Executive Assistant, GS5, FT, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, post number# 00011644

Join UNICEF and Make a Difference for Every Child 

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them reach their full potential—from early childhood through adolescence. For us, promoting the rights of every child is not just a job—it’s a calling.

At UNICEF, you’ll find:

• Purposeful Work: Every task contributes to a better future for children.
• Career Growth: Diverse opportunities for professional and personal development.
• Inclusive Culture: A workplace where everyone belongs and thrives.
• Competitive Benefits: 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.

About UNICEF Turkmenistan

Since 1994, UNICEF Turkmenistan has partnered with the Government to uphold child rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Our new Country Programme (2026–2030) aims to provide support to the Government of Turkmenistan in fulfilling its obligations to respect, protect and implement children’s rights, as stipulated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and further confirmed in the National Action Plan for the Realization of Children’s Rights (NAP):

• Ensuring equitable access to quality health, nutrition, and early childhood development services.
• Protecting children from violence, neglect, and socio-economic vulnerabilities.
• Expanding inclusive education and learning opportunities for all children and youth.
• Climate mitigation and adaptation

For more information about UNICEF Turkmenistan please click here  

How can you make a difference? 

As Executive Assistant, you will play a pivotal role in supporting UNICEF’s leadership and ensuring smooth operations. You will:

• Serve as the primary liaison with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, managing Note Verbales and official correspondence.
• Provide high-level administrative and operational support to the Representative.
• Coordinate communications, scheduling, and workflows for efficient office operations.
• Act as secretariat for key meetings (e.g., Country Management Team) and manage arrangements for high-level visits and engagements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Communications Support: Draft, review, and manage official correspondence.
• Administrative Support: Organize meetings, maintain records, and ensure timely follow-ups.
• Operations Support: Streamline processes for smooth day-to-day functioning.
• Networking Support: Foster relationships with government and key partners.

A new country programme of cooperation for 2026 – 2030 between UNICEF and the Government of Turkmenistan aims to support the Government of Turkmenistan in fulfilling its obligations to respect, protect and implement children’s rights, as stipulated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and further confirmed in the National Action Plan for the Realization of Children’s Rights (NAP).

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  Executive Assistant G-5 for Adv.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the field of work.

Work Experience: 

Desirables:

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

The 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 jobs-near-me.org 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.  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 female candidates and persons living with a disability 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.

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.