So, you are from a developing country and want to be a JPO?

Basically, a JPO is a Junior Professional Officer. Within the UN system, the overall goal of the JPO Programme is to enhance humanitarian aid coordination and development work. IRIN has two JPOs working in our Johannesburg and Nairobi offices. JPOs are usually sponsored by their respective governments.

First things first

Here is what you need to know.

Different agencies call JPOs different things - associate experts, associate professional officers - it’s all the same thing.

Candidates for the JPO Programme are selected on a highly competitive basis. You cannot be a JPO if you are older than 32.

You need at least a master's degree (or equivalent) in a development-related discipline.

You need a minimum of one to two years’ working experience in a developing country

JPOs are offered one-year fixed-term contracts, which are normally renewed for a second year (two years being the usual assignment length).

At present, more than 23 donor governments participate in the programme. They are mostly from developed countries and they sponsor their citizens.

Want to be a JPO?

So what if you are from a developing country and want to be a JPO? In very limited circumstances, a JPO Programme-participating government may also sponsor a small number of developing country nationals. So fear not, on your next JPO hunting trip, stop by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, for example. Usually around March, April and May, they send out a call for applications. Half the positions advertised are open to JPOs from developing countries. The Belgian government also sponsors candidates from developing countries. The Finnish and Italians governments used to do that but not any more. If you know of any other governments sponsoring candidates from developing countries, please share.

Otherwise, agencies such as IAEA have agency-based programmes for JPO candidates from developing countries. The World Bank has the Junior Professional Associates programme and the Young Professionals Programme, UNDP has the LEAD. These are not exactly JPO programmes but they pretty much serve the same purpose.

If you are not from a developing country and want to be a JPO, it will be much easier for you. Do check out what vacancies your government is currently sponsoring. The list below is respectfully ripped from the JPO service centre in Copenhagen. Please drop by their site if you have any JPO questions as they are the JPO gurus. They do not manage the programme for all UN agencies, but their site would be the best place to make your first stop in your JPO quest.

Good luck.

Donor countries

• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Luxembourg
• Monaco
• the Netherlands
• Norway
• Portugal
• Republic of Korea
• Saudi Arabia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom

ma/mw