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?

UNICEF is a rights-based organization mandated to promote the realization of the rights of every child, everywhere, with a deliberate focus on the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families and on reducing inequities within and across countries. In the European High-Income Countries Multi-Country Office (EU HIC MCO) context, National Coordinators support country-level coordination, technical engagement, contextual analysis, partnership follow-up and implementation of selected catalytic initiatives in their respective countries, under the leadership and supervision of the international Representative.

The EU HIC MCO will operate through a strategic cooperation model focused on positioning, partnership building, public and private sector fundraising, evidence generation, advocacy, innovation and time-bound catalytic programming. Its engagement will support priority Government-led reforms aligned with national priorities, EU frameworks and UNICEF Strategic Plan targets, with a focus on areas where UNICEF can add distinctive value through systems strengthening, policy influence and scalable solutions for children.

Across Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece and Romania, the MCO will focus on unfinished reforms related to child poverty and social exclusion, violence against children, child and adolescent mental health, skills and youth transitions, and equitable access to essential services. It will also strengthen child rights governance through child rights budgeting, monitoring and participation, while generating high-quality knowledge products, learning platforms and other public goods relevant to EU Member States, pre-accession countries, upper-middle-income countries and high-income countries.

Job organizational context:

The EU HIC MCO will operate under the Strategic Cooperation Framework and related agreements, supported through the Global/Regional Programme and aligned with UNICEF’s organizational principles, including political neutrality, independence, cost-effectiveness and strategic value. The MCO’s work will be governed by applicable Basic Cooperation Agreements and four-year strategic cooperation agreements with the Governments of Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece and Romania, contributing to a common priority framework aligned with the UNICEF Strategic Plan cycle.

The MCO presence and capacity will be distributed across the four countries, reflecting strategic partnership objectives, Government needs, existing grant commitments and potential government sponsorship. The MCO will leverage existing national expertise, trusted networks and institutional memory, while drawing on programmatic and operational capacities in the UNICEF Brussels Office, Centres of Excellence, the Office of Strategy and Evidence and the GSSC Remote Support Hub.

The MCO Representative will be supported by one National Coordinator (NOC) in each country. The National Coordinator will provide technical coordination, country analysis, partnership follow-up and support to engagement with Government counterparts, national institutions, civil society, academia, UN partners, the private sector and other stakeholders. This will help sustain country-level continuity and follow-up on Government-led reforms, within parameters established by the Representative.

As a national technical resource, the National Coordinator provides continuity of engagement, contextual understanding and practical country-level follow-up in EU and national policy environments. The role supports the translation of the MCO strategic cooperation model into coherent country-level activities, helping ensure that technical inputs, partnerships, evidence generation and catalytic initiatives are aligned with national priorities, EU frameworks and UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, while contributing to cross-country coherence and learning.

Under the supervision and overall guidance of the MCO Representative (D1), the National Coordinator (NOC) supports UNICEF’s country-level engagement within the EU HIC MCO. The incumbent provides national technical advice, coordination and contextual analysis for assigned country-level priorities, supporting UNICEF’s strategic cooperation agenda through technical inputs to policy dialogue, evidence-based advocacy, child rights monitoring, partnership follow-up, public finance engagement, knowledge generation, and coordination of UNICEF-supported catalytic initiatives and technical assistance. The role also contributes to effective planning, monitoring, reporting and resource use for assigned activities.

The National Coordinator contributes to MCO management processes by providing country-level analysis, coordination, follow-up and quality assurance for assigned priorities. The role supports the MCO’s transition from direct service delivery to upstream, systems-oriented engagement by helping advance Government-led reforms, strengthen institutional capacity, generate evidence and inform programme, partnership and resource-use decisions, without assuming overall accountability for the MCO programme, operations, representational mandate or office-wide leadership. The National Coordinator may supervise a small country-based team or assigned personnel, as applicable.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File Classified Job Descriptions - National Coordinator (2).pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Economics, Social Science, Political Science, Public Policy, International Relations, Social Policy, Social Development and any other related fields.
Work Experience:

5 years of relevant work experience in Development Cooperation, Social Policy, Partnerships, Programme Planning, Implementation, Monitoring, Child Rights, Public Policy, Public Finance for Children, Advocacy, System Strengthening or another relevant area.
Work experience in Policy Dialogue, Government Engagement, Institutional Reform Support, EU, high income country or comparable policy and institutional contexts, Supervisory roles.

3. Language Requirements: Croatian - Proficient/Fluent, English - Proficient/Fluent.

Desirables:

1. Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
2. Experience working with Government institutions, multilateral organizations, EU institutions or EU-funded programmes.
3. Relevant experience in UNICEF or another UN agency.

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.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children's data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

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.

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.

National Coordinator (NOC), Fixed Term Position, Croatia, Zagreb, #A250828