Requirements for the International Professional staff category
International Professional (IP) staff are recruited internationally and serve in all duty station globally.
Requirements for the International Professional staff category
International Professional (IP) staff are recruited internationally and serve in all duty station globally. They hold leadership, managerial or specialist functions which require a level of technical expertise. Senior staff or Director level positions are also part of this category.
Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and may not be fully updated. *
Education
International professionals are normally required to have an advanced university degree in a field relevant to the work of UNICEF. In some cases, extensive qualifying work experience may be considered instead. Please be sure to check the academic requirements of the vacancy announcement you are interested in.
Degree Accreditation
For employment consideration, UNICEF will accept only university degrees that satisfy the required level of education and come from bona fide (accredited) academic institutions. Degrees requiring little or no actual course work, degrees awarded for payment of fees only, and degrees granting substantial credits for ”lifetime achievements” or “life/work experience” will not be recognized by UNICEF.
UNICEF’s degree accreditation is guided by the International Association of Universities’ (IAU) listing of higher education institutions recognized or otherwise approved by competent authorities in participating countries. UNICEF will normally recognize only degrees obtained from institutions on the IAU list, however, the validity of other degrees submitted by applicants under consideration may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Incomplete degrees are not accepted as proof of academic qualification, regardless of whether or not they are associated with a recognized higher education institution.
Work Experience
The work experience should be relevant to the position and to the work of UNICEF. Working experience in developing countries, in the field of development work, in an international or emergency setting is important. Each position will have job-specific requirements including technical knowledge and skills. It is important to carefully read the requirements of the vacancy announcement you might be interested in.
Within the IP category there are different levels of staff, each with a required minimum number of years of relevant professional work experience.
- P-1: One year of relevant professional work experience
- P-2: Two years of relevant professional work experience
- P-3: Five years of relevant professional work experience
- P-4: Eight years of relevant professional work experience
- P-5: Ten years of relevant professional work experience
- D-1: Twelve to thirteen years of relevant professional work experience
- D-2: Over fifteen years of relevant professional work experience
Language
Proficiency in English and in another Official UN working language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is required. Knowledge of the local language of the country where the position is located in is an asset.
Mobility
A dynamic, global and versatile workforce is a fundamental requirement for UNICEF to fulfill its mandate worldwide and to meet evolving operational needs. Therefore, UNICEF International Professional Staff are expected to rotate frequently and work in various regions and settings, including emergencies.
Mobility benefits individual staff members – enabling them to share what they’ve learned and to develop new skills that can enrich their UNICEF careers. Mobility is also good for every part of UNICEF – building a stronger, more versatile international workforce that can adapt to different contexts and respond to needs more effectively. And so, mobility benefits the children we serve, increasing our ability to deliver on our mission.
Duration of Assignments of International Professional Fixed Term Appointments
The period an International Professional staff member is normally expected to serve in a duty station is based on the mobility and hardship classification of the duty station, which is established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) according to prevailing living conditions. The tours of duty under the hardship classification are:
- H (Headquarters) and A duty stations five (5) years
- B duty stations four (4) years
- C and D duty stations three (3) years
- E duty stations two (2) years
You can find out about the current hardship classification of the duty station you are serving in by viewing the Consolidated List of Entitlements Circular available on the mobility and hardship section of the ICSC website at icsc.un.org.
In terms of eligibility requirements to be considered for another post within UNICEF, staff members can apply to GVAs anytime, and to specific vacancies towards the end of their tour of duty, depending on the hardship classification of their duty station and staff category.
Permanent residence status (currently under review and pending a General Assembly decision)
A person who has permanent residence status in a country other than that of his/her own nationality may be required by the General Assembly to relinquish such permanent residence status in order to be eligible for UNICEF appointment to the Professional and higher categories of staff and/or as a condition for any extension or renewal of such appointment.