Latest Plans for Post Relocations and Reductions

Dear Colleagues, 

I am pleased to share the decisions regarding the relocation of fixed-term (FT) posts to lower-cost duty stations.   

Relocation is a key component of our Future Focus Initiative (FFI), aimed at bringing teams closer to the children we serve through our programmes and country operations, enhancing efficiencies and realizing cost savings over the next quadrennium (2026-2029) and beyond. 

Relocations of FT posts from New York and Geneva  

• PFP: 95 percent of posts relocated with the majority in Rome.  
• DAPM:100 percent of posts will be relocated to Florence in line with the consolidation of DAPM and GoRAF to the new Office of Strategy and Evidence. 
• DPC: 89 percent of posts relocated with the majority in Budapest and Istanbul. 
• DGCA: 75 percent of posts relocated with the majority in Rome and Valencia. 
• Evaluation Office: 100 percent of posts to be relocated to Rome.  
• EMOPS: 59 percent of posts relocated with the majority in Rome. 
• OIAI: 63 percent of posts relocated in Budapest and Nairobi. 
• PPD: 68 percent of posts relocated with the majority in Brussels and Washington, D.C. 
• PG: 76 percent of remaining non-CoE posts relocated with the majority in Nairobi and Amman. 
• Legal Team/OED: 33 percent of posts relocated with the majority in Brussels and Rome. 
• Ethics Office: 40 percent of posts relocated to Istanbul.  
• DFAM: 58 percent of posts relocated to Brussels in line with functional needs. 

 Please note that most of the above divisions/offices have a small number of fixed-term posts outposted to other locations based on functional need. 

The estimated financial savings accrued from the above relocation is over USD 42 million in core resources for the quadrennium. Further savings are expected from Other Resources and will be quantified once the PBR data analysis is finalized.  It is important to note that the savings are also contingent on the timeframe of the relocations.  

Following the PBRs, additional consultations were held to assess location readiness, including the formalization of UNICEF's presence in existing UNICEF locations and the consideration of new office sites.  

As a result of the various PBR decisions, UNICEF's largest HQ/RO presence, as of 2026, will be Nairobi, followed by Budapest, Copenhagen, New York, Amman, Rome, and Bangkok.  

Next Steps 

The timeframe for relocation is January to June 2026, noting that movements will be staggered and in line with PBR-approved relocation dates, office readiness, and confirmation of appropriate host country arrangements in line with UNICEF's policy framework.  Staff in a position to relocate earlier than the PBR-approved date are encouraged to do so. Special measures, such as working arrangements from alternate locations, may be applied as needed to ensure we can continue to support programmes and operations. 

In addition, plans to operationalize the Centers of Excellence (CoEs) by January 2026 remain on track.  Senior staff assigned to the CoEs are encouraged to relocate ahead of January 2026 to support a smooth transition and the establishment of the COEs. 

As during previous relocation exercises, measures will be available to assist colleagues and offices through the planning and implementation of the relocations. This includes: 

  

1. Staff Support 

• Existing location-specific working groups (e.g., Brussels, Florence, Nairobi, Valencia) will continue to convene. New sub-groups will be established for the CoEs and additional locations to guide and oversee planning and implementation of relocations and ensure operational readiness across HR, administration, finance, and IT infrastructure. Location sub-groups will have representation from the releasing and receiving locations as well as the Staff Support Unit and Staff Association Representatives. 
• Please refer to the FAQ on Staff Relocation for more information and resources. 

 

2. Deferment  

• There are three reasons that may merit deferment of the PBR-approved staff relocation, in line with the FFI Staff Support Strategy, to be approved by the Division/Office Director:  

(1) Medical reasons if approved by the UN Division of Healthcare Management and Occupational Safety and Health (DHMOSH);  

(2) Education grounds for recognized dependents in their final year of education before entering university (2025-2026);  

(3) Staff approaching mandatory age of separation (65 years) and not able to complete two years in the new duty station from the effective date of relocation.  

• Exceptional requests (outside of the three reasons above) are to be submitted to Director, DPC for review on a case-by-case basis.  
• Difference in costs for approved deferments will be absorbed within division/offices budgets.   
• You will find here the process to apply for deferment based on these reasons. 

 

3. Office Readiness and Movement Tracking 

• Regular updates will be shared with Divisions/Offices on office readiness. 
• Offices should continue using the Fiori Outposting Tracker (requires user access) and Realignment Form which serve as planning tools to give notice to hosting offices on staff moving to the duty station. This ensures transparency, accountability and timely implementation. 
• If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Fiori Outposting Tracker Team onOutpostingTracker_Support@unicef.org or on SharePoint. The relocation dashboard can be accessed here. 

 

4. Information Sharing and Communication  

• A Global Conversation on Relocation is planned to share updates, address questions and highlight support measures.  
• Regular updates from the location subgroups will be provided to the FFI Reference Group. 

A kind reminder that Division and Office Directors are accountable for engaging with their staff on proposed changes, including the relocation of their respective divisions and teams, and communicating final decisions. Please ensure this information reaches all colleagues in your respective offices.