JOB DESCRIPTION

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 excel! 

UNICEF’s current five-year country programme of cooperation in Iran (2023-2027) is aimed at ensuring that all children and adolescents, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from an integrated social protection system, which meets their needs for health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and overall protection and well-being of children in both development and humanitarian settings. The programme also aims to ensure that children’s participation and inclusion in their communities are fully realised, allowing them to reach their full potential.

How can you make a difference?

Background

UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2022–2025 recognizes the private sector as a critical partner in achieving results for children through innovation, advocacy, and leveraging financial and non-financial resources. In alignment with this, UNICEF Iran Country Office developed a Private Sector Partnership Strategy to support the implementation of the Country Programme Document (CPD) 2023–2027, which prioritizes equitable access to health, education, protection, and social services for all children in Iran.

The strategy beside other private sector engagement approaches aims to guide structured and strategic engagement with the sector’s actors—businesses, philanthropic organizations, and foundations—within the country’s complex socio-economic context. It is also anchored in UNICEF’s global Private Sector Plan and aligned with national development priorities and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-2027 of Iran.

Rationale

Iran’s economic conditions, regulatory environment, and social trends continue to evolve, presenting both opportunities and barriers to private sector engagement in child rights. While there has been initial progress, key knowledge gaps persist regarding the extent, quality, and impact of these partnerships. A clear understanding of what has worked, what has not, and why is needed to inform future engagement.

Given the strategic importance of private sector partnerships for UNICEF Iran, this evaluation will assess the extent to which the engagement strategies have achieved their objectives and are fit for purpose within the current context. The insights will guide future engagement models, ensure alignment with the CPD, and enhance contributions toward sustainable child-focused outcomes.

Statement of the Problem

While the Private Sector Partnership Strategy was designed to mobilize resources and foster impactful collaborations, its implementation and outcomes have not yet been systematically evaluated. Questions remain about its strategic relevance, cost-effectiveness, long-term sustainability and complementarity when put against other efforts by UNICEF Iran. This evaluation is commissioned as part of the Costed Evaluation Plan (CEP) annexed to the CPD, jointly committed by UNICEF and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is intended to generate evidence on the strategy’s relevance and performance, inform mid-course adjustments, and contribute to improved accountability and learning. Relying on evaluation criteria, the evaluation is expected to identify gaps related to coherence and effectiveness of the programme. Findings will inform the refinement of the strategy and provide actionable recommendations to strengthen UNICEF Iran’s private sector engagement moving forward.

OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF THE WORK 

Objectives

The primary objective of this evaluation is to assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, and sustainability of UNICEF Iran’s private sector engagement and partnership strategy since 2022. The evaluation will generate evidence on how this strategic portfolio has contributed to achieving programmatic and organizational outcomes for children and provide actionable recommendations to enhance the quality and impact of future private sector engagements.

Secondary objectives include:

• To examine the alignment of the strategy with UNICEF’s global private sector engagement framework and the CPD, including goals outlined in the Costed Evaluation Plan.
• To identify enabling and limiting factors that have affected implementation and results.
• To document lessons learned and best practices for adaptation and replication in similar contexts.

• To promote adolescent engagement and their meaningful participation in evaluations.

Geographical Boundaries

While the Private Sector Partnership Strategy is designed to operate at the national level, the evaluation will consider engagement efforts and results across different geographic areas, especially where private sector contributions have been directed toward subnational or programmatic interventions (e.g., in health, education, or emergency response).

Target Population

The evaluation will cover key stakeholders involved in or impacted by the strategy, including:

• Private sector partners (corporate donors, foundations, and business associations)
• UNICEF staff at country, regional levels and global levels as relevant
• Government counterparts (where relevant to public-private collaboration)
• UN partners and other development actors

• Beneficiaries of programmes supported through private sector engagement (indirectly, through case studies or secondary data)

Utilization of Findings

The evaluation findings will be used to:

• Inform the midterm review and any necessary adjustment of the Private Sector Partnership Strategy.
• Support strategic planning for the second half of the CPD cycle.
• Enhance internal capacity and systems for private sector engagement.
• Provide evidence and lessons learned to be shared across UNICEF regional and global platforms.
• Strengthen accountability and transparency in partnership practices, both internally and with external stakeholders.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  ToR for Evaluation of UNICEF Iran’s Private Sector Engagement and Partnership Strategy – AV.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Academic Level and Field:

• Advanced university degree (master’s or higher) in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Business Administration, Economics, Public Policy, Evaluation, or related fields.
• Additional academic qualifications or certifications in Monitoring and Evaluation, Private Sector Development, or Strategic Partnerships will be an advantage.

Special Technical Expertise:

• Demonstrated expertise in designing and conducting evaluations or research studies, preferably in the field of private sector engagement, corporate partnerships, or fundraising strategies within development or humanitarian contexts.
• Strong knowledge of the OECD DAC evaluation criteria and experience applying these in evaluations.
• Familiarity with UNICEF’s mandate, child rights principles, and private sector partnership frameworks is highly desirable.
• Proven skills in mixed methods research, including quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
• Experience with developing and applying tools for partnership performance measurement and cost-benefit analysis is an asset.

Proven Working Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in evaluation, research, or consultancy with international organizations, NGOs, or government institutions.
• Prior experience working in the Middle East region, particularly Iran or countries with similar geopolitical and economic contexts, is strongly preferred.
• Track record of delivering high-quality evaluation reports within agreed timelines.
• Experience engaging multiple stakeholders (private sector, government, civil society) and managing complex multi-partner evaluations.

Language Capability:

• Excellent written and spoken English required.
• Proficiency in Farsi is highly desirable to facilitate local stakeholder engagement, data collection, and contextual understanding.

Special Training and Competencies:

• Training or certification in evaluation methodologies and ethical research practices.
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information clearly and concisely.
• Competence in using data analysis software (e.g., SPSS, NVivo, Stata) and presentation tools (PowerPoint, Excel).
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for effective stakeholder engagement.

Interested individuals should submit a proposal for conducting the consultancy which includes

• An overview of researcher’s understanding of the subject
• A detailed methodology to conduct the study towards the objectives
• Research limitations and mitigation measures
• Ethical requirements and protocols
• An Interim workplan including the work breakdown structure and timeline
• Links to at least three relevant research and publications.
• A financial offer containing the fee for services to be based on the deliverables in the terms of reference. Wherever applicable, the itemized cost of the travel needs to be provided.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION

CRITERIA

Academic level and field = max score 10

Special technical expertise = max score 10

Proven working experience = max score 20

Special training and competencies = max score 10

Technical proposal = max score 30

TOTAL TECHNICAL = 80 points

Financial offer = max score 20

Passing score 50 points in technical proposal must be achieved before financial offer consideration.

 

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for the next recruitment formalities.

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…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

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, eligible and suitable People with Disability 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.

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.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements