Generic Vacancy Announcement: Leadership Talent Group (LTG) – Call for Applications (2026)

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 inviting applications to its Leadership Talent Group (LTG), a vetted pool of candidates for senior leadership roles globally. Applications are welcome from qualified candidates across all functional areas.

Successful candidates will become part of the LTG and be considered for future leadership opportunities across UNICEF. While inclusion in the LTG enables direct consideration for leadership roles, it does not constitute an appointment or guarantee of placement.

The LTG serves as the primary sourcing pool for senior staff at UNICEF.

Senior staff positions at UNICEF provide strategic leadership and vision to advance the organization's mandate and achieve sustainable results for children. These roles require leaders who guide and inspire multidisciplinary teams, set organizational priorities and ensure the effective management of programmes, operations, people, and resources.

Senior leaders are accountable for driving performance, strengthening partnerships, and representing UNICEF with governments, donors, and other stakeholders to advance children's rights and well-being. Senior leaders foster a culture of accountability, integrity, inclusion, and innovation, while creating a supportive and respectful work environment where personnel can perform at their best. Through effective decision-making, talent development, and stewardship of resources, senior leaders ensure that UNICEF delivers high-quality results and remains responsive to evolving challenges and opportunities.

The senior staff positions may include but are not limited to:

• Representative roles at P-5, D-1 and D-2 levels (Sample Job Descriptions)
• Deputy Representative, Programme and Operations at D-1 level (Sample Job Descriptions)
• Headquarters (HQ) and Centres of Excellence (COE) Associate and Deputy Directors at D-1 or D-2 levels (Sample Job Descriptions)
• Technical positions at D-1 and D-2 levels 

Shortlisted applicants will participate in the UNICEF Leadership Assessment Centre, specifically designed to assess candidate readiness for UNICEF’s leadership roles.  The Assessment Centre evaluates participants against UNICEF’s competencies and key skills through a series of structured exercises that simulate the demands of senior leadership positions in UNICEF. By assessing candidates across multiple exercises and scenarios, the Assessment Centre provides a comprehensive and objective view of leadership capability and skills. 

Candidates who successfully pass the Assessment Centre will then undergo in-depth reference checks and a review of previous and most recent performance evaluations. Successful candidates will then be included in the LTG for consideration for future senior leadership opportunities across the organization. Members of the LTG are expected to serve in various leadership functions and locations, including hardship and non-family duty stations.

• Education: An advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in relevant fields such as Social Sciences, Economics, Development Studies, Public Administration, International Relations, Advocacy or Partnerships, or Business Management disciplines related to Supply, Operations, Human Resources, IT, and Communications. First level degree (bachelor or equivalent) may be considered with an additional two years of professional experience.
• Experience: Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant professional experience, with at least 5 years in leadership and managerial roles, with recent and successful team management experience. Strong performance results and team management experience from different contexts are desired.
• Languages: Fluency in English is required. For this call for applications and due to forecasted needs, candidates are also required to demonstrate fluency and/or proficiency in at least one of the following languages:  French,  Spanish and/or Arabic. Language fluency/proficiency will be assessed during the pre-selection process. In exceptional cases, strong intermediate knowledge may be accepted, when supported by evidence of sustained professional use and/or recognized language certification. Knowledge of another UN official language is considered an asset.

As UNICEF's leadership needs evolve across diverse contexts and over time, candidates with broad and versatile leadership experience, particularly with expertise in advocacy, communications, operations, information technology, and people and culture are encouraged to apply. Building a diverse talent pool across functional areas will help ensure UNICEF is well positioned to meet its current and future leadership needs.

We seek candidates with proven experience and skills in complex environments who embody UNICEF’s core values. In particular, we are looking for candidates who excel in the following key skills and capabilities:

• Leading People & Organizational Change – Ability to effectively lead and inspire diverse teams, foster collaboration, and manage organizational change.
• Vision, Strategy & Decision Making – Ability to set clear vision and strategic direction, anticipate emerging challenges, make sound decisions, balance risk and compliance, and design innovative strategies for global challenges.
• Strategic Communication & Advocacy – Ability to represent the organization, influence, advocate, and communicate effectively through clear, persuasive, and strategic engagement with diverse stakeholders.
• Agility, Adaptability & Resilience – Ability to navigate complexity, thrive under pressure, adjust to crises, and apply agile approaches to achieve results.
• Programme Management & Delivery Excellence – Ability to lead large-scale programmes, optimize resources, manage risks, strengthen partnerships and systems, and foster excellence in service delivery.
• Global & Cross-Regional Experience – Demonstrated ability to apply substantial global and cross-regional experience, integrating insights from diverse operational, cultural, and geopolitical contexts to strengthen strategic decision making and organizational effectiveness.
• Ethical Leadership- Ability to apply deep subject expertise, broad interdisciplinary knowledge, and uphold UNICEF’s ethical standards.
• Emergency & Humanitarian Leadership – Ability to deliver results in humanitarian and crisis settings, maintain operational continuity, and mobilize resources effectively.
• Strategic Partnerships & Resource Mobilization - Ability to cultivate and sustain strategic partnerships across governments, the UN system, civil society, donors, and the private sector, while identifying and securing resources through innovative financing and collaboration to maximize results for children.
• Development Expertise – Ability to address systemic development challenges while fostering sustainable community-level impact.
• Institutional Initiatives – Experience in strengthening UN coherence, drive reform, and advocate for institutional capacity development.

Given the anticipated volume of applications and the limited number of seats available (please refer to the next section Additional Information) in the Leadership Assessment Centre, meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee progression to the next stage. Additional consideration will be given to candidates with:

• Experience leading larger, diverse teams and complex operations including oversight of financial and human resources;
• Demonstrated ability to build inclusive, high-performing teams and foster a positive organizational culture;
• Strong track record of ensuring compliance, accountability, and effective internal controls in complex organizational environments;
• Strong understanding of governance, accountability frameworks, and organizational risk management;
• Experience managing organizational change, emergency responses, or high-risk operating contexts while maintaining business continuity and programme delivery;
• Substantial work in developing countries and humanitarian settings;
• Cross-regional and cross-functional experience;
• Political acumen with strong advocacy, external engagement, and proven resource mobilization skills;
• Recent performance evidence, including annual Performance Evaluations Reports may also be considered as part of the overall review;
• Additional UN languages - English, Russian, Chinese (in addition to French, Spanish and Arabic where we have highest projected needs).

Please note that participation in the UNICEF Leadership Assessment Centre is subject to limited availability. For this call and based on projected organizational needs, up to 25 seats are expected to be available. Candidates will be shortlisted based on the eligibility criteria outlined (qualifications, key skills and capabilities and additional criteria for shortlisting) above.

• Care 
• Respect 
• Integrity 
• Trust  
• Accountability 
• Sustainability  

• Builds and maintains partnerships.  
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness.  
• Drive to achieve results for impact.  
• Innovates and embraces change.  
• Manages ambiguity and complexity.  
• Think and act strategically.  
• Works collaboratively with others  
• Nurtures, leads, and manages people.  

To view our competency framework, please visit this page.  

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Advertised: 31 Aug 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 30 Sep 2026 Eastern Daylight Time

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