The Italian Junior Professional Officer Programme, known as JPO Programme, is a multilateral development cooperation initiative sponsored by the Government of Italy through the Directorate General for Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and implemented by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/DESA).
The purpose of the Programme is two-fold: a) to assist international organizations in carrying out their activities by providing them with skilled personnel; b) to allow qualified young professionals seeking an international career to make a relevant experience that could broaden their chances of recruitment in international organizations or in the international field.
In the next weeks the Terms of Reference (Job descriptions) of the JPO positions will be published on this website and on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy. The call for applications will remain open for a period of one month.
As the above is a tentative timeline subject to the completion of preparatory procedures, it is recommended to connect regularly to this website for updates on the opening of the JPO Programme 2026.
Candidates will be able to submit their application for a specific position via the dedicated online platform. It will be possible to apply for a maximum of two positions.
Candidates must be born on or after 1 January 1995 (1 January 1994 for graduates in Medicine; 1 January 1992 for graduates in Medicine who have already been awarded a post-graduate medical specialization degree) and hold an advanced university degree awarded before the application deadline.
The specific requirements for each position – such as years of professional experience, additional languages, specific academic qualifications or training, required competencies, etc. – will be indicated in the Terms of Reference (Job Descriptions) posted online.
Tentative timeline of the selection process
Validation and pre-selection
Upon conclusion of the collection of the applications, the formal admission requirements to the JPO Programme will be verified and the shortlists of candidates admitted to the final selection phase for each JPO position will be drawn up. Pre-selected candidates will be informed of the admission to the final selection phase for the position for which they have applied.
Selection
The final selection phase will be carried out by the recipient International Organizations. Preselected candidates will be contacted directly by the International Organizations and informed about the timing of the selection and its modalities. It is expected that the final selection for all JPO posts be finalized by end of July 2026.
Orientation course
The mandatory orientation course for the selected JPOs will take place from 2 to 20 November 2026. The third week of the training will take place in person at the United Nations System Staff College in Turin.
Entry on duty
The selected JPOs are expected to depart for their respective duty stations by the end of 2026.
Informative webinars
A ninety-minute webinar for information and practical advice on how to prepare the application will be organized on dates soon to be announced on this website.