Readvertisement: Information Management Officer, NO-1, Temporary Position, 364 days, Kabul, Afghanistan, #00136407

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

Afghanistan Country Office is seeking an experienced Information Management Officer responsible for providing technical and operational support to the Project Management Unit (PMU) on all beneficiary data issues and is responsible for managing the data analytics and information systems necessary for implementing Humanitarian Cash Transfer (HCT) and Incentive Payments projects, ensuring full compliance with data protection policies and security requirements.

How can you make a difference?

The Project Management Unit’s (PMU) Information Management Officer (IMO) will report to the Programme Specialist (Beneficiary Data) and be based in Kabul. The incumbent will support data analytics and information systems management processes required for the implementation of Humanitarian Cash Transfer (HCT) and Incentive Payment projects. The role will work closely with the PMU team, Programme Sections within the Afghanistan Country Office, and, where required, ACO Field Offices to support effective programme delivery. The incumbent will ensure full compliance with UNICEF’s Data Protection Policy, security requirements, and data quality standards, while generating actionable insights to enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency.

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist (Beneficiary Data), the Information Management Officer (NO-A) will perform the following key functions and accountabilities:

Build and strengthen the capacity of partners and system users and provide technical support to ensure effective utilization of beneficiary information systems.

• Build and strengthen the capacity of partners and UNICEF users on cash MISs through onboarding training, technical guidance, and continuous support.
• Provide first-level technical and operational support to users and escalate complex requests to the Beneficiary Data Manager or relevant technical teams.
• Maintain system user access, roles, and authorization lists, ensuring proper approvals and compliance with access control procedures.

Manage beneficiary data processing, including data collection, validation, cleaning, and secure storage, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with data protection standards.

• Support beneficiary registration, verification, and data collection, including coordination with partners’ entities.
• Perform data validation, cleaning, deduplication, and quality assurance checks to ensure accuracy, completeness, and reliability of beneficiary data.
• Finalize payment lists, share them with partners for distribution implementation, and support payment reconciliation activities.
• Ensure secure storage, handling, and transfer of beneficiary data in compliance with UNICEF data protection and information security policies.

Contribute to project information management by supporting data analysis, visualization, reporting, monitoring, and operational decision-making.

• Support data visualization design and updates in Power BI.
• Conduct data analysis and generate reports and summaries to support programme monitoring, planning, and decision-making.
• Support post-distribution monitoring and payment verification including coordination with implementing partners and third-party monitoring teams.
• Participate in the data team processes optimization/innovation for better efficiency.

Support the administration, maintenance, and enhancement of the Management Information System (MIS) to ensure system functionality, data integrity, and operational efficiency.

• Support the administration, maintenance, and proper functioning of the Humanitarian Cash Operations and Programme Ecosystem (HOPE) and other beneficiary information systems.
• Monitor user access and coordinate resolution of system-related technical issues.
• Support the implementation and monitoring of UNICEF data protection policies, including preparation and management of data protection documentation and agreements.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: JD - Readvertisement IMO, NO-1, TA, 364 days, Kabul, Afghanistan 00136407.docx

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

Minimum requirements:

1. Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in Information Management, Information Systems, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Computer Science, Statistics, or another relevant field.

2. Work Experience: At least one (1) year of progressively responsible professional experience in information management, data systems, cash transfer programming, humanitarian operations, or related fields.

• Monitoring cash transfer operations or related programme processes.
• Working with information systems in humanitarian settings.
• Technical proficiency in R/Python and Power BI.
• Working effectively in multidisciplinary and multicultural environments.
• Delivering results within strict timelines.

3. Skills: Familiarity of Data Protection, MIS Administration, Data processing, Payment Reconciliation, Power BI and Capacity building are required.

4. Language Requirements: Proficiency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• UNICEF Experience, Interagency Coordination, Cash Transfer, Humanitarian Response, MIS Exposure, Advanced Degree are desirable.
• 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

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

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

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 [Insert candidates from targeted underrepresented groups] 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 reductions. 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.