Dr Bouchenaki joined the staff of UNESCO in 1981 as a programme specialist in the Division of Cultural Heritage of the Sector for Culture. He was promoted Head of the Operations and Training Section in 1985, being appointed Director of the Division in 1992. From February 1999 to September 2000 he deputized for the Director of the World Heritage Centre in the interim. He was appointed Assistant Director-General for Culture on 1 November 2000 (having assured the interim as of 1 January 2000).

Prior to joining UNESCO, he had served as Director of Antiquities, Museums and Historic Monuments in the Ministry of Culture and Information, Algeria; Teacher of Ancient History at Algiers University; Chief Curator for Museums and Archaeological Sites of Algeria; and Curator of Tipasa Museum and Conservator of the Archaeological Sites.

Dr Bouchenaki is the author of a number of works and articles on archaeological research and protection of the cultural heritage.

Dr Bouchenaki was raised to the honour of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and Officier des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture; by the President of the Republic of Tunisia to the Ordre National du Mérite Culturel. He was similarly honoured by the Ministry of Culture of Poland and Vietnam. In April 2000, he was awarded the ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) Prize for his work in the field of Cultural Heritage.

Dr Bouchenaki was elected as Director-General of ICCROM at the XXIVth General Assembly in November 2005.