5 jobs in UNICEF

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child,
an Education
The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children's rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias, or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic, and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education, and protection of a society's most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. Therefore, the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Strategic Office Context
Strengthening the capacity of UNICEF, governments, and other partners in designing, implementing, and monitoring resilient and sustainable supply chains is essential in achieving equitable access to lifesaving supplies for children, their families, and communities. As part of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, UNICEF remains a reliable partner in supporting governments and partners to improve their supply chains even in complex fragile and humanitarian contexts.

Under the supervision of the Supply Chain Manager, Strategy Development and Implementation, and working closely with colleagues in SCSC in Supply Division, Programme Division, Regional Offices, and Country Offices, the incumbent will coordinate SCS engagement and initiatives on the African continent and beyond. He/She will use his/her technical knowledge and specialized experience to drive the implementation of tools and structured approaches to analyze and solve national supply chain problems relevant to UNICEF programs, specialized UN agencies, governments, institutions, and non-governmental organizations in child survival and health supply chains.

The incumbent will provide across the globe technical leadership on system strengthening, sustainable supply chain solutions, and integration. In collaboration with PG and other Supply division centers, he/she will help countries and regions define and demonstrate how to link and/or integrate with supply chains.

With the aim of improving efficiency, maturity, performance of national health and immunization supply chains and broader primary health care (PHC) outcomes.

Working across UNICEF Divisions; regional and country offices; global development partners (WHO, Gavi, BMGF, Global Fund, World Bank, Gates etc.), and with the private sector; academic institutions and professional associations, this position will support efforts develop and disseminate guidance for regions' and countries'; identify and provide technical support to address gaps in health and immunization and beyond supply chains, including system design, and build UNICEF staff and in-country partner's knowledge and skills for country adoption and implementation of system design interventions.

How can you make a difference
?
The position will capitalize on UNICEF's Supply Chain Maturity Model framework and the guidance, Demonstrating Supply Chain Contributions to Program Outcomes', to guide the provision of technical assistance to regions and countries; and inform the conceptualization, monitoring and documentation of evidence. This position will contribute to the wider objective of strengthening national supply chains at country level for immunization and beyond as well as building capacity of national governments to forecast demand and optimize supply chain processes as outlined above.

Summary Of Key Functions/accountabilities
Under the supervision and guidance of the Supply Chain Manager – Strategy Development & Implementation, the incumbent will work in close collaboration with UNICEF country and regional offices and both Supply Division (SD) and Programme Group (PG):

• Regional Leadership & Strategic Coordination: Act as the Supply Chain Strengthening Center/Unit focal point for ESARO and beyond, ensuring the adoption and mainstreaming of supply chain strengthening activities in regional and country plans. Support the Regional Office to develop and implement regional systems strengthening strategies. Serve as the primary representative for the Supply Chain Strengthening Unit in countries and regions, and with PG Health, Immunization and Child Survival Center. Represent UNICEF in existing and donor meetings, leveraging funding mechanisms to direct resources toward catalytic activities and country support. In collaboration with PG Health, Immunization, and Child Survival, we provide expert guidance and support in aligning supply chain strategies with organizational strategies and country and regional plans while leveraging UNICEF's comparative advantages. Manage technical assistance, resource mobilization efforts, implementation, and deliverables from partners to ensure coordinated and effective regional supply chain strengthening initiatives.
• Country Support & Evidence-Based Implementation: Provide targeted support to champion countries in implementing priority supply chain activities. Support and guide champion countries in articulating areas of need based on triangulation of already existing data from assessments conducted. Identify and implement the Menu of Services for identified champion countries and support the development of comprehensive country roadmaps. Under country leadership, drive comprehensive supply chain assessments to ascertain service performance and identify areas for improvement using tools such as the UNICEF Maturity Model, System Design, and Access and Coverage Evaluation Tool (ACE). Support roadmap design, implementation, and progress monitoring to ensure sustainable improvements. Define and support the adoption of evidence-informed supply chain interventions that align with national strategies and UNICEF's capabilities. Recommend strategic approaches aimed at enhancing the maturity and effectiveness of supply chains at all levels, from national to community. Define and demonstrate how to link and/or integrate immunization supply chains with other supply chains serving primary health care needs, and share learnings of shared value from context-dependent improvement initiatives and partnerships with UNICEF program and supply staff and external partners.
• Capacity Building & Knowledge Management: Support the development and dissemination of training materials and organize capacity building initiatives such as webinars and workshops to build the capacity of regional and country-level supply chain champions. Develop new and disseminate existing guidance, tools, and frameworks aimed at demonstrating system design and supply chain contributions to program outcomes. Document comprehensive case studies, monitor implementation progress and results, and capture best practices and lessons learned in the field of nutrition and health supply chain management to facilitate organizational learning and knowledge sharing. Contribute to defining and organizing the Supply Chain Strengthening community of practice to ensure effective knowledge transfer and peer learning across regions and countries. Share documented learnings and evidence of impact with both internal UNICEF teams and external partners to promote adoption of proven approaches.
• Community of Practice & Collaboration: Establish and support a vibrant and effective Supply Chain Strengthening community of practice that fosters collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across the African continent and beyond. Define the structure, governance, and engagement mechanisms for the community to enable effective peer-to-peer learning, problem-solving, and sharing of innovations. Create platforms and opportunities for supply chain champions to connect, exchange experiences, and collectively address common challenges. Facilitate regular interactions and knowledge exchange sessions that promote the adoption of best practices and innovative approaches across different country contexts.
• Monitoring, Evaluation & Performance Tracking: Manage, improve, and maintain the Country Coordination Activity Tracker, ensuring enhanced functionality and increased user engagement across regions and countries. Continue monitoring CSI H.9.3.1 and the new Strategic Plan indicator on Supply Chain Strengthening to guide interventions around strategic planning and implementation. Track and analyze progress on country roadmap implementation, supply chain maturity improvements, and the impact of strengthening interventions on program outcomes. Use monitoring data to inform strategic decisions, identify areas requiring additional support, and demonstrate the value and impact of supply chain strengthening investments to stakeholders and donors.
• Innovation & Systems Improvement: Contribute to the design and revision of health and immunization supply chain and systems strengthening methods, models, and tools that assess and enhance supply chain processes and performance. Lead efforts to identify and pilot innovative approaches that can improve supply chain efficiency, effectiveness, and resilience. Recommend strategic approaches aimed at enhancing the maturity and effectiveness of supply chains at all levels, from national warehouses to community distribution points. Explore and demonstrate integration opportunities between immunization supply chains and other health supply chains to maximize efficiency and coverage. Promote continuous improvement culture by identifying opportunities for optimization, testing new solutions, and scaling successful innovations across countries and regions.
• Donor Relations & Grant Management: In close collaboration with the partnership specialist, lead the development of donor proposals that articulate supply chain strengthening needs, strategies, and expected outcomes. Ensure timely and high-quality activity reporting to donors, demonstrating progress, impact, and value for money. Ensure effective grant management including budget tracking, compliance with donor requirements, and achievement of agreed deliverables. Maintain strong relationships with donors through regular communication, transparency, and responsiveness. Leverage donor partnerships to mobilize resources for catalytic activities and scale up proven supply chain strengthening interventions. Demonstrate shared value from improvement initiatives and partnerships to UNICEF program and supply staff as well as external partners to attract continued investment and support.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education

• Advanced University Degree (master's degree) in Supply Chain Management, Public Health, Logistics Management, Operations Management, Strategic Management or other related field, is required.
• A 1st University Degree/bachelor's degree may be accepted in lieu of advanced degree along with 7 years of strong relevant experience.

Work Experience

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant work experience in a professional capacity in supply chain management in the public or private sector, with a focus on quantitative analysis, modeling, simulation, planning, or business operations of the immunization supply chain is required.
• Strong understanding of public health supply chain strengthening activities and in-country health systems
• Demonstrated experience with identifying and implementing public health supply chain solutions and initiatives in countries, working with a broad range of in-country health systems partners and documenting evidence from implementing these activities.
• Demonstrated understanding and experience with managing in-country health supply systems gaps and bottlenecks analysis, health programming and implementation, .
• Experience in coordinating with global, regional, and national partners, including ministries of health/government. Knowledge and experience with supply chain private sector providers and integration
• Demonstrable experience with global, regional, and national partner coordination and collaboration, including with ministries of health/government Ability to establish harmonious work-relationships with colleagues in an international and multicultural environment.
• Experience with and ability to manage and monitor regional and national supply chain capacity building initiatives. Familiarity with UNICEF and experience working with international humanitarian organizations (WHO, NGOs, donors) is an asset.

Language Requirements:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate.
UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF Competencies Required For This Post Are…

• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Demonstrates Self-Awareness and Ethical Awareness
• Drive to Achieve Results for Impact
• Innovates and Embraces Change
• Manages Ambiguity and Complexity
• Thinks and Acts Strategically
• Works Collaboratively with Others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy , UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks
As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full (accessible to UNICEF personnel only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member's original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, will be prioritized.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to HOPE

Vacancy Announcement:
Consultant

Consultancy Title:
Adolescent Girls Skills4Girls & HPV Plus Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station:
Global Programme Division, Gender Section – Programme Group

Duration:
November 1, 2025 to November 1, 2027

Home/ Office Based:
Nairobi - REMOTE

BACKGROUND
Purpose Of Activity/Assignment
UNICEF is committed to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of all girls and women. Building on UNICEF's comparative advantages, lessons learned from prior Action Plans, as well as evidence of proven strategies to effect change at scale, UNICEF will have a special focus on advancing adolescent girls rights. This includes targeting commitments to adolescent girls in each sectoral area and through multisectoral, at-scale programming. UNICEF is seeking a consultant to support the adolescent girls' agenda. Specifically, this consultancy will focus on:

• Provision of technical, programmatic, and strategic support to new global adolescent girls' initiatives, including under Skills4Girls, HPV Plus, and related portfolios
• Provision of support for reporting and donor engagement, for 2 major Global Adolescent Girls initiatives.
• Support knowledge and evidence generation as well as specialist support for girl-centered monitoring and evaluation.

Scope Of Work
The consultant, under the supervision of the Senior Advisor, Gender Equality will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Strategy, Policy & Programmatic Support
• Prepare key guidance and technical resources for the Skills4Girls and HPV Plus global initiatives– with a focus on resources at design and inception phase
• Provide tailored technical assistance to at least 16 Country Offices across two years
• Provide technical support for the allocation and monitoring of global adolescent girl grants
• Evidence, Evaluation & Learning Support
• Identify and synthesize good practices in programme design, scale-up, cost-effectiveness, and government uptake of proven solutions.
• Produce regular learning products to support knowledge generation and dissemination.
• Contribute to the design and quality assurance of evaluation processes to advance the learning agenda of key global initiatives
• Reporting, Donor Engagement & Advocacy Support to Global Initiatives
• Support the preparation of annual portfolio reports (2025, 2026, 2027) and one mid-year HPV Plus report (2026)
• Contribute to at least 10 high-level engagement moments with donors and partners through development of briefing notes, presentations, and result summaries, support to field visits, in-person and virtual support to global advocacy moments and strategic events.
• Prepare and update strategic communications and donor-facing materials, including human interest stories, updated external webpage content, etc.
• Partnerships support
• Support new partnerships based on programmatic reporting and insights from research

Terms of Reference / Deliverables
Deliver key design & inception phase technical resources for Skills4Girls

• Prepare design & inception phase key guidance and technical resources for Skills4Girls – including contributing to a Results Framework and Best Practice Guidance brief

30 November 2025

Deliver key design & inception phase technical resources for HPV Plus

• Prepare design & inception phase key guidance and technical resources for the HPV Plus global initiative– including contributing to a Results Framework and Best Practice Guidance brief

30 November 2025

Support design of multi-country evaluation for HPV Plus Initiative

• High-level support in the design of a multi-country evaluation process for HPV Plus programmes, including input and quality assurance for evaluation methodology, data collection tools, sampling, etc.

31 December 2025

Deliver 2025 end-of-year portfolio report - Skills4Girls Initiative & HPV Plus Initiative

• Support production of the 2025 end of year portfolio report for both Skills4Girls and HPV Plus initiatives

30 January 2026

Deliver annual case studies in the Skills4Girls and HPV Initiatives

• Support writing of at least x2 summaries of lessons learnt and case studies of good programming examples

30 February 2026

Support communication & partner assets for the Skills4Girls initiative

• Support the preparation of key communication and partner assets for Skills4Girls, including a) an updated donor engagement/toolkit package for Skills4Girls, b) prepare strategic content to update/create external webpages, d) tailored support to COs in the preparation of Human-Interest Stories on Skills4Girls

30 April 2026

Support communication & partner assets for the HPV Plus initiative

• Support the preparation of key communication and partner assets for HPV Plus, including a) new donor engagement/toolkit package HPV Plus, b) prepare strategic content to update/create external webpages, c) support preparation of Human-Interest Stories on HPV Plus

30 May 2026

Support 5 partnerships proposals

• Support at least x5 proposals

30 June 2026

2026 Mid-year portfolio report - set aside funding on HPV Plus Initiative

• Preparation of the 2026 mid-year portfolio report

31 August 2026

Support x5 strategic donor and other key-stakeholders engagement moments with key assets

• Support at least x5 strategic engagement moments across November 2025-October 2026. Includes the preparation of briefing notes, presentations, summary of results of global adolescent girls' initiatives

30 September 2026

Produce short brief on adolescent girls portfolio monitoring

• Provide a short monthly report summarising the status of grants

1 October 2026

Support 5 partnerships proposals

• Support the preparation of at least x5 proposals

30 November 2026

Tailored programmatic support in girl-centered programming, monitoring and evaluation

• Provide tailored technical assistance to at least 8 Country Offices in designing and implementing robust girl-centered programming, with clear measurement frameworks and adolescent girl appropriate best practice indicators

30 December 2026

2026 end-of-year portfolio report - Skills4Girls Initiative & HPV Plus Initiative

• Support production of a 2026 end of year portfolio report

30 January 2027

Deliver annual case studies in the Skills4Girls and HPV Initiatives

• Support writing of at least x2 summaries of lessons learnt and case studies of good programming examples to feed the learning agenda of Skills4Girls and HPV Plus initiatives for dissemination in UNICEF countries and sectoral teams.

30 February 2027

Support 5 partnerships proposals

• Support at least x5 proposals for new partnerships

30 March 2027

Support x5 strategic donor and other key-stakeholders engagement moments with key assets

• Support at least x5 strategic engagement moments across November 2026- October 2027

30 April 2027

Produce short brief on adolescent girls portfolio monitoring

• Provide a short monthly report summarising the status of grants

1 November 2027

Tailored programmatic support in girl-centered programming, monitoring and evaluation

• Provide tailored technical assistance to at least 8 Country Offices in designing and implementing robust girl-centered programming

30 July 2027

2027 end-of-year portfolio report - Skills4Girls Initiative & HPV Plus Initiative

• Support production of the 2027 end of year portfolio report for both Skills4Girls and HPV Plus initiatives – these would be first drafts in advance of end of year deadlines

1 November 2027

Travel: Assume travel to x3 country contexts

Qualifications

• Education
• Advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in the social sciences (i.e. sociology,demography, psychology, political science, social policy or economics), public health,public policy, public administration, international development, or in an area relevant to UNICEF's sectoral work (e.g. Health/Immunization, Nutrition, WASH, Education, Child Protection, Social Protection, Inclusion, HIV/AIDs, etc.) is required.
• Academic credentials in gender and/or adolescence.

Language Proficiency
Excellent English oral and written skills; proficiency in another UN language (Spanish, French or Arabic) desirable

• Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:
• Minimum five years of relevant professional experience and demonstrated track record of having undertaken and led substantive programming and research on gender/adolescent girls and development in key issue areas that are the focus of UNICEF's Gender Action Plan is required – some experience working on HPV and skills programming with a strong gender equality/girls focus is essential.
• Experience working in a development setting, managing programmes and / or research is essential, including budget and knowledge management
• Experience at country/field level is an asset
• Demonstrated people management skills and the ability to forge and manage partnerships
• Proven expertise in drafting quality research and programmatic outputs for different stakeholders and audiences is required.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Familiarity/ background with emergency contexts is considered as an asset.
• Demonstrated excellence in writing and verbal communication; experience with proposal writing an asset
• Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is considered an asset.

Requirements
Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

• Upload copy of academic credentials

• Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :

• the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.

• travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
• Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.

• Indicate your availability

• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.

• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks
As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, are encourage to apply are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (if applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

TERMS OF REFERENCE
Background and Rationale
UNICEF is operating in an increasingly dynamic and complex environment, requiring frequent strategic transitions to remain relevant and effective. These transitions—driven by technological advancements, evolving mandates, and external shifts—bring opportunities but also generate uncertainty and resistance.

While leadership often focuses on senior management, the role of
Country Office Staff Associations (COSA)
and their elected representatives is critical in ensuring smooth, equitable, and successful implementation of change. As direct representatives of the workforce, COSA Chairs and ExCom members are well placed to voice staff concerns and foster engagement. Yet, their capacity to lead, communicate, and mediate during strategic transitions is often underdeveloped, resulting in resistance and mistrust.

To address this gap, the
Regional UNICEF Staff Association (RUSA)
, jointly with the Regional Chief of People and Culture, will host a targeted leadership and change management training during its
Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls, 10–14 November 2025
, as part of the broader Future Focus Initiative (FFI) and aligned with the Global and ESAR Staff Support Strategy.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The consultancy will
design and facilitate a 1.5-day interactive workshop
to strengthen the leadership capacity of COSA Chairs in navigating organizational changes.

The training will equip participants with practical and transferable skills and tools to:

• Lead with confidence during transitions.
• Communicate effectively and address staff concerns constructively.
• Mediate conflicts and foster psychological safety.
• Influence decision-making to better represent staff interests.
• Build resilience and sustain peer-to-peer learning beyond the training.
• Build transferable skills and toolkit to enable COSA Chairs to conduct CO training sessions to current and future COSA members (TOT format)

Objectives
By the end of the training, participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate increased knowledge of change management.
• Apply effective communication and negotiation skills to real-life change scenarios.
• Use at least three practical tools (e.g., communication plan, staff feedback template, mediation framework) in their country office contexts.
• Strengthening collaboration across COSAs through a regional peer learning community.
• Have a TOT toolkit to transfer the knowledge learnt also to their COSA members in their country offices.
• Report increased confidence (target: ≥75% of participants) in leading staff during organizational transitions.

Scope of Work / Tasks
The Consultant/firm Will Undertake The Following
Phase 1 – Preparation (October 2025)

• Conduct virtual consultations with RUSA ExCom, Regional HR Chief, and selected COSA Chairs to refine priorities.
• Submit a training agenda and methodology tailored to UNICEF's organizational context.

Phase 2 – Delivery (10–11 November 2025)

• Facilitate a 1.5-day in-person workshop for ~22 COSA Chairs.

• Cover key thematic areas:

• Understanding change dynamics

• Strategic communication and feedback
• Negotiation, advocacy, and conflict resolution
• Building resilience and psychological safety

• Influencing and advocacy in strategic transitions

• Apply adult learning methods (simulations, role-plays, group discussions, case study, peer coaching).

• Provide participants with a TOT and toolkit of ready-to-use templates (e.g., presentation, communication plan, conflict mediation guide)
• Building transferable skills to enable COSA Chairs to conduct CO training sessions to current and future COSA members (TOT format) in their country offices.

Phase 3 – Reporting (by 21 November 2025)

• Prepare a comprehensive report summarizing:

• Training proceedings and key outcomes.

• Participant feedback and lessons learned.
• Strategic recommendations and next steps for sustaining capacity (e.g., peer learning community, refresher sessions).

Sustainability and Follow-up
To Ensure Lasting Impact, The Consultant Should Propose

• Simple mechanisms for continued peer exchange (e.g., WhatsApp/Teams group, quarterly check-ins).
• Recommendations for integrating change management into annual COSA planning.
• Options for refresher sessions or training-of-trainers approaches.

Deliverables and Payment Schedule
Deliverable
Deadline
% Payment
Draft agenda and summary of stakeholder consultations

31 Oct 2025

10%

Training facilitated successfully

10–11 Nov 2025

60%

Toolkit of practical change management resources delivered

11 Nov 2025

10%

Final report with recommendations and toolkit annexes

21 Nov 2025

20%

Monitoring and Evaluation
Training Effectiveness Will Be Measured Through

• Pre- and post-training self-assessments of participants' confidence in managing change.
• End-of-session evaluations of relevance, utility, and facilitation quality.
• Management feedback on the contribution of trained COSAs to ongoing transitions.

Minimum Requirements
Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, HR Management, Organizational Development, Education, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience facilitating leadership and change management workshops, preferably in international organizations.
• Demonstrated expertise in organizational change, staff engagement, and adult learning methodologies.
• Prior experience with UNICEF or other UN agencies is highly desirable.
• Strong facilitation, communication, and analytical reporting skills in English (French desirable).

For every Child, you demonstrate.

• UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV)
• A detailed technical proposal
• A separate financial proposal

Please ensure that the technical and financial proposals are submitted as distinct documents.

Interested Applicants Must Clearly Indicate

• Their availability to undertake the assignment
• Their daily or monthly rate
• Their capacity to fulfill the Terms of Reference

Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered.
UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.
Remarks
As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable Candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

UNICEF works in some of the world's toughest places, to reach the world's most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

Background and Justification
UNICEF is developing a flagship publication for Africa over the next five months highlighting the lack of balanced investment in human capital in Africa, and the urgent need to address it in order to fully benefit from the demographic dividend in 20 years+ time. Building on UNICEF's
Fit for the Future
(2024) findings, which showed that early years receive very limited funding despite being the generation that will be in their twenties when this window opens, the work will focus on underfunded or absent policies such as childcare, young child grants, and early childhood education. We are seeking two researchers to join the initiative, contribute to the publication by providing a short synthesis note drawn from their existing research which shares econometric estimations or projections showing the long-term impact of investment in these areas. The researchers can participate in project meetings alongside UNICEF, the Learning for Wellbeing Institute, and colleagues from the Universities of York and Columbia, and will be a named author on the publication.

As a call for interest, we asked the researchers to submit a few short paragraphs summarizing the focus of their proposed synthesis note and the relevant estimations they have on these policies' returns 20 years post implementation. Also of interest are any reflections on national budget trends and fiscal space related to the cost of expanding coverage in young children.

Purpose of Assignment
As part of the development of UNICEF Africa's flagship publication on human capital, ESARO wishes to engage two researchers from African universities to synthesise their body of literature on the subject

Outputs/Deliverables
One research synthesis, no more than 20 pages maximum, to be delivered by October 31st 2025, with draft delivered for light review by October 22nd.

Qualification Or Specialized Knowledge/Experience Required

• Education: ongoing or complete PhD in Economics, development economics, or econometrics.
• Experience: Existing body of research and extensive publications in the area of investing in human capital.
• Assets: Must be of an African nationality and embedded within an African research institution or organization.

For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

How To Apply
Qualified candidates are requested to submit the following documents:

• Cover letter describing motivation for the consultancy and relevant experience.
• Expression of interest (EOI)/ Technical Proposal, demonstrating understanding of the terms of reference and proposing the consultant's approach to the assignment.
• Curriculum Vitae
• Financial Proposal for the assignment (all-inclusive.)

CONDITIONS
The consultant selected will be governed by, and subject to, UNICEF's General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts. All products and data developed and collected for this agreement are the intellectual property of UNICEF. The consultant(s) may not publish or disseminate the final report, or any other document produced from this work without the express permission and acknowledgement of UNICEF.

Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

UNICEF is here to serve the world's most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered "staff members" under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF's policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.