UNICEF Mock Interview
Practice 35 UNICEF interview questions covering humanitarian values, global development, and child rights advocacy.
Question 11 of 35
At UNICEF, our employees are guided by the eight competency areas detailed within our Competency Framework. Share an experience from your past that demonstrates your ability to think and act strategically.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Example Answer
Example Answer 2
How to Answer
Community Answers
Isaiah Swanson is a volunteer recruitment professional who has interviewed, trained, and supervised thousands of volunteers supporting dozens of nonprofit programs helping families in crisis, homebound seniors, and victims of natural disasters.
UNICEF lists "thinks and acts strategically" as #6 on its Competency Framework. The ability to be strategic when it comes to decision-making is important in a nonprofit environment where resources are more limited.
Isaiah Swanson is a volunteer recruitment professional who has interviewed, trained, and supervised thousands of volunteers supporting dozens of nonprofit programs helping families in crisis, homebound seniors, and victims of natural disasters.
"As Director of Strategic Advancement with my agency, I am always thinking of new ways to leverage partnerships, technology, funding, and more to advance our mission in the community to end homelessness by 2050. In my position, I have successfully built relationships with fifty new partners whose pledges amount to nearly ten million dollars. I have coordinated our agency's technology upgrade to help workers operate more efficiently when serving clients. The increased funding will allow us to shift our thinking from a transitional housing model to a permanent one, which I think is the kind of strategic thinking required to meet our ambitious goal by 2050."
Isaiah Swanson is a volunteer recruitment professional who has interviewed, trained, and supervised thousands of volunteers supporting dozens of nonprofit programs helping families in crisis, homebound seniors, and victims of natural disasters.
"I believe everyone must think strategically in any position in a company. As a talent acquisition manager, I understand that thinking outside the box is critical to progressing as an organization, and creative thinking must be measured by strategic thinking. For example, when we moved the human resource team to full-time remote work, we had to think of new ways to connect with and recruit people in a virtual environment. We had already been using professional social media sites, such as LinkedIn, but I started to look into digital skills-matching sites for volunteers as a new venture. We ultimately discovered we could connect with potential future employees by searching for them based on their passions and volunteer experiences. This allowed us to find a new pool of talented individuals who we knew were deeply connected to our mission already."
Isaiah Swanson is a volunteer recruitment professional who has interviewed, trained, and supervised thousands of volunteers supporting dozens of nonprofit programs helping families in crisis, homebound seniors, and victims of natural disasters.
Strategic partnerships are an important part of UNICEF's operations, so focus your answer on how you would develop these. If you do not have experience in strategic partnerships, think of specific ways you have shown your ability to think strategically.
Interview Coach
Jaymie
A real coach, not AI. I read every answer myself and write back with personalized feedback.
Typically responds within 24 hours.
0 - Character Count
Anonymous Answer
Misinformation task force setting up at the regions following successfully set up at the national level with technical and financial support from us.
Reaching out to other partners and using existing RCSM Teams with additional responsibility.
Jaymie's Feedback
When answering situational questions such as this, try to use the STAR method. The STAR method is an interview technique you can use to tell a story by laying out the Situation (give some brief backstory to help the interviewer understand the situation), Task (your responsibility in the situation), Action (what steps you took in the situation), and Result (the outcome of your actions). This helps keep you on track and focuses on your skills that show you are a fit for the job.
Anonymous Answer
I have a good understanding of UNICEF’s objectives and am a very strategic thinker. I am quick to identify opportunities for action and take advantage of them to enrich the program and achieve results. For example, I advocated for the integration of MHPSS and Emergency preparedness in the training targeting community-based workers- Parasocial workers to ensure that their capacity to provide comprehensive child protection services in both development and emergency situations is enhanced. This ensured that when an emergency happens they are able to be employed without delays.
Marcie's Feedback
Great answer! The example you have given clearly shows your ability to think and act strategically, which will undoubtedly please the interviewer. In the end, were these workers better able to handle emergencies after receiving this training? Also, how did you identify this opportunity?
Unlock All 35 UNICEF Questions
Prepare for mission-driven questions that UNICEF interviewers use to identify committed candidates.
Get StartedJump to Question