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 Support

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF is a leading humanitarian and development agency working globally for the rights of every child. Child rights begin with safe shelter, nutrition, protection from disaster and conflict and traverse the life cycle: pre-natal care for healthy births, clean water and sanitation, health care and education. UNICEF has spent nearly 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Working with and for children through adolescence and into adulthood requires a global presence whose goal is to produce results and monitor their effects. UNICEF also lobbies and partners with leaders, thinkers and policy makers to help all children realize their rights—especially the most disadvantaged.

In the context of MCO (Maldives & Sri Lanka) Country Office, you will be located in Sri Lanka and you will report to the MCO Representative. The incumbent the P&C function in MCO in liaison with the HR Associated located in Male, Maldives and the support of the Regional Office.

Purpose of the position:

UNICEF Multi-Country Office for Sri Lanka and Maldives is looking for a highly motivated, proactive, and service-oriented professional to join the team as Senior People & Culture Associate. The role will contribute to the effective delivery of people and culture services by providing a broad range of administrative, procedural, and operational support across the full spectrum of human resources functions.

The Senior People & Culture Associate will play a key role in ensuring the efficient implementation of HR processes and business partnering activities for all categories of personnel within the Multi-Country Office (MCO). The position supports the delivery of high-quality, timely, and client-focused HR services while ensuring compliance with UNICEF policies, procedures, and HR regulations.

The position offers an opportunity to contribute to a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing work environment by supporting talent management, workforce planning, employee engagement, learning and development, recruitment, and other people-focused initiatives. The role requires strong HR and administrative experience, excellent organizational and communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities with professionalism, accuracy, and attention to detail.

Working closely with the HR Associate based in Malé, Maldives, and in coordination with the Regional Office, the Senior People & Culture Associate will support managers and colleagues by providing practical HR guidance, facilitating operational excellence, and helping to foster a positive employee experience that enables UNICEF to achieve results for children.

Key accountabilities:

Under the supervision and guidance of the Multi-Country Representative, the Senior People & Culture Associate contributes to the effective delivery of People & Culture services across the Multi-Country Office. The position provides administrative, procedural, and operational support for a broad range of HR functions and supports business partnering initiatives that help attract, develop, engage, and retain a high-performing workforce. The role requires strong knowledge of UNICEF policies, procedures, and systems, combined with the ability to manage HR processes, provide client-oriented support, and ensure the timely and compliant delivery of services. Through collaboration with colleagues and stakeholders, the incumbent contributes to fostering an inclusive, supportive, and high-performing work environment that enables UNICEF to deliver results for children inclusive of providing:

Support to business partnering
Support in processing entitlement and benefits
Support in recruitment, placement and onboarding
Support in organization design and job classification
Support in learning & capacity development

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File Job Description_Senior People & Culture Associate_G7.pdf

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

Education: Secondary Education in Human Resources Management and any other related fields.

A Bachelor’s degree from a recognized academic institution may replace three years of related work experience.

A Master’s degree may replace an additional two years of related work experience.
Work Experience: At least 7 years of relevant work experience in Human Resources, recruitment and staffing, benefits administration, onboarding, offboarding, job classification, workforce planning, learning and development, performance management, HR operations. and any other related fields.
Skills: Computer literacy, Project Management, Digital Dexterity, Planning and Prioritization, Proactive Decision-Making, Cross-Cultural Collaboration .
Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables

Experience in an international organization or the UN is desirable.
Knowledge of local language Sinhala and/or Tamil is a strong asset.
Ability to build relationships with various individuals to understand and meet HR support requirements effectively.
Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
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

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 and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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, 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 candidates from targeted underrepresented groups 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.

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.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. 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.

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.

Senior People & Culture Associate (G-7), FT, #138026, Colombo - Sri Lanka, APR (Open to Sri Lankan nationals only)