Administrative Assistant, G-5, TA (until 31 December 2026), # 136610, DD O&F, PFP, Geneva, Switzerland

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, a Champion

This post is part of the office of the Deputy Director of Operations and Finance (O&F), within PFP. The office is accountable for the management of the oversight framework for private sector activities with responsibilities that include risk management, management of oversight activities, coordinating planning and results across the O&F Section, ensuring O&F plans are risk informed, with an aim for continuous improvement, changes are managed and results are monitored.

How can you make a difference?

The Administrative Assistant will provide comprehensive administrative, financial, travel and coordination support to the O&F team during a defined transition period. The role is essential to ensure continuity of day-to-day operations, budget monitoring, procurement and travel administration through the end of 2026, ahead of the planned relocation of functions to Rome.
The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of the Deputy Director of Operations and Finance and will collaborate closely with professional and general service staff across the team.

General Administrative Tasks

• Monitor overall work progress and priorities of the Operations and Finance team by tracking deadlines, commitments and deliverables; flag issues and risks to the supervisor as needed.
• Support administrative actions related to Temporary Appointments, consultants, interns and individual contractors, including documentation and system processing in UNICEF ERP systems (VISION).
• Assist managers with the organization of meetings and internal events, including agenda preparation, note-taking, tracking of action points and follow-up.
• Maintain and manage shared drives, SharePoint sites and internal collaboration pages, ensuring information is accurate, well-structured and up to date.
• Support onboarding and off-boarding processes for team members (IT access, documentation, administrative clearances).

Budget and Procurement

• Act as administrative and budget focal point for the O&F team.
• Review and monitor expenditures against approved administrative and operational budgets in VISION, highlighting discrepancies, risks or variances to the supervisor.
• Support cash forecasting and administrative budget tracking as required.
• Manage the end-to-end administrative process for procurement actions, including preparation of documentation, raising requisitions, follow-up and completion.
• Receive, verify and process invoices and related financial documentation in accordance with UNICEF procedures.

Project Coordination

• Provide coordination support to time-bound team initiatives and projects, including maintaining workplans, tracking progress and supporting reporting as required.
• Liaise with internal stakeholders to ensure timely follow-up of agreed actions.

Travel Administration

• Provide travel assistance to staff, including preparation of travel authorizations, monitoring entitlements and ensuring compliance with UNICEF travel policies.
• Maintain accurate travel records in UNICEF systems, including certifications and claims.
• Assist in monitoring travel budgets and highlighting issues or variances.

Specialized Support Functions

• Provide routine follow-up support to professional staff on administrative and operational actions initiated within the team.

DELIVERABLES:

• Timely, accurate and reliable administrative support enabling uninterrupted functioning of the Individual Giving team.
• Effective monitoring of administrative and operational budgets, with early identification of risks or discrepancies.
• Efficient processing of procurement, invoicing, contracts and travel requests in UNICEF systems.
• Well-maintained records, documentation and collaboration platforms.

Estimated Duration of the contract

• Until 31 December 2026

Reporting To:

• The Deputy Director of Operations and Finance.

Working Place:

• Geneva, Switzerland

To qualify as a Champion for every child you will have…

Education:

• Completion of secondary education is required; additional administrative or technical training is an asset.

Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience in administrative, finance, travel or operational support functions.
• Strong proficiency in MS Office applications, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.
• Experience working with ERP systems (e.g. SAP/VISION) and digital document-management platforms (e.g. SharePoint).
• Experience in budget monitoring and procurement processes is required.
• Prior experience within the UN system or a comparable international organization is an asset.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language 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

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)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1) are required.

During the recruitment process, we assess candidates following the UNICEF competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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

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.

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.

General Service Staff are recruited locally. Candidates must be in possession of an existing work permit or be a resident/citizen of Switzerland and/or a commuting area to be considered eligible for this position.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.