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.

For every child, Hope

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

In sub-Saharan Africa, UNICEF provides analytical and technical support in child poverty analysis, public financial management and social protection, including humanitarian cash transfers, in order to support more equitable and sustainable results for children. To support 44 Country Offices in their work in these areas, UNICEF has two Regional Offices, one for Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESARO), based in Kenya, and one supporting Western and Central Africa Region (WCARO), located in Senegal. The Regional Offices have established regional rosters of consultants covering the technical areas across several languages (English French, Portuguese and Spanish) to facilitate the swift engagement of social and economic policy expertise. However, given the similar profiles of candidates across the continent, UNICEF is now in the process of updating this roster, which will be utilized by Country Offices throughout sub-Saharan Africa for different assignments.

Scope of Work

1. Goal and Objective: UNICEF ESARO and WCARO invites qualified experts to express their interest in being included in the Roster of Consultants to deliver advisory services, access to knowledge, and technical expertise to UNICEF’s social policy portfolio in the following areas:

• Child poverty analysis and advocacy

• Public finance for children (PF4C)

• Child-sensitive social protection

• Humanitarian cash transfers

Consultants may provide a range of advisory services to UNICEF’s Regional Offices, Country Offices and their government partners in the four thematic areas above. The range of tasks for the consultants may include research and assessments, diagnostic missions, provision of strategic and operational guidance, training and capacity building, technical assistance to country offices and governments on policy, strategy or programme design and implementation, development of policy papers, and monitoring and evaluation. Precise tasks, outputs, reporting and working relationships will be specified at the time of contracting for the given assignments.

The roster will serve as human resources repository from which the two Regional Offices and 44 Country Offices can draw pre-vetted, well-qualified experts quickly and efficiently for assignments. Note that experts may specialize in more than one of the desired fields. It is therefore requested that candidates self-identify both their field(s) and tier(s) of expertise as well as their language proficiencies upon submission of their application.

2. Provide details/reference to AWP areas covered: This activity contributes to the UNICEF Global Goal Area 5 – Every Child has an Equitable Chance in Life. Specific assignment reference to AWP to be determined by hiring office.

3) Activities and Tasks: To be determined by hiring office.

4) Work relationships: To be determined by hiring office.

5) Outputs/Deliverables: To be determined by hiring office

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

Technical criteria

• Level and relevance of education to the selected thematic area
• Relevance of professional experience in the selected thematic area
• Record of drafting policy papers and other high-quality products
• Experience working with UNICEF, other international organizations and national partners in the region
• Fluency in languages relevant to the region (English, French, Portuguese, Spanish)

Successful candidates will be included in the Roster of Consultants for a period of 3 years with option for renewal. Entry into the consultant roster system does not mean that a contract with UNICEF is guaranteed, contracting and agreed fee rate will be negotiated with requesting office and dependent upon forthcoming needs. Where a request for services arises, UNICEF offices will approach the selected consultants from the roster with a specific Terms of Reference outlining the specific assignment scope and duration, and negotiate with roster consultants on their interest, availability and daily fee.

The details of the requirements for each specific role are included in the TORs attached.  EOI_SP Consultant Roster ESARO-WCARO_090524_June 24.pdf

How to Apply

Candidates are invited to submit an Expression of Interest to be included in the Regional Roster for Sub-Saharan Africa, a pool of consultants available for assignments during July 2024 – July 2027. Applications should be submitted online by the deadline.

Expression of interest must include:

• Cover letter describing your qualifications and past experiences (maximum 2 pages), which very clearly indicates your current indicative daily fee rate in USD (Note: contracted daily fee will be contingent upon assignment scope and duration, final agreed rate will be negotiated with requesting office at time of contracting)
• Curriculum vitae (CV), including a list of relevant publications with links
• Submission of at least two evaluation reports from previous consulting assignments
• Completion of Mandatory Questionnaire*
• Names and contacts of three referees (applications without referees will not be considered)

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.

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.