Chief Field Office, NO-3, (FT), #138712, Mexico City Zone Office –Mexico, 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.

For every child, the right to a Calling

The Mexico City Zone Office covers Mexico City, the State of Mexico, Puebla and Guerrero and serves as UNICEF Mexico’s strategic platform for engagement in the Central region under the One Office approach. The office combines programmatic support, strategic partnerships, advocacy, visibility, resource mobilization and territorial coordination to advance sustainable results for children at the subnational level.  

The region offers unique opportunities to influence the design and implementation of child-centred policies and programmes at the state level and to promote the adoption of successful subnational experiences at the federal level. The office works closely with state and municipal authorities, academia, civil society, local media and private-sector partners to strengthen policy dialogue, build strategic alliances, enhance visibility and position children’s rights more prominently in public decision-making processes.  

For more information related to the work of our office in Mexico, please visit our website: UNICEF Mexico, our commitments for a six‑year term for children: A good six-year term for children: Un buen sexenio para la niñez or read our Annual Report 2024 - UNICEF México.  

How can you make a difference?

Under the guidance of the UNICEF Representative in Mexico, you will lead UNICEF’s presence and programme commitment in the Central Region. You will represent UNICEF with state-level counterparts in Mexico City, the State of Mexico, Puebla and Guerrero and ensure that programme, partnership, fundraising, communications, operational and security efforts come together coherently to deliver results for children. 

Key functions/accountabilities include:
1. Effective management of UNICEF presence, staff and assets
2. Knowledge Management for Programmes
3. Programme Development and Management
4. Optimum Use of Program Funds
5. Programme Monitoring and Evaluations
6. Rights-Based and Results-Based Programme Management Approach
7. National and Local Capacity Building/Sustainability
8. Rights Perspective and Advocacy at the National, Community and Family Levels
9. Partnership, Coordination and Collaboration

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  job description- Chief Field Office (NO-3) - CDMX.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education: A completed Advanced University Degree (Master's or equivalent) in one of the following fields is required: Social Sciences, International Studies, International Relations, Public Administration, Public Relations, Communication, Sociology, Social Services, Development Studies, or any other related fields. 
  A completed first level university degree (Bachelor or equivalent) in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• Work Experience: A minimum of 5 years of professional work experience in programme management, planning, monitoring and evaluation, or another relevant area is required.
  Experience working in or closely with fundraising, advocacy and communication, or partnerships is required.
  Supervisory experience is required. 
• Skills: Ability to manage field operations is required. 
  Strong skills in partnership management, policy analysis, and capacity building, with the ability to foster strategic collaborations, influence policy decisions is required.
• Language Requirements: Proficiency in Spanish and English are required.

Desirables:

• Experience working with fundraising, advocacy and communication, or partnerships with stakeholders in the Central Region of Mexico is desired. 
• Relevant experience in the UN system is considered an asset. 
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is an asset. 
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. 

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(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.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children's data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

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, discrimination, fraud, corruption and other forms of serious misconduct.

UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference, safeguarding and background verification checks. These checks may include verification of academic credentials and employment history, screening against relevant United Nations misconduct databases, and requests for misconduct disclosures from current and former employers, professional associations, other relevant organizations and participating organizations under inter-agency safeguarding initiatives, including the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), where applicable.

Appointment, selection and continued engagement are subject to the satisfactory completion of all required checks. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information and consent to enable UNICEF to undertake these checks.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 are conditional on the selected candidates' willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

Remarks:

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 with indigenous background 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.

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.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

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 Nov 2026 Central Standard Time (Mexico)
Applications close: 17 Nov 2026 Central Standard Time (Mexico)

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