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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, dedication.

The purpose of this assignment is to support UNICEF’s Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) team to enhance the integration of people-centered accountability across UNICEF’s strategic and operational frameworks. This includes reviewing the effectiveness of the current Strategic Plan in aligning with people-centered accountability principles, identifying gaps and opportunities for improvement. The consultancy will provide technical assistance to HQ, regional, and country offices in incorporating these principles into programme and project planning, developing tools and guidelines, and ensuring quality assurance. Support will also be provided for integrating accountability into future Strategic Plans, work planning IT platforms, partnership arrangements, budgeting, and reporting processes. Also, the consultancy will help incorporate people-centered accountability into evaluation processes and advocate for effective knowledge management and innovative approaches.

How can you make a difference? 

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. UNICEF’s global support for humanitarian action is coordinated by the Office of Emergency Programs (EMOPS), the focal point for emergency preparedness and response, humanitarian policies, staff security, and support to UNICEF’s regional and country offices, as well as strategic coordination with external humanitarian partners both within and outside the United Nations system. UNICEF is committed to ensuring that the voices of affected populations, especially children, are heard and that their rights are protected in humanitarian responses.

Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) is an organization-wide priority and is being scaled up across programmes and regions, in line with the AAP Strategy 2022-2025 endorsed by UNICEF Senior Management. It is mainstreamed within UNICEF’s key guiding frameworks, such as the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025, Core Commitment of Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs), and Country Programme Planning Guidance. As an integral part of UNICEF’s different stages of the program cycle, AAP ensures that views of affected populations, especially from all vulnerable and at-risk and girls, boys, women, and men, are heard; provided equal opportunities to listen to and provided feedback on all aspects of programming. Supported by the organization, they hold UNICEF accountable for promoting and protecting their rights, generating effective results for them whilst working in ways that enhance their dignity, capacities, and resilience. For UNICEF and partners, it improves programme outcomes, particularly through increased demand for and use of quality services and greater accountability.

OBJECTIVE(S)  

This consultancy will contribute to strengthening UNICEF’s ability to operationalize and sustain people-centered accountability, ensuring that all programmes and processes are effectively aligned.

MAJOR TASKS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED

Tasks include, but may not be limited to:

• Provide technical support to Country and Regional Offices
• Support the integration of AAP in planning, implementation, and monitoring processes
• Contribute to the development of tools, guidance and training material
• Data Analysis

Responsibilities of the Consultant:

• The consultants will use their own equipment; hardware, software, and other accessories that may be required for this task.
• The consultant will treat UNICEF data with utmost confidentiality, in accordance with UNICEF Information Security Standards and UNICEF Policy on Personal Data Protection, including the non-disclosure of any content/material/data or any part thereof, to any third party without the written permission of UNICEF. All work will be the intellectual property of UNICEF, and the consultant will not share the same with anyone else.

Responsibilities of UNICEF:

• Provide oversight and guidance.
• Facilitate access to necessary resources and tools.

DELIVERABLES AND DEADLINES

DUTY STATION  

This is a home-based consultancy; however, the consultant may be requested to travel as needed for the assignment.

TRAVEL

When travel is required, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging, etc. should be agreed upon, between the supervisor and the consultant prior to travel and will be reimbursed based on actual expenses, including travel insurance and visa costs.

ESTIMATED DURATION OF LTA

Two (2) years subject to satisfactory performance evaluation and continuing need for the service.

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL TEMPLATE

 Financial Bid - AAP PME.doc

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

Education:

• An Advanced University degree in the area of international relations, humanitarian affairs, management, information technology, or similar.

Experience:

• Minimum of seven (7) years of professional experience in programme and project management, strategic planning, and monitoring and evaluation, ideally with UNICEF, UN agencies, or other humanitarian and development organizations.
• Proven experience in integrating people-centred accountability approaches into strategic planning, programme design, and implementation in development and humanitarian contexts.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting budgeting and financial planning, particularly for accountability-related interventions.
• Strong background in data analysis and interpretation, especially regarding accountability indicators and their integration into monitoring frameworks like VISION, RAM, or equivalent systems.
• Previous experience providing technical assistance to multiple stakeholders, including HQ, regional, and country offices, on integrating accountability into key documents (e.g., expressions of interest, programme documents, and donor proposals).
• Experience in developing and delivering training materials and tools to promote accountability outcomes and principles.

Technical skills and competencies:

• Experience with managing and conducting multi-stakeholder consultations at different levels.
• Experience in high-level representation and providing technical advice to interagency forums and global networks on collective approaches to feedback management.

Language:

•   Fluency in English (oral and written) is required; knowledge of French or Spanish is an asset.

HOW TO APPLY

The application to be submitted through the online portal must contain three (3) separate attachments:

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV) (to be uploaded online under "Resume" tab)
2. Minimum of two (2) work samples relevant to this area of work (to be uploaded online under “Other-Applicant” tab as a single document containing work samples)
3. A financial proposal indicating professional fee as per the above template. Please do not forget to specify your name in the file while saving. (To be uploaded under “Financial Proposal” tab)

Important Note: Please do not indicate financials anywhere else in the online application form, please mark "n/a or 00", under the fee related questions in the online application form.

Please make sure to include all documents indicated above. Otherwise, your application will be considered incomplete and invalid, and will not be considered further.

• Any attempt to unduly influence UNICEF’s selection process will lead to automatic disqualification of the applicant.
• Joint applications of two or more individuals are not accepted.
• Please note, UNICEF does not charge any fee during any stage of the process.
• Female candidates meeting the requirements are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds including persons living with disabilities to apply.

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.