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 Digital opportunities

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF’s Digital Impact Division (DID) builds and operates UNICEF’s digital foundations, including modern enterprise platforms, digital products, infrastructure and AI capabilities, and sets the digital guardrails that keep them secure and resilient through cybersecurity and risk-informed security, while partnering with programme teams, country offices and governments to responsibly scale digital solutions.

The Strategic Enablers pillar is a core element of UNICEF’s Digital Impact Strategy, acting as the structural backbone of the division. This pillar brings together key enablers—People & Culture, Communications, Operations and Artificial Intelligence — to create an integrated ecosystem for sustainable digital impact. The Operations Team provides the foundational processes, governance, and infrastructure that support agile delivery and scale, including procurement, financing mechanisms, and enterprise architecture alignment.

UNICEF’s Digital Inclusion (DI) programme supports governments and partners to improve equitable, affordable digital access for children, schools, and communities.

Reporting to the DID Chief of Operations, the Operations Manager is a strategic business partner and functional expert of DI's operational and administrative services that is accountable for managerial leadership and policy guidance to ensure the seamless execution of DI's mission. The role ensures that DI's operational strategies are robust, efficient, and scalable, supporting both the Switzerland base and the Barcelona technology centre.

Key functions, accountabilities and duties:

Policy, Procedures, and Strategies
Budget Preparation and Implementation
Geneva/Barcelona Office Coordination of Administrative Support and Services
Property Management
Contract Arrangement and Control
Leadership and People Management
Other Duties as Assigned by DID Chief of Operations

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File 2026 Operations Manager 135270.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: An Advanced University Degree (master's or equivalent) in one of the following areas is required: Business management, financial management, accounting, public finance and related operations function (supply chain, human resources, information technology, international business, etc).
A first level university degree in a relevant field combined with an internationally recognized professional accounting designation (CA, ACA, ACCA CPA, CIMA, CPFA, or Expert Comptable) and 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
Work Experience: A minimum of 8 years of professional experience, at the national and international level is required, specifically in implementing strategic organizational initiatives in one or more operations management areas including budget, financial management and reporting, facilities management, administration, supply and logistics management, information and communication technology, human resources. Experience with UNICEF or within the UN system is required. Experience in Results Based Management is required. Previous hands-on experience in strategic operations is required.
Skills: Microsoft Office, risk management, compliance, process improvement, digital tools, automation, policy, business intelligence, administration.
Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
Experience in one or more of the following areas: Audit and investigations, Safety and security, Grant Management, Enterprise Risk Management
Experience in working with corporate ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) and IPSAS (International Public Sector Accounting Standards)
Experience with open-source tech communities or previous exposure to such work
Experience working in or managing distributed teams
Experience in a large private or public company, or experience working in a developing country and/or humanitarian/ emergency context
Experience in supporting successful client-oriented work units
Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

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 female 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.

Operations Manager (P-4), FT, #135270, DID, Digital Inclusion Section - Geneva, Switzerland