Programme Support Officer at UNICEF Tanzania

Host Entity: UNICEF
Recruitment Type: Competitive recruitment
Advertisement End Date: 15/10/2026, 03:00

Assignment Overview

• Assignment Title: Programme Support Officer
• Assignment Country: United Republic of Tanzania
• Duty Station: Dar es Salaam
• Work Location: On UN premises
• Expected Start Date: 01/11/2026
• Duration: 6 months (with possibility of extension)
• Benefits: Long-term benefits and allowances
• Sustainable Development Goal: 4. Quality education
• Modality: Onsite
• Type: National
• Volunteer Category: Expert UCoS from Apr2026
• Work Schedule: Full-time
• Term: Long-term
• Number of Assignments: 1
• Supervision: Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Representative Programme, and others as relevant

Mission and Objectives

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and Governments.

Context

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does, in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children's rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life, in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions, her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society's most disadvantaged citizens, addressing inequity, not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Task Description

UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the impact of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day).
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
• Build relationships with a wide range of Youth Organizations, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to support and/or participate in community-driven voluntary activities; reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking; raise awareness in communities that will increase knowledge of issues pertaining to the UNV programme's mandate and its role in supporting the Mission mandate.
• Encourage, mobilize and support co-workers and fellow UN Volunteers to better understand the connections between the UNV programme's engagement within the Mission and voluntary action.
• Contribute articles, write-ups and stories on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications, websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Key Tasks

Under the overall supervision of the Deputy Representative Programme, and others as relevant, the national UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Maintain the Deputy Representative's calendar and arrange meetings.
• Take minutes of meetings, ensuring accuracy, attention to detail and coherence.
• Support the preparation of comprehensive briefing packages for donor and partner engagements, as well as high-level events, including supporting content creation and photography.
• Support in reviewing, copyediting, and refining donor reports, project proposals, and concept notes to ensure high overall quality, coherence, and strict adherence to UNICEF branding, style, and messaging guidelines.
• Draft clear and well-structured communication to share reports, briefs, and knowledge products for internal and external use.
• Maintain and update the internal funding pipeline using Excel trackers.
• Generate regular reports, dashboards, and presentations on key performance indicators and donor reporting.
• Support the application of digital and AI tools for synthesizing complex data and creating actionable insights for statutory reports, dashboards, and presentations on key performance indicators.
• Contribute to grants management, monitor their expiry, and support reprogramming or extension processes.
• Facilitate generating funds utilization reports to track expenditures and commitments.
• Use AI, automation tools, and digital platforms to streamline repetitive tasks, such as data analysis and report generation.
• Serve as a resource for digital platforms (e.g., SAP, Service Gateway, Power BI, SharePoint) within the section.
• Maintain effective document repository systems and SharePoint for digital and physical programme documentation.

Additional UN Volunteer Requirements

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD).
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities.
• Contribute articles and write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications, websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers.
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 to 80
• Required Experience: 7 years
• Nationality: Candidate must be a national, legal resident or hold refugee status in the country of assignment.

Assignment Requirements

• Relevant Experience: 7 years

Languages

• English: Fluent, Required
• Swahili: Fluent, Desirable

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Development Studies, International Relations, Data Science, or a related field is an asset.

Note on Education: The source lists this under "Required education level" but describes the degree as "an asset." The Skills and Experience section also states that university graduates are preferred and those with some university will be considered. Both statements are kept as provided.

Competencies and Values

• Integrity and professionalism: Demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.
• Accountability: Mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations.
• Commitment to continuous learning: Initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
• Planning and organizing: Effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects and activities.
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: Ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working.
• Communication: Proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups.
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

Skills and Experience

Experience in programme support, project management, resource mobilization, grant management, or donor reporting within the UN system, international organizations, or non-profit sectors.

• Demonstrated experience in donor reporting, grant management, and resource mobilization processes.
• Proficiency in enterprise resource planning systems (e.g., SAP) and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, SharePoint).
• Familiarity with digital productivity tools, AI-driven data synthesis, and automation platforms, and photography and design.
• Fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of the local language or another UN official language is an asset.
• Communication, teamwork, planning and organizing, accountability, and adaptability. Good interpersonal, networking and communication skills.
• Willingness to contribute and work as part of a team.
• Flexible and open to learning and new experiences.
• Respect for diversity and adaptability to other cultures, environments and living conditions.
• Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture (i.e., studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded.
• University graduates are preferred; those with some university will be considered.

Area(s) of Expertise

Community development, Education, Data science, Information management, Artificial Intelligence

Driving License

Not provided.

Other Information

Volunteerism is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken of free will, for the general public good, for which monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.

Living Conditions and Remarks

Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's most important city for both business and government. The city contains high concentrations of trade and other services and manufacturing compared to other parts of Tanzania, which has about 80 percent of its population in rural areas. Downtown includes many small businesses, many of which are run by traders and proprietors whose families originated from the Middle East and Indian sub-continent, areas of the world with which the settlements of the Tanzanian coast have had long-standing trading relations.

Inclusivity Statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person's race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Reasonable Accommodation

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

Note on Covid-19 Vaccination Requirements

In addition to duty station-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.

Scam Warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting

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How to Apply

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• Deadline: 15/10/2026, 03:00