UNAIDS is leading the global effort to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. The only cosponsored Joint Programme in the UN system, UNAIDS draws on the expertise of eleven United Nations System Cosponsors. UNAIDS provides strategic direction, advocacy, coordination and technical support to catalyse and connect leadership from governments, private sector and communities. We place people living with HIV and people affected by the virus at the decision-making table. 

We are now inviting applications from strongly motivated, seasoned professionals with an outstanding track record in the HIV response or related public health programmes to expand the UNAIDS Country Director (UCD) pool at the P5 and D1 levels. This is an exciting opportunity to lead initiatives on scaling up of HIV services for those most affected by the epidemic; strengthen the capacities of communities and their meaningful engagement in health, social protection and human rights mechanisms; and provide intellectual leadership to guide policy decisions and integration of HIV and AIDS into wider Universal Health Coverage and country development challenges. Applicants must have very good command of English, and of another language amongst the following: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese or Arabic.

Candidates must apply through the UNAIDS e-recruitment system and provide electronically all documentation required by 4 October. Shortlisted candidates will participate in the UCD Assessment Centre which will be held on 5 and 6 December in Istanbul, Turkey.  Successful candidates will be admitted to the UCD pool and will subsequently be eligible to express interest in available UCD positions for a maximum period of five years. The first batch of UCD available positions is planned to be published soon after the UCD Assessment Center. Selection for a specific UCD position may include interview with a UNAIDS panel. The selected candidate will be offered a two-year fixed-term contract, subject to a one-year probationary period and renewable under certain conditions. UNAIDS is open to consider the secondment or loan of the selected candidate from other organizations.

UNAIDS does not have a geographic quota system. We are, however, dedicated to ensuring different aspects of diversity within our workforce and management. UNAIDS encourages applications from qualified women. We also welcome applications from qualified people living with or affected by HIV.