Chief Field Office
Organizational Context
UNICEF operates in over 190 countries, dedicated to saving children's lives, defending their rights, and helping them fulfill their potential from early childhood through adolescence. We are committed, passionate, and proud of our work, driven by a calling to promote the rights of every child.
Job Purpose
The Chief Field Office (CFO) in Bunia, reporting to the Chief Field Operations, is accountable for managing and leading the total programme commitment of the field office within the country programme. This role involves representing UNICEF in Bunia, leading and overseeing various program sectors and operational service teams to ensure the delivery of quality results aligned with UNICEF’s cooperation programme, country programme management plan, and the Representative's vision. The position operates in a complex, multi-hazard emergency environment characterized by armed violence, displacement, protection risks, disease outbreaks, limited access, mistrust, and disrupted essential services. The CFO provides area-based leadership for UNICEF’s response across Ituri and supports operational coherence with adjacent areas.
Responsibilities
The Chief Field Office (CFO) is responsible for the effective management of UNICEF's presence, staff, and assets in the field office. This includes ensuring knowledge management for programmes, leading programme development and management, and ensuring the optimum use of program funds. The role involves overseeing programme monitoring and evaluations, applying a rights-based and results-based programme management approach, and focusing on national and local capacity building for sustainability. The CFO advocates for children's rights at national, community, and family levels, fostering strong partnerships, coordination, and collaboration with stakeholders. Key accountabilities also include managing humanitarian response in complex emergencies, ensuring security risk-informed programme management, and leading inter-agency coordination and emergency operations, with a strong emphasis on staff duty of care. The position requires navigating humanitarian access challenges, conflict sensitivity, and civil-military coordination.
Work Experience
At least 8 years of relevant work experience in programme management, planning, monitoring and evaluation, project administration, or another relevant area is required. Substantial experience leading humanitarian response in complex emergencies, including conflict-affected and public-health emergency settings, is required.
Skills
Rights-based and Results-based approach and programming in UNICEF, UNICEF programme policy, procedures and guidelines, Methodology of programme/project management, UNICEF programmatic goals, visions, positions, policies and strategies, Global human rights issues, specifically relating to children and women, UNICEF policies and strategy to address national and international issues, UNICEF emergency programme policies, goals, strategies and approaches, Gender equality and diversity awareness, Humanitarian access analysis and negotiation, Conflict sensitivity, Do-no-harm principles, Civil-military coordination