About UNICEF: Employment

New and Emerging Talent Initiative (NETI)

© UNICEF/08-0141/Pirozzi

Three boys read, sharing a desk in the compulsory school in the village of Tomin, Albania

What is NETI?

The New and Emerging Talent Initiative (NETI) is an entry point for external professionals interested in an international career with UNICEF. As part of UNICEF’s global talent management strategy to achieve its current and future goals, NETI focuses on attracting, selecting, developing and retaining new external talent from entry to mid-career levels to grow and to develop in the organisation. NETI participants will work actively in a multicultural environment within the development and humanitarian arenas, while contributing to delivering results for children.

Program structure
NETI participants are given a one-year work appointment that starts with a one-week orientation and induction course at UNICEF New York Headquarters (NYHQ), followed by a two-month assignment in a NYHQ division, based on each participant’s profile.  Participants are then deployed globally to a duty station for the remaining 10-month period. Participants are reviewed throughout the year and are considered for regular positions with UNICEF on the basis of merit and performance.

Interested candidates must share the United Nations values and ideals, be able to listen to and understand the ideas and concerns of the people we serve, and be able to communicate and work strategically and effectively with others to achieve results. Additionally, it is critical for candidates to be geographically mobile and willing to serve in hardship duty stations.

For more information about candidates' eligibility and programme requirements, as well as the NETI competencies and the functional areas of need for the NETI Programme, please click on the corresponding sections on the left tool bar.

Special Features of the NETI Programme

Learning and Development Activities
NETI participants have the opportunity to go through a special development and learning path. The NETI Programme begins with a one-week orientation and induction. As part of the two-month work assignment at UNICEF NYHQ, participants also take part in weekly learning sessions to further build their organizational orientation process.

In addition, a personal coaching programme to develop each participant’s UNICEF competencies as well as a variety of other learning resources are available to strengthen his/her skills and knowledge. Under the NETI Programme mentoring scheme, participants have the opportunity to choose a mentor - a more experienced UNICEF staff member - who will be available to provide confidential advice and organisational support.

Participants’ learning is monitored closely to ensure that they are exposed to opportunities that will facilitate their career development.

Programme Assessment Process
Merit and performance are the key features of the NETI Programme. A rigorous and continued assessment process takes place throughout the one year appointment. An initial 2-month assessment occurs upon completion of the assignment at NYHQ. A second assessment is conducted upon completion of 6 months in the assigned field duty station. The final corporate review process includes a comprehensive performance evaluation where a corporate review panel, comprised of Senior Management, reviews participants’ overall performance in the programme and determines their suitability for retention as regular staff or, where necessary, separation from the NETI Programme.