Editor’s Note:
The article is excerpted and adapted from Professor Zhang Minxuan’s book International organizations and educational development, pages 111-146.
For the preceding parts, please refer to the following articles: IO Wiki｜UNESCO Headquarters and Field Network、IO Wiki | UNESCO: The Director-General and the Assistant Director-General for Education
Job Categories at UNESCO
According to UNESCO's Careers page, staff personnel are grouped into five main categories.
·Professional Staff
The Professional Staffcategory includes International Professionals and National Professionals. Both are required to have specialized expertise and professional experience and typically serve in expert or managerial rolesin UNESCO. International Professionals are recruited internationally and may work in UNESCO offices around the world. While National Professionals are recruited locally and work in their home countries, where their knowledge of national policiesand social contexts helps UNESCO respond effectively to local needs.
·General Service Staff
The General Service Staffcategory providesadministrative, secretarial, technical, and operational support to ensure the smooth functioning of UNESCO offices. Different grades are associated with differenteducation and work experience requirements.
The education and work experience requirements for General Service Staff
(source: https://www.unesco.org/en/careers/job-categories?hub=132389)
·Young Professionals
UNESCO offers opportunities for young professionals through the Young Professionals Programme (YPP) and the Junior Professional Officer/Assistant Expert (JPO/AE) Programme. Neither programme requires extensive professional experience.
The application requirements for YPP Programs
The application requirements for JPO Programs
(source: https://www.unesco.org/en/careers/talent-programmes?hub=132389)
·Internship Programme
Candidates with relevant work experience, a master’s or doctoral degree, strong language skills in English or French, and proficiency in communication, information, and digital technologies are generally more competitive.
·Consultant
UNESCO consultants are usually engaged on a short-term basis to provide specialized expertise or support specific projects. Relevant professional experience and strong teamwork skills are generally expected.
What UNESCO Looks for in Candidates?
·Language and communication skills
UNESCO staff are expected to have strong language skills. Proficiency in English or French is often required, while knowledge of additional languages such as Spanish can be an advantage. Staff are also encouraged to develop competence in other languages depending on project needs. Meanwhile, effective communication skills are equally important for working in multicultural teams.
·International Understanding and Respect For Diversity
As a UNESO staff member, a global perspective and respect for cultural diversity are essential qualities for working with colleagues and partners from different cultural, linguistic, and social backgrounds.
·Professional Knowledge and Skills
As issues in global education, science and culture are getting increasingly complex, UNESCO relies on more staff with strong professional expertise in specific fields to coordinate and solve problems. Therefore, keeping up with developments in one's area of work is essential for contributing effectively to UNESCO.
·Relevant Professional Experience
Relevant professional experience is one of the key factors considered in recruitment by international organizations. According to theICSC Global Staff Survey on Conditions ofService 2023, more than 90% of staff had prior work experience before entering the UNSystem, and 19.4% had previously worked forother international organizations.
Types of institutions respondents had worked for before entering the UNsystem
Editor | XU Jianan
