UNICEF

Children’s rights & humanitarian aid
Last updated:
January 6, 2026
Company details
HQ
New York, NY
HEADCOUNT
10000+
ORG TYPE
Government
SECTOR
Impact and NGOs
About the company
https://www.undp.org/careers/our-recruitment-process
Locations and presence
UNICEF is headquartered in New York and lists major global hubs including Geneva (private fundraising and partnerships), Copenhagen (Supply Division), Florence (Innocenti research centre), and Budapest (Global Shared Services Centre), plus seven regional offices (including Bangkok and Nairobi). Work setup varies by role and duty station, with internships sometimes available part-time or remotely and many staff roles tied to specific offices or field locations.
Palpable Score
71.6
/ 100
UNICEF offers real early-career entry through a paid internship programme and a Junior Professional Officer pathway, plus volunteer routes through UNV, but many “staff” roles still expect at least some prior experience. UNICEF is better than most large employers on publishing the hiring steps and assessment approach, and UNICEF also has visible learning infrastructure and career development resources. The score is held back by limited pay-range visibility in postings and by a lack of published early-career outcome metrics beyond a few programme-specific signals.
Pillar 1: Early-career access

Score

16.0
/ 20
  • The company runs a global Internship Programme for students and recent graduates, with internships typically lasting 6 to 26 weeks and advertised throughout the year.
  • UNICEF pays interns a stipend (and sometimes a travel or visa contribution) and allows some internships to be part-time or remote depending on the office and supervisor agreement.
  • The company offers a structured early-career pathway via the Junior Professional Officer programme (usually under 32, advanced degree, and at least two years of experience), plus volunteer placements through the UNV programme.

Pillar 2: Hiring fairness and transparency

Score

14.0
/ 20
  • The company publishes a clear “How we hire” flow (search, self-assess, apply, shortlisting, assessment, outcome notification) and flags that timelines can vary from days to months.
  • UNICEF provides candidate preparation guidance for assessments, including that shortlisted candidates may complete tests or exercises before references and other checks depending on level and context.
  • The company still shows a mixed predictability signal in candidate-reported timelines, with some roles involving multi-step processes and longer end-to-end cycles.

Pillar 3: Learning and support

Score

15.8
/ 20
  • The company publishes a professional and career development offering that includes career management workshops, 1:1 career coaching, and a career conversation toolkit.
  • UNICEF provides learning infrastructure through Agora (a global learning portal) and lists structured options like language programmes and a global management masterclass for first-time managers.
  • The company links early-career learning to real work through internships that commonly involve projects such as research, communications, and database management rather than observation-only placements.

Pillar 4: Pay fairness and stability

Score

13.8
/ 20
  • The company ties staff pay to UN-wide salary scales (with International Professional pay set through UN mechanisms and local salary scales for National Officer and General Service roles), which gives candidates a reference framework even when postings don’t show ranges.
  • UNICEF pays interns a stipend and states interns may receive a one-time contribution toward travel and visa costs when funding is available.
  • The company relies on a mix of contract types (fixed-term, temporary, and consultancy-style arrangements with cumulative duration limits), which can reduce stability for early-career entrants who land in non-staff contracts.

Pillar 5: Early-career outcomes

Score

12.0
/ 20
  • The company reports a concrete outcome for the Junior Professional Officer route, stating that on average one in two JPOs continue at UNICEF as regular staff after completing the assignment.
  • UNICEF has mixed external sentiment on progression, with overall reviews often positive on mission and benefits while “career opportunities” is weaker than other categories.
  • The company does not publish early-career metrics such as internship-to-offer rates, retention by cohort, or typical time-to-promotion across job families, so outcomes for graduates remain hard to predict.

Clear filters
Results
matched jobs
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.