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 a future

How can you make a difference?

The Regional Chief of Programme & Planning plays a critical role in ensuring that the UNICEF LAC Regional Office objectives are achieved. The incumbent ensures that the Regional and country-level plans are consistent with the objectives and priorities, particularly as they relate to ensuring that there are deliberate and costed efforts to achieve progress towards the achievement of results contained in the goals of the Strategic Plan and ROMP 2026-2029. The position also contributes to ensuring availability of and access to up-to date, quality data across the Results Areas of the Strategic Plan and ROMP 2026 — 2029 with high-quality monitoring and reporting. To aid in the process, the incumbent ensures that staff across the region are trained in Results-based Management and have the skills to manage for results.

In full recognition of the fact that UNICEF cannot achieve these results on its own and, in full commitment to the UNDS reform, the incumbent seeks to ensure that UNICEF's planning, monitoring and reporting are aligned and based on principles of collaboration and coherence.

Areas of major duties:

1. Advisory Capacity and Policy Development
2. Strategy Coordination
3. Capacity Building
4. Technical Leadership
5. Regional Monitoring and Assessment
6. Representation and Engagement in Regional Partnerships
7. Knowledge Management (Contribution to)
8. Communication, Networking and Partnership
9. Regional and Global Management Mechanisms
10. Humanitarian Performance Monitoring
11. Support to Regional Office management systems, processes and coordination for the effective delivery of COs support against defined priorities and key results
12. Manage the Regional Office Programme, Planning & Monitoring section.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File JD Regional Chief of Programme & Planning P5 FT.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: A completed advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) in social sciences, or other disciplines of the specialized technical areas is required.
Work Experience: At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional work experience in all aspects of programme management, and/or advisory support is required.
Skills: Knowledge of programme management, methodology and practical application is required.
Experience in supervising personnel is required.
Knowledge of global human rights issues, specifically relating to children and women, and current UNICEF position and approaches is required.
Knowledge of Rights-based and results-based management and programming approach in UNICEF is required.
Knowledge of United Nations systems, international organizations and development issues is required.
Knowledge of emergency response and preparedness programming is required.
Language Requirements: Proficiency in English is required.

Desirables:

Language: Knowledge of Spanish is considered an asset, with commitment to learn Spanish at working level. Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese are considered assets, too.
Experience at the country level in programme planning, monitoring and reporting is a very strong asset.
Experience working in high- and middle-income countries is desirable.
Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts 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, 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 candidates 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.

Regional Chief of Programme & Planning (P-5), FT, #00017367, Reg Serv - Prog Planning Sec, Panama City – Panama, LACR