Chief Field Office, P5, Fixed Term, Central Region, Kabul, Afghanistan, #118659 (Open to non-Afghan nationals only)

Afghanistan country office is seeking an experienced Chief Field Office responsible for managing and leading the total programme commitment of a field office for Central region within a country programme. The CFO represents UNICEF in his/her Area of Responsibility (AoR), leads and oversees the various program sectors and operational service teams ensuring the delivery of quality results in accordance with UNICEF’s programme of cooperation, country programme management plan and overall vision set forward by the Representative.

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, a future

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How can you make a difference? 

Under the guidance of the Senior Emergency Coordinator, the Chief Field Office (CFO) is accountable for managing and leading the total programme commitment of a field office for the Central region within a country programme. The CFO represents UNICEF in his/her Area of Responsibility (AoR), leads and oversees the various program sectors and operational service teams ensuring the delivery of quality results in accordance with UNICEF’s programme of cooperation, country programme management plan, and overall vision set forward by the Representative. The CFO will also be responsible for engaging with the De facto Authorities at the subnational level to unblock and find solutions to any impediments coming from the DfA. The CFO will be accountable for ensuring a conducive workplace culture for his/her team.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

The incumbent is responsible for providing predictable, timely, and strategic leadership and representation for the Field Office. The incumbent is responsible for leading multiple stakeholders, beyond their immediate team of direct reports, to work collectively to achieve results for children in a complex humanitarian environment.

The incumbent’s main tasks and responsibilities will include but not be limited to: 

1. Effective management of UNICEF presence, staff, and assets

• Represent UNICEF in the region (12 Provinces), by participating in meetings and events, moving forward the agenda for children.
• Facilitate, take and implement measures to ensure safety and security of UNICEF staff assets and ensure conducive workplace culture.

2. Knowledge Management for Programmes

• Ensure that area/country programmes are supported by knowledge management through data collection and analysis, complete and accurate reporting as well as participation in the Programme Knowledge Network system of "lessons learned" and other corporate-level databases.
• Participate in information exchange through donor and media visits as well as in the development of training and orientation material.

3. Programme Development and Management

• Identify critical intervention points and measures by administering a consistent and transparent monitoring system; analyse country level socio-political-economic trends and their implications for ongoing programmes and projects.
• Draft changes to/or prepare programme work plans as required. Prepare program recommendations for inclusion in formal programme documentation, and new approaches, methods and practices.

4. Optimum Use of Program Funds

• Establish and supervise programme work plans and monitor progress and compliance.  Monitor the overall allocation and disbursement of programme funds, making sure that funds are properly coordinated, monitored and liquidated. Take appropriate actions to optimize use of programme funds. 
• Ensure programme efficiency and delivery through a rigorous and transparent approach to programme planning, monitoring and evaluation.

5. Programme Monitoring and Evaluations

• Undertake field visits and ensures that his/her staff conduct field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation and decides on required corrective action.
• Carry out a rigorous and transparent approach to evaluate and participate in the major programme evaluation exercises in consultation with the Representative, the Operations Officer, the Evaluation Officer and others to improve efficiency and quality of programme delivery. Participate in annual sector review meetings with government counterparts.  Ensure the timely preparation of annual program status reports.

6.  Rights-Based and Results-Based Programme Management Approach

• Adopt rights-based programmes approach in the formulation of programme goals and objectives and development of strategies and implementation frameworks. Formulate consistent and effective planning, design, implementation, monitoring and/or evaluation of programmes and projects. Bring coherence, synergy and added value to the programming planning and design processes using a results-based management approach to programme planning and design. 
• Prepare and submit viable recommendations on project implementation, alternative approaches, and optimal utilization of resources that contribute effectively to the fulfilment of the rights of children and women, and recommendations on programme, new initiatives and management issues to ensure achievement of stated objectives.

7.  National and Local Capacity Building/Sustainability

• Provide authorities and service providers with technical support and guidance to plan and organize training programmes for the purpose of capacity building and programme sustainability.
• Ensure the building and reinforcing of the commitment and institutional capacities of the national and local partners starting with taking a strategic approach to the identification of these partners and partnerships.

8. Rights Perspective and Advocacy at the National, Community and Family Levels

• Conduct policy analysis from a children's and women's rights perspective and advocacy at the government, community and family levels for elevating credibility in national and international policy debates. Promotes the organization goals of UNICEF through active advocacy and communication in line with UNICEF national advocacy guidelines and strategy.

9. Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration

• Develop partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including those of the UN and national partners, in order to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on programme/project status and implementation and movement/distribution of supplies. Linkage to the Regional Programme Knowledge Network to ensure the availability of current and accurate programme data.
• Collaborate with the Operations Section to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of programming endeavours and to coordinate financial and supply management requirements and accountability.

10. Systematic, predictable, and strategic humanitarian access engagements with stakeholders that influence and sustain access to children and their families at the sub-national level.

• Establish and maintain dialogue with the de facto authorities and other relevant stakeholders (community leaders, religious leaders, etc.) through principled engagement.
• Support sections, UNICEF Implementing partners, and extenders to troubleshoot and address humanitarian access constraints in line with humanitarian principles in negotiations at all levels with DFA and stakeholders.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: [JD/TOR Chief Field Office, CR, P5, Kabul, Afghanistan]

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

Minimum requirements:

• An advanced university degree (master’s or higher) in one of the following fields is required: social sciences, international relations, public administration, government and public relations, public or social policy, sociology, social or community development, or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of relevant professional experience in Field office management, emergency coordination, programme management, planning, monitoring and evaluation, project administration or another relevant area is required.
• Strong knowledge of emergency preparedness and response is required.
• Strong experience in engagement/negotiations, access to nonstate entities, and dealing with de facto authorities is required. 
• Experience in nexus programming is an advantage.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered an asset. 
• Experience in effective leadership and management of teams to deliver results in high-stress/risk environments is desirable. 
• Experience in humanitarian contexts is required with experience in development contexts an added advantage. 
• Fluency in English and the official UN language of the duty station is required. Knowledge of other languages is 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

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

(8) Nurtures, Leads and Manages People  

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.

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’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. 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.

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.

Eligible staff members on fixed-term, continuing or permanent contracts applying to IP TA positions in a duty station designated as L2/L3, may be able to retain a lien and their fixed-term entitlements, subject to approval by their Head of Office. The conditions of the temporary assignment will vary depending on the status of their post and relocation entitlements may be limited as per the relevant policies.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.