UNICEF is consolidating three operational functions — recruitment administration, individual consultant contracting, and regional/HQ travel services — into its Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) to cut costs, standardize processes, and free Country Offices to focus on program delivery and advocacy. The move is positioned as essential in a constrained funding environment and aims to reduce local transactional work, strengthen compliance, and improve consistency in hiring and consultant contracting. Implementation in Eastern and Southern Africa is planned for February 2026, guided by a regional implementation group and supported by ongoing communication, live sessions, and SharePoint resources.
From: Etleva Kadilli <ekadilli@unicef.org>
Subject: ESAR roll-out: GSSC's New Global Business Services
Date: 29 October 2025 at 05:25:18 GMT-5
Dear colleagues,
As UNICEF continues to adapt to a challenging funding environment, the organization is taking important steps to streamline the way we deliver operations to best support our mission. To ensure UNICEF remains efficient and able to sustain its programmatic impact and presence for children and communities everywhere, three new Global Business Services will be consolidated with the Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC): Recruitment Administrative Services (RAS), Individual Consultant Contracting Services (ICCS), and Travel Services for Regional Offices and HQ divisions.
Why this is important for Country Offices
For UNICEF Country Offices to focus their time and skillsets on what matters most, i.e., delivering results for children through strategic advocacy and programmatic work, it is essential to simplify and reduce local transactional processes.
RAS champions UNICEF's commitment to being an employer of choice by supporting fair, transparent, and timely recruitment. Through a centralized and standardized approach, RAS enhances consistency and integrity and reduces risk with a continuous improvement approach in support of improving hiring outcomes across the organization.
ICCS streamlines the administrative side of engaging individual consultants, allowing offices to focus on selection and performance. By centralizing and standardizing the contracting process, ICCS boosts compliance and reduces both risks and costs to the organization.
ESAR Implementation Group
To support the transition, an Implementation Group, composed of Country Office and Regional Office HR and Operations staff has been established, co-chaired by Jeremy Hopkins and Bettina Hasel, partnering with the GSSC, policy owners in the Divisions and each country office to ensure smooth transitions and context-specific support.
Transition timeline
The planned transition for offices in Eastern and South Africa is scheduled for February 2026. The GSSC has started rolling out the services gradually to various HQ Divisions and regions and is incorporating feedback for continuous improvements.
Resources for Support
For more information on each service, colleagues are encouraged to visit the new Global Business Services SharePoint site, which will provide regular updates on the transition. You may also contact Bettina Hasel for questions related to RAS and ICCS, and Agharazi Dadashev for Travel.
In addition, in the coming months, GSSC and the ESAR implementation team will host a series of live sessions to keep everyone informed, address questions, and share experiences as we move through this change together.
We look forward to a successful transition, and we thank you for your continued engagement and dedication.
Best regards,
Etleva Kadilli
Regional Director, ESARO
Mark Beatty
Director, Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC)
Subject: ESAR roll-out: GSSC's New Global Business Services
Date: 29 October 2025 at 05:25:18 GMT-5
Dear colleagues,
As UNICEF continues to adapt to a challenging funding environment, the organization is taking important steps to streamline the way we deliver operations to best support our mission. To ensure UNICEF remains efficient and able to sustain its programmatic impact and presence for children and communities everywhere, three new Global Business Services will be consolidated with the Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC): Recruitment Administrative Services (RAS), Individual Consultant Contracting Services (ICCS), and Travel Services for Regional Offices and HQ divisions.
Why this is important for Country Offices
For UNICEF Country Offices to focus their time and skillsets on what matters most, i.e., delivering results for children through strategic advocacy and programmatic work, it is essential to simplify and reduce local transactional processes.
RAS champions UNICEF's commitment to being an employer of choice by supporting fair, transparent, and timely recruitment. Through a centralized and standardized approach, RAS enhances consistency and integrity and reduces risk with a continuous improvement approach in support of improving hiring outcomes across the organization.
ICCS streamlines the administrative side of engaging individual consultants, allowing offices to focus on selection and performance. By centralizing and standardizing the contracting process, ICCS boosts compliance and reduces both risks and costs to the organization.
ESAR Implementation Group
To support the transition, an Implementation Group, composed of Country Office and Regional Office HR and Operations staff has been established, co-chaired by Jeremy Hopkins and Bettina Hasel, partnering with the GSSC, policy owners in the Divisions and each country office to ensure smooth transitions and context-specific support.
Transition timeline
The planned transition for offices in Eastern and South Africa is scheduled for February 2026. The GSSC has started rolling out the services gradually to various HQ Divisions and regions and is incorporating feedback for continuous improvements.
Resources for Support
For more information on each service, colleagues are encouraged to visit the new Global Business Services SharePoint site, which will provide regular updates on the transition. You may also contact Bettina Hasel for questions related to RAS and ICCS, and Agharazi Dadashev for Travel.
In addition, in the coming months, GSSC and the ESAR implementation team will host a series of live sessions to keep everyone informed, address questions, and share experiences as we move through this change together.
We look forward to a successful transition, and we thank you for your continued engagement and dedication.
Best regards,
Etleva Kadilli
Regional Director, ESARO
Mark Beatty
Director, Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC)
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