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?

Join UNICEF Malawi and contribute to delivering lasting results for children by supporting both strategic leadership and operational excellence. As Executive Associate to the UNICEF Malawi Representative, you will play a central role in driving seamless operations, managing stakeholder relations, and providing high-level administrative support to the Representative’s Office. Your work will ensure that leadership priorities are effectively coordinated and executed.

Join our team as the Executive Associate to the UNICEF Malawi Representative, a matrixed role reporting directly to the Head of Office.

This position is central to enabling leadership visibility and effective stakeholder engagement, ensuring the Representative can focus on strategic priorities.
You will represent the office in communications, manage sensitive correspondence, and provide seamless administrative support and operations support. Key accountabilities also include budget monitoring and procurement support to ensure compliance and efficiency. With strong project management skills, you will plan, track, and coordinate resources to keep initiatives on course. Your digital dexterity will be vital in leveraging UNICEF systems and AI-powered tools to streamline workflows and generate actionable insights.

By combining organizational acumen, stakeholder relations, and leadership support, you will help drive the smooth functioning of the office and advance UNICEF’s mission for every child.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File Executive Associate G-6.pdf

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

Minimum requirements

Education: Secondary Education in business administration, public administration, office administration, management, finance, communications, information systems and any other related fields.
Work Experience: 6 years of relevant work experience in Administration, Executive Management, executive support, office administration, operations support, procurement, budget monitoring, communications, travel coordination, project coordination, vendor management, records management and any other related fields.
Skills:
- Demonstrated ability in Project Management — planning, tracking, and coordinating resources to deliver results effectively.
- Proven Digital Dexterity — leveraging UNICEF systems, AI‑powered tools, and integrated platforms to automate workflows, analyze data, and generate actionable insights.
- Strong Collaboration — adapting communication styles, building partnerships, and presenting ideas clearly to diverse audiences.
- Effective Problem Solving — analyzing data, identifying trends, and making timely decisions in complex or ambiguous situations.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables

Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
Demonstrated experience working effectively with colleagues and partners from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Proven ability to operate in a team environment, contributing to common goals and providing guidance to staff.
Evidence of a high sense of confidentiality, initiative, and sound judgment in handling sensitive information.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to draft clear, concise documents and engage stakeholders persuasively.
Practical exposure to finance, procurement, or organizational development that broadens the scope of administrative and operational support.
Additional learning in finance, procurement, or organisational development will be considered 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

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 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 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.

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.

Executive Associate, G-6, Fixed Term Position, Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi, #00137608 (Open to Malawian Nationals Only)