United Nations Career Journey Podcast

What does it take to keep moving forward when uncertainty is part of everyday life? 

In this SPARK Special, Katiana Macius, ICT Manager at UNDP Haiti, shares her career shaped by resilience, curiosity, and the courage to keep moving forward in the face of uncertainty. 

Working in Haiti, one of the UN's most challenging operating environments, Katiana shares how she navigates daily disruptions, security challenges, and constant change while leading digital transformation efforts and supporting colleagues across her office. Along the way, she has learned that confidence does not come from having all the answers. It comes from being willing to take the next step, learn continuously, and grow through experience. 

Katiana reflects on the impact of SPARK, particularly the power of mentorship and community during a difficult period in her life. She shares how these experiences transformed her understanding of leadership, not as a title or position, but as a commitment to helping others succeed. 

💡 Her message is both simple and powerful: 

"Never underestimate your ability to learn, adapt, and grow." 

Tune in for an inspiring conversation on resilience, continuous learning, women's leadership, and the ripple effect created when we lift others as we grow. 

📖Read the transcript here.

What happens when you stop comparing yourself to others and start focusing on your own journey? 

In this SPARK Special series, we sit down with Sandyani, Program Associate at United Nations Development Programme Sri Lanka, to explore her 10-year career journey from UN Volunteer to fixed-term staff, and the lessons that shaped her growth along the way. 

Sandyani shares how a period of career stagnation became a turning point for growth. From overcoming imposter syndrome to embracing continuous learning, she reflects on the power of mentorship, self-belief, and personal branding in shaping her career at UNDP. 

Her message is both simple and powerful: everyone runs a different race. Instead of measuring ourselves against others, we can focus on developing our unique strengths and moving forward with purpose. 

Tune in for an inspiring reminder that growth begins when we stop comparing and start trusting our own path. 

You can find the transcription ⁠here. 

'I work on forecasting, but life rarely goes exactly the way you expect it to.' 

Listen to Keyrellous Adib, WHO Technical Officer for Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Health, as he shares his non-linear journey to the World Health Organization and how a passion for health, mathematics, and statistics helped him find his niche at the intersection of data and public health. 

From volunteering abroad and pursuing pharmacy studies to discovering a love for statistics during his master's degree, Keyrellous reflects the experiences that shaped his career and the importance of staying open to unexpected opportunities. He also shares how he navigated the UN recruitment process, including failing his first competency-based interview before succeeding on his second attempt. 

Tune in for an inspiring conversation about resilience, career pivots, and finding purposes through the intersection of health and technology! 

REMINDER: This episode is recorded in Arabic; you can find the transcription and English summary here. 

"When you are able to do something, just do it. It can change a person’s life."

In this special Leadership Voices for International Volunteer Year 2026 of the UN Career Journey Podcast, host Aitor Rubio speaks with Sara Ferrer Olivella, UNDP Resident Representative in Indonesia.

Sarah's career spans more than 25 years and four continents, from Cambodia to Colombia, Jordan to New York, and across Country Offices, Regional Bureaus, and Headquarters.

From volunteering in her small hometown in Spain to supporting communities in Timor-Leste during a pivotal moment in the country's history, she shares how volunteerism shaped her values, decisions, and leadership philosophy.

In this episode, you'll hear:

🎙️ How Sara's first UN Volunteer experience in Timor-Leste influenced her career path

🎙️ A powerful story about compassion, courage, and a life-changing decision in the field

🎙️ Why curiosity and human connection remain at the heart of effective leadership

🎙️ The enduring importance of volunteerism in an increasingly complex world

As we celebrate International Volunteer Year 2026, this conversation is a powerful reminder that volunteerism is more than an assignment. It is a mindset, a commitment, and a lifelong journey of making a difference.

You can find the transcript here.

To celebrate the 2026 International Volunteer Year, we interviewed today’s leaders who used to be UN volunteers about their journey.  

In this episode, host Tasnim Tabassum speaks with Sonali Darayatne, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Bangladesh.  

Sonali reflects on her journey from a young volunteer supporting parliamentary development in Lao PDR to becoming one of UNDP's senior leaders. She shares how stepping outside her comfort zone, embracing a new culture, and learning directly from national institutions shaped her understanding of development, leadership, and partnership. 

In this episode, you'll hear:  

🎙️ How Sonali's volunteer assignment in Laos became a turning point in her career 
🎙️ The lessons that continue to influence her leadership style today 
🎙️ Why volunteerism remains essential in an increasingly complex world 
🎙️ How service, curiosity, and commitment can help young people discover their purpose 

As the world celebrates International Volunteer Year 2026, Sonali's story is a powerful reminder that leadership often begins with a simple decision to serve.

You can find the transcript here.

“Control the things you can control—and have faith that the rest will work out.” 

Listen to Jack Crawford, Associate Economic Affairs Officer at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), as he shares his journey from UN intern to leading regional projects on just transition and electric mobility in Bangkok. 

From studying abroad in Malaysia and Japan to working across ESCAP and the International Labour Organization (ILO), Jack reflects on how a series of small decisions—not a perfectly planned career—ultimately led him to the United Nations. Along the way, he discusses the realities of navigating short-term contracts, uncertainty, and imposter syndrome, while embracing opportunities to grow, contribute, and lead. 

In this episode, Jack offers thoughtful insights on the importance of taking responsibility early, building a strong support network, and focusing less on “getting into the UN” and more on the specific issues you want to help solve. 

Tune in for an honest conversation about privilege, uncertainty, doubt, and finding purpose in international development. 

You can find the transcription ⁠here⁠. 

“The Rhine has a particular shade of blue, especially in the morning, and it's just stunning.” 

In this episode, we take you to Bonn, a small city in western Germany which will receive hundreds of relocated UN staff in the next year. 

What is Bonn like? Bucolic and welcoming? Or a bit humdrum?  Can you swim in the Rhine River?  Hear from Jelena Hadzic, a Programme Officer with the UN’s Climate Change entity to find out!

You can find the transcript here.

“Get out there. The more people who know who you are and what you love, the more likely they are to remember you—and one day, to count on you.”

Listen to Daniel Gonzalez Carmena, who shares his unconventional journey into the United Nations.

From a chance encounter at an airport to navigating years of short-term contracts, uncertainty, and self-discovery in UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification), UNV (United Nations Volunteer), UN Women, UNSSC (United Nations System Staff College) and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme). 

Now a People Development Analyst with UNDP in Copenhagen, Daniel reflects on privilege, resilience, and the importance of aligning personal values with professional purpose.

Tune in and find this candid conversation about instability, growth, and finding meaning in global work!

You can find the transcription here.  

“I came to realize that international careers require more emotional intelligence than technical skills. Listening is in fact a strategic tool in itself.” 

Hear from seasoned colleague Miguel Aju, Special Assistant to the Head of Mission at MINUSCA, the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.

He shares about the importance of relationships and communication in UN work, having served in Sudan, East Timor, Kenya, Somalia, Haiti, Micronesia and the United States. From childhood days in an Angolan seminary to recovering his phone from the Pacific Ocean in Micronesia, Miguel has many memorable stories to tell!  

Don’t miss this engaging episode! 
Read the full transcript here.

« [Un] conseil, ce serait vraiment d'oser sortir de sa zone de confort. Il ne faut pas avoir peur d'aller vers des domaines où on n'a pas forcément l'expérience. Il faut être volontaire pour des missions de l'organisation dont les autres ne s'y intéressent pas, parce que c'est en relevant des défis pareils qu'on se démarque et qu'on peut également progresser le plus. » 

Dans cet épisode, nous avons le plaisir d’entendre Serges Roberteau Tchoffo, spécialiste régional des programmes pour le hub régional de l’Afrique centrale et de l’Ouest, basé à Dakar.  

Roberteau partage son parcours et ses nombreuses expériences dans des ONG de gouvernance des ressources naturelles et de conservation de la nature.  

Il revient sur les facteurs clés de sa progression et explique comment le mentorat l’a aidé à se sentir confiant, apprendre de ses pair(e)s et avancer dans sa carrière. 

Roberteau évoque également les défis qu’il a rencontré lors de sa transition professionnelle d’un rôle technique vers un rôle plus stratégique de spécialiste régional de programmes.   

Ecoutez l’épisode complet et retrouvez la transcription ici.