Current vacancies
6 open positions at the moment.
Swiss JPO positions – Frequently asked questions
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- At the UN and in international financial institutions (IFI), professionals with less than 5 years’ experience are called juniors. Nevertheless, JPO positions are attractive and challenging, and require a good level of expertise.
- At the end of the 2 or 3-year JPO programme, a JPO is meant to apply for a P-3 level UN staff position, requiring at least 5 years’ work experience.
- In the case of IFI, the same logic applies. At the end of the 2- or 3-year JPO programme, a JPO is meant to shift to an international staff position at the GF level. The management of a practice group cannot justify hiring you at this level if you don’t have enough work experience.
#2 – I would like to acquire some work experience abroad, but then I intend to settle in Switzerland. Are Junior Professional Officer (JPOJunior Professional Officer ) positions for me?
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- No. Only consider JPO positions if you really want to start a long-term career with the UN or an international financial institution.
- Please note that particularly UN professionals aren’t stationed for long periods in a single country. Relocation is frequent, thus flexibility is highly required.
#3 – As a Junior Professional Officer (JPOJunior Professional Officer ), who is my employer? The Swiss government or the multilateral organisation I work with?
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- Your employer is the UN organisation or the IFI you work with.
- You become a staff member of the organisation and you report to the organisation only.
- Your personnel costs are billed to the Swiss Confederation, hence your position is subsidised by the Confederation. This is your only official link to the Swiss government.
#4 – Does a Junior Professional Officer (JPOJunior Professional Officer ) position guarantee a long-lasting career in multilateral organisations?
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- There is no guarantee but JPO positions are one of the best springboards into the UN or an IFI.
- JPO positions offer ideal conditions to gain relevant work experience, to expand your network and to build a reputation.
- These are key ingredients for career success in the multilateral system.
#5 – How many candidates am I competing against when I apply for a Junior Professional Officer (JPOJunior Professional Officer ) position?
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- Since JPO positions are open to Swiss nationals only, the number of candidates is limited.
- It varies between a few to more than 70, depending on the position.
- Chances of getting the job are significantly higher in comparison with equivalent Young Professional Programmes of multilateral organisations, where the competition is worldwide.
#6 – Can I apply for different Junior Professional Officer (JPOJunior Professional Officer ) positions at the same time?
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- It is in the nature of the job market of international cooperation that you need to work on several career options at a time.
- You can be recommended for several JPO selection processes simultaneously, without reducing your chances of getting the jobs.
- Make sure that you tailor each application to the respective job. It is not the number of applications but their quality that makes the difference.
All you need to know