UNICEF Job Categories

About the opportunity

UNICEF’s global mandate to protect children is carried out across six personnel categories. International Professional (IP) staff handle international leadership and specialist roles across global duty stations and emergency settings. National Officers (NO) perform technical functions in their home country. General Service (GS) staff provide local administrative and operational support. Consultants offer specialized, time-bound expertise under contracts capped at 11.5 cumulative months per year. United Nations Volunteers (UNV) contribute to development programming managed under UNV conditions. Internships offer eligible undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students practical work assignments lasting between 6 and 26 weeks on an on-site or remote basis.

Salary and benefits

• Competitive salaries and benefits for International Professional, National Officer, and General Service staff.
• All-inclusive daily or monthly rates for Consultants covering fees and employment-related costs like travel and medical insurance.
• Administrative support and service conditions for UN Volunteers via the UNV programme.
• Practical work experience and professional development across diverse fields for Interns.

Who can apply?

• International Professional (IP): Advanced university degree relevant to UNICEF, readiness to rotate globally, and 1 to 15+ years of professional experience depending on grade level (P-1 to D-2).
• National Officer (NO): National of the host country, advanced university degree, local institutional knowledge, and 1 to 10 years of professional experience (NO-1 to NO-5).
• General Service (GS): Locally recruited, secondary education required (first-level degree an asset), and 1 to 7+ years of administrative/support experience (G-1 to G-7).
• Consultants: Recognized subject-matter specialists meeting the specific vacancy Terms of Reference.
• UN Volunteers: Qualified candidates managed and deployed via the UNV programme.
• Interns: Currently enrolled undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate students.

Required documents

• Online candidate profile and application.
• Daily or monthly financial rate proposal (required when applying for Consultancy roles).
• Academic credentials and proof of enrollment (for internship positions).

When to apply

• Applications are accepted on a rolling basis across individual vacancies posted on the UNICEF vacancies portal.
• Internship durations range from 6 to 26 weeks.
• Consultants are subject to maximum cumulative durations of 11.5 months per 12-month period and 46 months per 48-month period, followed by a mandatory 12-month break.

How to apply

• Visit the UNICEF Careers portal to search current vacancy announcements.
• Filter openings by job category, location, and functional area.
• Create or log in to your candidate account.
• Complete the online application form and attach required documents and rate proposals where applicable.

Additional information

• UN Volunteers are not considered UNICEF staff members and are administratively managed by the UNV programme.
• General Service and National Officer positions are locally recruited in their respective duty stations.
• UNICEF never charges a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.