CHIEF FIELD OFFICER AT UNICEF | CHIEF FIELD OFFICER JOBS IN KANO

About Company:

UNICEF contributes to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria with a mandate to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF’s Nigeria country programme.

Job Description:

The Chief of Field Office (CFO) in Kano is a high-level leadership role responsible for driving transformative results for children within the Area of Responsibility (AoR). You will lead a multidisciplinary team to deliver risk-informed, solution-focused services across both developmental and humanitarian contexts. As the senior representative of UNICEF in Kano, you will anchor your leadership in five strategic pillars: Valuing People, Valuing Money, Valuing Risk Management, Valuing Systems and Structures, and Valuing Partners. The role demands a strategic architect capable of balancing long-term social policy goals with the urgent demands of emergency response, all while safeguarding UNICEF’s reputation and resources.

Requirements:

1. Strategic Programme Management & Results

• Rights-Based Programming: Ensure a Rights-Based and Results-Based Management (RBM) approach is embedded in every phase of the programme lifecycle.

• Situation Analysis: Lead the preparation and continuous update of situation analyses to identify critical intervention points for children.

• Evidence-Based Decision Making: Utilize gender-disaggregated data and robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks to pivot strategies and improve programme performance.

2. Operational Excellence & Risk Governance

• Resource Optimization: Ensure the "Value for Money" principle is applied, ensuring that programme funds are utilized optimally and transparently.

• Asset & Staff Stewardship: Effectively manage UNICEF’s physical presence, assets, and human resources within the Kano field office.

• Internal Control Framework: Proactively identify, mitigate, and monitor significant risks (reputational, financial, and operational) to ensure continuity of operations in volatile environments.

3. Partnership, Advocacy & Policy Influence

• Institutional Capacity Building: Strengthen the commitment and technical capacities of national and local partners to ensure sustainable development.

• Strategic Advocacy: Elevate UNICEF’s credibility in policy debates by incorporating rights perspectives into community, national, and international discourse.

• Network Coordination: Maintain high-level collaboration with UN agencies, government stakeholders, and NGOs for technical cooperation and information sharing.

Qualifications and Skills:

Education

• Advanced University Degree (Master’s or higher): Required in Social Sciences, International Relations, Public Administration, Social Policy, Sociology, or a related technical field.

Professional Experience

• Tenure: A minimum of ten (10) years of professional work experience in programme management, planning, M&E, or project administration.

• Leadership: Proven capability in leading large teams and managing diverse stakeholder groups in multi-stakeholder partnerships.

• Contextual Expertise: Significant experience in Humanitarian and Emergency settings is strongly desired.

• UN System: Prior experience within a UN agency or international organization is considered a significant asset.

Core Competencies

• Strategic & Innovative Thinking: Ability to take calculated risks and provide visionary leadership.

• Humanitarian-Development Nexus: Capability to strengthen long-term development goals without neglecting immediate humanitarian demands.

• Risk Intelligence: Expert ability to assess and mitigate risks that could harm organizational mission and reputation.

Salary

Application Closing Date: 04th February, 2026

Application Instructions:

Interested and qualified? Go to UNICEF on jobs.unicef.org to apply