Under the supervision and guidance of the supervisor, the Operations Associate is responsible for executing a broad variety of procedural and specialized administrative tasks for the respective sections requiring in-depth knowledge of UNICEF administrative procedures, processes and policies.
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 Commitment
How can you make a difference?
Job Organizational Context
Based in Wadi Madani, Sudan, the Operations Associate plays a critical role in supporting UNICEF’s mission to deliver results for children in a complex and dynamic operating environment. The position provides specialized operational, administrative, and communication support to the Centre Area Team, ensuring the efficient management of resources, processes, and services that enable programme implementation.
Working closely with programme and operations colleagues, the incumbent contributes to effective budget monitoring, procurement, travel administration, logistics coordination, contract management, and office operations. The role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while ensuring compliance with UNICEF policies and procedures.
This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to UNICEF’s humanitarian and development efforts in Sudan, helping to strengthen operational excellence and support the delivery of life-saving and essential services to the most vulnerable children and communities.
As an Operations Associate, you will play a key role in ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of programme and operational activities that support UNICEF’s mission for children. You will contribute to effective budget management, project monitoring, procurement, travel administration, contract management, and office operations, helping teams deliver results in a timely and compliant manner. Working closely with colleagues across functions, you will provide critical administrative and operational support, maintain accurate records and systems, facilitate communication and workflow, and coordinate logistics for meetings, events, and capacity development initiatives. Your attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to manage multiple priorities will help strengthen accountability, improve operational efficiency, and support successful programme implementation. This position offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact by ensuring that resources, processes, and services are effectively managed, enabling UNICEF to deliver for children and communities where support is needed most.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
TOR Operations Associate G-6.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: At least 6 years of relevant work experience in operations, administrative operations, budget monitoring, procurement, travel management, project management, vendor management, invoice processing, logistics coordination, records management, communications coordination is required.
- Skills: Budget Monitoring, Procurement, VISION, Travel Management, Calendar Management, Vendor Management.
- Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Arabic is required.
Desirables
- Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language.
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Experience in developing countries, UN system agency or international organization experience.
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Experience with VISION, PCA and SSA processes.
- 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
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 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 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.
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.