Programme Associate (Education Cannot wait), G-6, TA, 10 months, #00138851, Bogota -Colombia, LACR

Duty station: Bogota

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 an Advocate.

UNICEF Colombia operates in a complex, geographically diverse, multicultural middle-income country (MIC) characterized by significant structural disparities. The country programme is implemented within a demanding environment shaped by "triple affectations" – the overlapping impacts of armed conflict, irregular migration flows, and localized natural disasters exacerbated by climate change.

To effectively address these challenges, UNICEF Colombia’s Country Programme Management Plan (CPMP) 2025–2028 establishes a comprehensive territorial approach. This strategy decentralizes technical support through two Zone Offices (Norte de Santander and Cauca) and seven outposts (including Riohacha, Quibdó, Arauca, Puerto Carreño, and Pasto) to ensure direct, integrated results for the most vulnerable and excluded children.

How can you make a difference?

The Programme Associate supports the implementation and consortium coordination of The Multi Year Resilience Program (MYRP), where UNICEF is the Lead Organization, by supporting all consortium partners to ensure cohesive and collaborative efforts across the programme, carrying out a range of programme support functions to help develop, implement and monitor their country programme, ensuring effective and timely delivery that is consistent with UNICEF rules and regulations.

The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with a range of staff in the Country Office, external partners and agency counterparts in support of programme design and delivery. S/He provides regular feedback on the status of projects through monitoring milestones and advises on improvements to keep activities on track.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Facilitating the development of programme cooperation agreements (PCAs) required to implement MYRP by providing information and drafting selected sections of it.
• Ensuring the timely and accurate recording and administrative processing of government & NGO’s proposals and requests for direct cash transfers (DCTs) for MYRP.
• Conducting programme monitoring and coordination of MYRP consortium partners for cash and supplies and informing team-members on the status.
• Helping conduct regular spot checks of MYRP partner’s projects to assess their financial record-keeping, expenditure controls and reporting systems.
• Supporting the education section in researching, compiling and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data and information from a variety of sources on subject matters relevant to the work of the section to facilitate MYRP programme delivery as well as preparation of reports, working papers and presentations.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION ensuring programme results, activities and MYRP programme coding are as per annual work plans (AWPs) and making amendments and alterations as per section revisions when necessary.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION pertaining to grants and MYRP programme related items for his/her section including but not limited to registering grant allotments and tracking expiring programme grants.
• Preparing monitoring and reporting information on MYRP for supervisor and team on agreed performance indicators to drive more efficient management and accountability for results.
• Regularly monitoring MYRP budgets and financial expenditures of section by employing applicable tools, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, keeping supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision and/or follow up.
• Helping prepare periodic or ad-hoc MYRP financial and programmatic reports relating to country office and donors to support the office in optimizing use of programme funds.
• Supports capacity development activities related to programme development by preparing training materials and participating in exercises.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  Job Description Programme Associate G-6 Educacion ECW Bogota Colombia.pdf 

To qualify as a champion 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 work of the organization.
• Work Experience: A minimum of six (6) years of work experience in implementation, monitoring and reporting results in primary and/or secondary education is required. A completed first level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) from a recognized academic institution in the field of Education, social work or social studies may replace three years of related work experience. A completed advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) may replace additional two years.
• Skills: Good working knowledge of MS Office (MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Word) and SharePoint are required. Strong data analytical and reporting skills are required. Ability to facilitate programme delivery is required. Strong organizational, planning, prioritizing and analytical skills as well as strong attention to details is essential. Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds is required.
• Language Requirements: Proficiency in English and Spanish are required.

Desirables:

• Experience in children’s rights, data analysis in primary and secondary education in schools is considered as an asset.
• Prior experience in programme support or partner coordination functions is an asset.
• Relevant experience in programme management support to consortiums or interagency/inter-institutional/inter organizational projects is considered as an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts is 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

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, discrimination, fraud, corruption and other forms of serious misconduct.

UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference, safeguarding and background verification checks. These checks may include verification of academic credentials and employment history, screening against relevant United Nations misconduct databases, and requests for misconduct disclosures from current and former employers, professional associations, other relevant organizations and participating organizations under inter-agency safeguarding initiatives, including the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), where applicable. Appointment, selection and continued engagement are subject to the satisfactory completion of all required checks. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information and consent to enable UNICEF to undertake these checks.

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 are conditional on the selected candidate’s willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

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 candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence 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.