For every child, the right to a Champion
The Global Programme Division (GPD) plays a central role in driving programme excellence across UNICEF. It provides global strategic leadership and policy direction, develops and monitors frameworks and standards, and ensures coherence and alignment across sectors, regions and partners. GPD generates high-impact, evidence-based solutions and serves as a hub of specialized expertise, offering technical guidance on policy reform and scalable programming.
GPD leads UNICEF's policies, standards and negotiations for programme, ensuring the organization’s priorities are aligned with and contribute to child development goals. It strengthens country-level implementation through integrated technical support, linking global policy with on-the-ground action to deliver results for children at scale.
As part of this structure, UNICEF has established Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to provide high-quality, demand-driven technical assistance to Country and Regional Offices and their partners. Located strategically in Nairobi, Panama, Amman and Bangkok, the CoEs bring together cross-cutting expertise across time zones. They function as a single point of entry for support, delivering tailored assistance in priority areas such as policy reform, at-scale programme design, public finance, workforce development and institutional strengthening, as well as timely humanitarian response, while promoting resilient development.
Within this context, the position contributes to advancing UNICEF’s global WASH agenda through the establishment of a Global Acceleration Programme and global initiatives, providing technical leadership and partnership support across global, regional and country levels.
How can you make a difference?
- Provide strategic leadership in establishing a Global WASH Acceleration Programme and shaping UNICEF’s engagement with public and private sector partners
- Ensure coherence between programmatic priorities, strategies and partnerships, leveraging these to maximize results for children
- Influence global WASH agendas by leveraging UNICEF’s leadership, experience and partnerships
- Lead and coordinate collaboration with key stakeholders, including private sector, international financial institutions and global initiatives
- Strengthen country-level programming by supporting scalable solutions and innovative approaches across diverse contexts
- Represent UNICEF in global fora and networks, contributing to shaping policy discussions and global priorities
This position also serves as a deputy to the Director WASH, contributing to the overall leadership, coordination and strategic direction of the WASH function.
- Global partnerships and acceleration programme for WASH
- Advisory services and technical support across global, regional and country levels
- Advocacy, networking and partnership building to influence global WASH agendas
- Supporting overall WASH leadership, including deputising for the Director when required
In this role, you will help position UNICEF as a leader in shaping global WASH strategies and partnerships that deliver scalable, sustainable solutions for children.
Minimum requirements
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(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
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 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.
In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.
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.