Are you a talented and organized administrative/operations associate interested in supporting UNICEF construction works and providing administrative functions to our field offices to make a real impact for children? If you are looking for a great opportunity in administrative support, we’d love to talk with you!
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 a future.
In Education, UNICEF aims to improve access to quality and inclusive education for school-aged children, including in crisis-affected communities, internally displaced persons, refugees and children with disabilities. UNICEF Cameroon addresses issues such as inadequate infrastructure, to support improved access to education for vulnerable children and strengthen the resilience of schools through better infrastructure in the face of environmental and social challenges. This role is critical to ensuring the successful delivery of sustainable, inclusive, and high-quality learning environments in disadvantaged and overcrowded areas.
UNICEF Cameroon has committed to provide innovative construction for primary schools, including multi-media centres, e-hubs, classrooms and teachers’ housing. The UNICEF Education programme supports specific construction-related interventions in seven regions: Adamawa, East, Far North and North, Centre, South, Littoral and South-West to improve access to inclusive education, and to improve the quality of learning for crisis affected and other vulnerable children.
The incumbent will contribute to the integration of the child-friendly, eco-friendly and equitable access concepts into all construction projects under implementation and will work towards avoiding the risk of inferior quality work, non-adherence to standards and specifications and delays on the construction component of the learning and development programme. Essential to the assurance of a high quality of standard, timely completion, and effective coordination between all stakeholders, the incumbent will undertake technical monitoring and oversight of all schools rehabilitation/ construction of inclusive secondary schools or any other renovation/construction works undertaken by UNICEF.
How can you make a difference?
Under the direct supervision of the supervisor (Chief Field Office - CFO or Logistics Specialist) and the guidance of the Construction Officer, you will provide administrative and logistical support to construction activities implemented by local partners, under the financing and supervision of the Country Office. The administrative support on construction projects includes coordinating, planning, support to procurement, monitoring of construction works on site, evaluation and reporting.
You will collaborate closely with UNICEF Education Programme and Operations in reviewing construction interventions undertaken by the local partner to meet programmatic needs and achieve results for children. You will also provide high-level organizational and operational support to project managers, engineers, and executives. You will manage project documentation, tracks budgets, processes vendor payments, and coordinates project logistics to keep construction workflows running smoothly and efficiently. You will contribute to maintaining and enhancing the credibility of UNICEF as an effective and responsible manager of funds entrusted to the Organization and to furthering UNICEF image as a competent Organization for delivering cost effective and sustainable program results for children. You will also provide complete administrative support to the field office including Office & Property Management (assets and premises management).
Tasks and responsibilities:
- Project Planning & Management
- Budget Monitoring
- Invoice Processing
- Procurement
- Events/Logistics
- Calendar/Meetings/Correspondence Management
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
TOR admin associate const - final - ws.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 quality assurance, engineering, construction, architecture.
- Work Experience: At least 6 years of progressively responsible experience in operations, administration, finance, project management/monitoring and/or other directly related technical fields are required.
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Skills:
- Strong organizational, planning and prioritizing skills and abilities.
- Strong office management skills.
- Knowledge of the administration which underpins UNICEF country office operations.
- High sense of confidentiality, integrity, initiative and good judgment.
- High attention to detail.
- Experience using MS Word, Excel, Pivot Tables, PowerPoint and other UNICEF software such as SharePoint.
- Good analytical and negotiating skills.
- Ability to manage and monitor the effective use of resources.
- Ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious working relationships, both within and outside the organization.
- Fast learner, adapts and responds to change, tolerates ambiguity.
- Language Requirements: Fluency in French and/or English is required.
Desirables:
- Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
- Good knowledge and understanding of UNICEF programmes, procurement principles, finance and budget management, ethics and risk management.
- Experience managing construction projects.
- 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
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 females 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.
UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to UNICEF personnel only).
The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member's original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.
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.