Special Representative, D-2, East Jerusalem, State of Palestine (SSRRE 2025-2026)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.  

And we never give up. 

For every child, dedication.

The Special Representative serves as the representative of UNICEF in the State of Palestine and reports to the Regional Director for general direction and oversight. The Special Representative is responsible for establishing dialogue with the Palestinian Government to develop and implement the framework of cooperation in the State of Palestine as part of the Area Programme Document (APD) for Palestinian children and for working closely and collaboratively with the Government and national institutions, stakeholders and partners, to develop the Government-UNICEF APD in active support of efforts to advance children’s rights as established under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, other international treaties/frameworks, the SDGs, and UN intergovernmental bodies. The Special Representative is also responsible for leading engagement with the Israeli Government who – due to the occupation context and protracted conflict – has responsibilities towards children in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

As Head of a large-size Office, the Special Representative is responsible for providing leadership and vision to the UNICEF Office in the State of Palestine team, which is now split into three locations and managing and leveraging resources for the achievement of results and realization of the rights of children. The Special Representative leads and oversees the various programme sectors and operations teams ensuring delivery of quality results in accordance with UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework, ethics and integrity. The Special Representative is accountable for upholding UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability, and ensuring the establishment and maintenance of a non-discriminatory, inclusive and nurturing working environment for all staff and personnel, to enable them to effectively and efficiently deliver high-quality results for children.

How can you make a difference?

The Special Representative’s key functions and accountabilities include:

• Developing and planning the Area Programme Document
• Leading and managing the State of Palestine Office to ensure value for money
• Monitoring and quality control of the APD
• Representation and external relations at global/regional and national level

• Delivering high quality results for children, including in a complex operating environment 
• Support to the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UN Country Team/Humanitarian Country Team to advance the UN Cooperation Framework and the Humanitarian Response Plan
• Leading resource mobilization efforts and nurturing and strengthening partnerships 

• Leading innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
• Safety, security and wellbeing of staff, programs and organizational assets

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

Qualifications:

• An Advanced University Degree in social sciences, international relations, government and public relations, public or social policy, sociology, social or community development or other related fields, is required.
• A minimum of 15 years of professional development experience that combines intellectual and managerial leadership in development cooperation at the international level, some of which served in developing countries is required. Relevant professional experience in any UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Experience working in complex and high threat environments is required, as is knowledge of both humanitarian and development action and a good command of international law and human rights.
• Oral and written proficiency in English is required. Fluency in Arabic is highly desirable. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.

Person Profile:

Previous experience as a Representative with excellent people skills and in-depth knowledge of humanitarian affairs. You should have the capacity to work at a senior level, manage a  large office in a war setting for Gaza and in the West Bank classified as middle/high income setting. You should excel in working in complex political settings and sensitive negotiations. In particular, the individual must have:

• Excellent representational and communication skills with judgment and capacity to ensure bo