in arranging travel using online booking tools to set-up itinerary, requesting visa, security and medical clearance, hotel booking and ground transportation.
• Good knowledge of IT tools including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, ERP (Vision) and SharePoint  

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.

The following desirables:

Language: 

• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

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

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 benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, 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.  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:

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. 

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 shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

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.