Programme Officer (1MiO), NO-A, Temporary Appointment, Brasilia, Brazil #137206

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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, opportunity

In UNICEF CPD (2024 -2028) the Goal Area 2 (education area) has three main outputs. One of them, is to develop and implement a multi-stakeholder partnership to build national and subnational policies and programs, at least with 15 states and 2,000 municipalities, aimed to promote a positive transition from school to the world of work for youth in vulnerable situation, improving their training and connecting them to decent jobs and income opportunities, empowering adolescents and youth to lead change-making in their own lives and communities.

For information of the work of our organization in Brazil, please visit our website: UNICEF Brazil.

How can you make a difference?

Under the direct supervision of the Chief Education, the Programme Officer will provide technical assistance and support for programme management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of activities for the 1 Million Opportunity initiative.

KEY EXPECTED RESULTS 

Programme Development and Management

• Participate in management meetings of the Education Section and the Education Working Group and support the Chief of Education in organizing and following up on weekly “One Million Opportunities” (1 MiO) team meetings.
• Support the implementation of the skilling and employability components of the Annual Work Plan (AWP), providing technical assistance and contributing to programme development and management using a results‑based management approach.
• Monitor programme and project implementation through data collection and analysis; prepare and adjust action plans as needed, in coordination with relevant teams.

Optimum Use of Programme Funds

• Monitor the allocation and disbursement of grants in line with agreed plans to ensure the proper use of funds within their validity periods and the achievement of expected results.
• Provide inputs and suggestions to support the optimal use of programme resources throughout implementation.
• Support Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) procedures with implementing partners, including programmatic visits, preparation of Programme Documents, uploading documents into systems, and approving items in relevant systems.

Programme Monitoring and Evaluation 

• Guide and support the monitoring of implementing partners, Long-Term Agreements (LTAs), and Low-Value Purchases (LVPs), providing clear instructions on required adjustments and corrective actions.
• Participate in internal meetings for programme and project review and evaluation, as well as meetings with government partners, United Nations agencies, donors, and other institutional partners.
• Contribute to the preparation of interim and final programme and project reports for internal and external stakeholders, including the Brazil Country Office (BCO), Generation Unlimited (GenU), headquarters, donors, and partners.

National and Local Capacity Building / Sustainability 

• Support the Chief of Education in strengthening partnerships with the private sector, United Nations agencies, and the federal government to advance youth productive inclusion initiatives, including the One Million Opportunities (1 MiO) / Generation Unlimited (GenU) initiative.
• Support, together with the Chief of Education and the One Million Opportunities team, the engagement of subnational governments, companies, and civil society organizations through zonal offices.
• Contribute to institutional strengthening efforts aimed at expanding sustainable opportunities for adolescents and young people in vulnerable situations.

Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration

• Collaborate with colleagues in the Education Section, other programme areas, and zonal offices to support the implementation of the Annual Work Plan 2026 (AWP 2026) and achieve planned results.
• Support resource mobilization efforts with the Public Partnerships and Fundraising (PFP) team and the Chief of Education, including proposal development, preparation of presentations, and participation in partner meetings.
• Work closely with the Communication Section, based on an agreed workplan, to ensure visibility of the One Million Opportunities initiative, its donors and partners, and to promote studies, evidence, and priority issues affecting vulnerable adolescents and young people.

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

Education: University degree in PMO (project Management Office), Social Sciences, International Relations, Government, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, or another related field is required. 

Experience:

• Minimum 01 year of relevant work experience in social program management, social mobilization, development, and implementation of education policies and programmes, and/or other initiatives related to transition from school to the world of work.
• Solid experience in establishing networks and dialogue with the private sector and governments.
• Experience building partnerships with a diversity of actors in the job market and education sector.
• Experience in managing complex social programmes, regarding vocational training and employability.

Knowledge and skills

• Knowledge of the youth context and social vulnerability.
• Intersectoral coordination and partnership management skills.
• Competencies in financial management, resource management, and accountability.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English and Portuguese required.
• Knowledge of Spanish will be considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

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.  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. 

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.

This position is for Brazilians only or internal candidates with a work permit for Brazil.

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.