Jon Sparkes CEO UNICEF UK

Jon Sparkes CEO UNICEF UK

Jon joined UNICEF UK as Chief Executive in January 2022 bringing considerable experience at an executive level across the charity sector. Prior to this, he held the role of Chief Executive of Crisis UK, the national charity for people facing homelessness, from 2014. Earlier in his career, he held the roles of Chief Operating Officer at UNICEF UK and Chief Executive at SCOPE, the national disability charity.

Jon has a strong background in leading Human Resources and Organisational Development in both the public and commercial sectors, including as Director of Organisational Development at NHS Cornwall and as Group Human Resources Director for the international technology and investment firm, the Generics Group, where he was a member of the operating board of the company when it listed on the London Stock Exchange in December 2000.

Jon also has wide-ranging non-executive experience in charities and social enterprises and has led and participated in several projects on behalf of governments, including, during his time at Crisis, as Chair of the Scottish Government’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Advisory Group, Chair of the Welsh Government’s Homelessness Action Group, and as a member of the UK Government’s Rough Sleeping Advisory Panel.

UNICEF UK – Together, we are here for children

UNICEF UK, also known as the United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF, is one of 36 UNICEF national committees based in industrialised countries. The national committees raise funds for the organisation’s worldwide emergency and development work. In 2007, UNICEF UK raised £41.3 million for UNICEF’s work with children worldwide

The United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) is a UK registered charity that raises funds for UNICEF’s emergency and development work around the world and advocates for lasting change for children worldwide. This includes, for example, working to change UK Government policies and practices that are harmful to child rights in the UK and internationally. UNICEF UK is one of 33 UNICEF national charitable organisations based in industrialised countries.

In the UK, UNICEF UK works with the hospitals where children are born, the schools where children learn and grow, and the services that shape their lives, to make sure that every child has the same chance to shine.

In 2020, we helped nine out of 10 maternity units across the UK, supporting around 600,000 new babies as they enter the world. Around 1.5 million children go to schools that are becoming Rights Respecting, building an environment where every child is safe, respected and nurtured. And we are working with local governments in all four nations of the UK to help make our cities and communities places where all children, especially the most vulnerable, feel safe, heard, nurtured and able to flourish.

All over the world, including here in the UK, UNICEF promotes and protects the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF works with partners and supporters to:

1. Advocate for and create change for children
2. Unlock resources for programmes for children
3. Promote children’s voices