Regional Chief of Programme & Planning (P-5), #00137930, TA, 7 months, Regional Services Division - Programme Section, Panama City -Panama, LACR

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.

The Regional Chief of Programme & Planning plays a critical role in ensuring that the UNICEF LAC Regional Office objectives are achieved. The incumbent ensures that the Regional and country-level plans are consistent with the objectives and priorities, particularly as they relate to ensuring that there are deliberate and costed efforts to achieve progress towards the achievement of results contained in the goals of the Strategic Plan and ROMP. The position also contributes to ensuring availability of and access to up-to-date, quality data across the Results Areas of the Strategic Plan and ROMP with high-quality monitoring and reporting. To aid in the process, the incumbent ensures that staff across the region are trained in Results-based Management and have the skills to manage results.

In full recognition of the fact that UNICEF cannot achieve these results on its own and, in full commitment to the UNDS reform, the incumbent seeks to ensure that UNICEF’s planning, monitoring and reporting are aligned and based on principles of collaboration and coherence.

The Regional Chief of Programme & Planning provides technical leadership, management advice, and programme support throughout the region and facilitates application and adaptation of UNICEF policies and strategies. Also, he/she provides UNICEF programmes with leadership including advice, vision, oversight, knowledge management, articulate policies and strategies, coordination of programme strategy and implementation, capacity building, support for planning, monitoring and knowledge management, representation, and strategic partnership creation.

The incumbent also oversees LACRO support to COs at key programming milestones and strengthening availability and quality of data for children. Reinforces UNICEF’s commitment to culture change as they relate to Results-based Management and Results-based Budgeting across the region with a focus on demonstrating results across the Results Areas. Leads technical expertise to COs in their efforts to collect, analyze and use data, including piloting the UNICEF Data for Children Strategy in priority countries.

1. Programme policies, strategies, and approaches for the region are developed and advocated for.
2. Strategy coordination to facilitate harmonization and implementation of the UNICEF Strategic Plan, Regional Headline Results and country strategies is formed in collaboration with management at country, regional, and HQ levels.
3. Up-to-date technical expertise is maintained, expanded, and is well disseminated throughout the Organization, and shared with the other Advisors and regional/national institutions.
4. Better evidence and data, in particular data sources that are sufficiently real-time and disaggregated to aid monitoring of Strategic Plan and Regional Headline Results and to decision-making are available and of quality.
5. The capacities of Country Office and Regional Office staff and national partners are strengthened and continually built through an effective capacity development programme, enabling them to progressively engage in and lead UNSDCF and country programme development, implementation, monitoring and reporting.
6. Strong innovative technical leadership is provided to the organization, enhancing the ability of Regional and Country Offices to expand, lead and deliver evidence-based programmes.
7. Effective engagement with regional UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes and leadership and active participation in regional mechanism are undertaken to enhance UNICEF’s positioning, contribution and influence on UN Reform agendas, processes and outcomes.
8. The Regional Knowledge Management Strategy is developed, coordinated, updated, implemented, and monitored to enhance UNICEF’s knowledge of what works.
9. Regional Mechanisms and Networks benefit from high quality technical and coordination support to enhance efficiency and effectives.
10. Emergency preparedness and response plans and monitoring frameworks are assessed and needs for emergency/humanitarian response are supported.
11. The Regional Office and the Planning, Monitoring and Knowledge Management Section are well managed. Deliberate efforts are made to forge pleasant and productive relationships and partnerships across the office to improve the overall work environment and foster a culture of care, kindness and respect.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  ToR_Regional Chief of Programme & Planning_P5 TA.pdf

• Education: A completed Advanced University Degree (Master or equivalent) in social sciences, or other disciplines of the specialized technical areas is required. 
• Work Experience: At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional work experience in all aspects of programme management, and/or advisory support, in the technical area or programme sector resulting in recognized expertise in the technical area is required.
• Skills: Knowledge, skills and leadership for managing teams, budgets and project execution.
  Knowledge of programme management, methodology and practical application. Knowledge of current theories and practices in research and programme strategy.
  Knowledge of United Nations, NGOs, or other international organizations.
  Knowledge of emergency response and preparedness programming.
  Knowledge of latest research and technical innovations in the areas of programme.
  Knowledge of computer systems, including internet navigation, office applications, network and communications.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

• Language: Proficiency in Spanish is considered an asset. Knowledge of Spanish, French and/or Portuguese is also considered an asset.
• Experience at the country level in programme planning, monitoring and reporting is a very strong asset.
• Thorough knowledge of UNICEF programme manual and relevant UNICEF publications is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of Rights-based and results-based management and programming approach in UNICEF is highly desirable
• Knowledge of UNICEF administrative and financial policy and guidelines is a strong asset.
• 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.

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.

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 female and male 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: 10 Jul 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 19 Jul 2026 Eastern Daylight Time

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