Deputy Representative Operations, (P-4) Fixed Term, #71972, Monrovia, Liberia, WCAR

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.

UNICEF's core mission is to advance the rights of every child worldwide, embedding this commitment across all programs, advocacy efforts, and operational activities, particularly in challenging contexts like Liberia. Central to this is the equity strategy, which prioritizes the most marginalized and excluded children and families, translating the promise of children's rights into actionable outcomes. Equity ensures that every child can survive, thrive, and reach their full potential without discrimination, bias, or favoritism, even in a post-conflict nation where rural-urban disparities, climate vulnerabilities, and fragile infrastructure present significant hurdles. When any child faces unequal opportunities across social, political, economic, civic, or cultural dimensions compounded by historical conflict and entrenched social norms, their fundamental rights are violated.

The UNICEF Liberia Country Programme emphasizes integrated, decentralized approaches to support vulnerable groups, with a special focus on adolescent girls, amid risks from epidemics, economic inequality, and environmental shocks. This context requires resilience, cultural sensitivity, and a steadfast commitment to equity in a resource-constrained environment, where UNICEF collaborates with government, UN agencies, and civil society to enhance Public Financing for Children (PF4C) and advance child rights. Strategic shifts toward education prioritization, community empowerment, and decentralized service delivery are driving efforts to empower the most disadvantaged, while emerging evidence highlights that investments in education, health, and protection for vulnerable groups not only unlock children's potential but also promote long-term national growth and stability, vital for Liberia's ongoing recovery and development.

To learn more about our country programme visit UNICEF in Liberia

As a strategic business partner,  Deputy   Representative Operations and a member of the senior management team, the incumbent will be responsible for leading the operations functions to achieve results, drive change, provide risk informed, solution-focused analysis, advice and services and contribute to programme and management decisions for delivering results for children in all operational contexts. 

Strategic Operations will accomplish this by:

• Leading by example and supporting the Representative on managing the office.
• Acting as Officer-in-Charge in the absence of the Representative.
• Oversight of the Operations function to ensure effective and efficient management of all the functions under operations: Administration, Budget, Finance, Digital Impact, Suppl 
• Convener and contributor to Risk Management ensuring compliance, including on safety and security.
• Drive a risk culture, ensuring effective fiduciary risk management with particular focus on country-office financial performance, fraud exposure, procurement, asset management and the effectiveness of management actions to address identified weaknesses.
• Ensuring processes are in place to identify, promote and empower the potential in staff through career development, opportunities for stretch assignments and succession planning.
• Acting as member of the Country and Senior Management Teams, representing the organizational risk, governance systems and policies perspective in management discussions, and promoting results-based management.
• Understanding business needs for the Country Programme, to anticipate challenges, propose viable solutions, provide creative and innovative ideas aimed at a solution- focused approach to include value for money strategies, all underpinned by quality assurance measures.
• Providing key contributions to CPD, CPMP, AMP and support to Results Based Management and implementation using Value for Money criteria;
• Drive Innovations by leveraging technology to support delivery of results for children, making effective adoption of tools and promoting the fundamentals of Digital Impact Management. 
• Lead external and internal audit reviews and respond to audit observations and monitor implementation of recommendations.
• Guiding Supply and Logistics strategies and interventions to meet programmatic needs while ensuring Value for Money (VfM), including procurement of fit for purpose products and services, and providing advisory support to governments, national systems and partners on supply chain management;
• Leveraging governance, systems, and tools to provide regular feedback on risks and achievements of operations functions in the country;
• Leading on facility management with a specific focus on inclusive accessibility, eco sustainability and common premises;
• Overseeing business transactions processed by GSSC from a perspective of Efficiency, Performance, Risk Management and Fraud prevention;
• Supporting the management of PSFR operations and promoting efficiency across systems and processes, where applicable;
• In fragile context and humanitarian contexts, ensure that UNICEF offices are fit for purpose to enable the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance by UNICEF and its partners - in compliance with the commitments and standards enshrined in the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action - and of its role as CLA (where clusters are activated). This includes ensuring the mandatory use and application of the Emergency Procedures, as applicable.

The Deputy Representative, Operations will be entrusted with the following five pillars, the core focus of all operations functions: Valuing People, Valuing Money, Valuing Risk Management, Valuing Systems and Structures, Valuing Partners.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  Job Description.pdf

• Education: 

  An Advanced University Degree (equivalent to a Master’s or higher) in one of the following areas is required: Business management; Financial management; Accounting; Public Finance; and related operations function (Supply Chain, Human Resources, Information Technology, International Business, Project management, etc.) or a full professional accounting designation (CA, ACA, ACCA, CPA, CIMA, CPFA, Expert Comptable) from an internationally recognized institute/body of accountancy with valid membership in good standing is required.

• Work Experience: 

  A minimum of 8 years of professional experience, at the national and international level, is required, specifically in implementing strategic organizational initiatives in one or more operations management area including budget; financial management and reporting; facilities management; administration; supply and logistics management; information and communication technology; human resources.

  Prior experience in the development sector or UN system/ international NGOs would be an asset.

  For country offices with a significant private sector fundraising operation, prior experience working with or in the private sector, and supporting private sector fundraising, is desirable

  Additional experience in one or more of the following areas would be desired:

  • Audit and investigations
  • Safety and security
  • Grant Management
  • Enterprise Risk Management

  Experience in a UN system agency, large private or public company, or experience working in a developing country and/or humanitarian/ emergency context is an asset.

  Experience in working with corporate ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) and IPSAS (International Public Sector Accounting Standards) is highly desirable.

  Experience in Results Based Management is a requirement.

  Experience in supporting successful client-oriented work units is an asset.

  Previous hands-on experience in strategic operations is a strong asset.

  Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications is required.

  Demonstrated ability to drive organizational change in an office environment, supported by exceptional interpersonal, negotiation, and stakeholder-engagement skills.

  Hands-on expertise in articulating strategic and operational risks, with a specific focus on fraud prevention, detection, and mitigation. Skilled in designing and enforcing stringent internal control frameworks to ensure institutional integrity.

• 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.

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 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.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.

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.

Advertised: 02 Sep 2026 Greenwich Standard Time
Applications close: 15 Sep 2026 Greenwich Standard Time

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• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. 

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

(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 

(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.