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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 advocate.

UNICEF Syria was established in 1970 and has been working with partners to help empower children to fully claim and enjoy their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNICEF works with partners across Syria to deliver supplies, services, and expertise in areas of Child Protection, Education, Health, Nutrition, Water, Hygiene and Sanitation for every child. UNICEF also provides humanitarian assistance when needed.

Syria continues to face one of the most complex emergencies in the world. Unprecedented humanitarian needs are compounded by displacement inside the country and across its borders, extensive destruction of civilian and social services infrastructure, devastating impacts on the economy, and most importantly, the breakdown of the social fabric that stitched the country together for decades.

Today, 90% of people in Syria live in poverty, most are unable to make ends meet or bring food to the table. Families have had their resources depleted, with limited employment opportunities, skyrocketing prices, and shortage of basic supplies. For most people, the current socio-economic challenges represent some of the harshest and most challenging circumstances they have faced since the beginning of the crisis in 2011.

The February 2023 earthquakes in north Syria and Türkiye have added agony to an already catastrophic situation, increasing the strain on services, causing displacement, and inflicting widespread damage. Many families lost their main breadwinner due to death or injury, at a time when the economic situation was already dire, resulting in millions of people unable to meet their basic needs.

In 2024, 16.7 million people need humanitarian assistance[1]. This is the highest number of people in need ever recorded in Syria since 2011. The number of children in need - more than 6.5 million – has increased by seven per cent in the past year alone. This is largely due the ongoing conflict, continued displacements, the unprecedented economic crisis, deepening poverty, and unemployment. The COVID-19 pandemic, the hike in price of commodities triggered by the overall global economic situation and the impact of sanctions are further compounding the dire situation.

For information of the work of our organization, please visit our website: UNICEF Syria  

Background on the Assignment:

Every child in the Syrian Arab Republic has the right to equitable and adequate social protection and basic services, such as health, education, nutrition, WASH, and child protection.  The Social Policy team in UNICEF Syria Country Office focuses on four key areas – social protection, cash transfers, public finance and general financing for children, and child poverty. In these four priority areas, UNICEF Syria CO provides different levels of technical assistance and support to national counterparts ranging from system strengthening, capacity building, policy analysis and evidence generation, and advocacy with particular focus on social protection systems, large-scale cash-based transfers (both humanitarian and non-humanitarian), and public finance management.

To address the long-term impact of conflict, the UNICEF Social Policy programme will work to strengthen national statistical, public financial management, and social protection systems and coverage, in addition to building decentralized capacities for the effective, equitable and integrated provision of services, especially in geographic areas with pockets of higher vulnerability and more significant disparities.

To support these efforts, this consultancy  will specifically focus on four primary objectives:

1. Support advocacy efforts and enhance reporting to improve visibility and impact: This support will strengthen UNICEF Syria’s SCO by enhancing advocacy and reporting, ensuring key messages reach stakeholders effectively. Improved visibility and data-driven insights will help mobilize resources and influence policy for greater impact.
2. Develop concept notes to strengthen technical support for the Government of Syria: UNICEF has agreed to technically support UN efforts to develop a National Social Protection Strategy. This will require strengthening reporting capacity to ensure accurate monitoring, analysis, and documentation of social protection policies and programs.
3. Support advocacy products around social protection: supporting Programme Officers to develop advocacy products and documentation to be presented to the GoS and other UN agencies and partners/donors.
4. In Support to the GoS and specific initiatives, deliver the development of funding proposals to strengthen resource mobilization efforts: This support will help UNICEF SP secure funding for specific project for the GoS by developing high-quality proposals aligned with donor priorities. Strengthened resource mobilization will enhance social protection programs, ensuring greater impact for vulnerable children and families.

The international consultant will play a critical role in advancing these objectives. To enhance evidence-based reporting and resource mobilization, UNICEF Syria seeks an international consultant to provide technical support in developing high-quality reports, funding proposals, and advocacy materials. This role will strengthen strategic communication, donor engagement, and visibility efforts. Additionally, ongoing technical discussions with UN agencies, alongside the development of a National Social Protection Strategy, require specialized expertise to effectively document progress, highlight key achievements, and support fundraising efforts. The consultant’s expertise will be instrumental in shaping these discussions, ensuring alignment with the best global practices and local priorities.

Under the general guidance and direction of the Chief of Social Policy, the consultant will focus on strengthening (a) evidence-based reporting on child poverty, social protection, and public investments; (b) advocacy, reporting and resource mobilization efforts to enhance funding for child-focused programs; and (c) strategic advocacy to improve transparency, equity, and efficiency in social policy financing. This role involves close collaboration with government counterparts, development partners, and UNICEF teams across education, health, child protection, humanitarian response, nutrition, and water and sanitation to ensure effective documentation, communication, and donor engagement.

How can you make a difference? 

The international consultant will play a pivotal role in providing critical support to UNICEF in several key areas related to the Social Policy programme. Their expertise will be instrumental in ensuring the successful integration of global best practices, strategic planning, and child poverty monitoring within the national context. The specific areas of support are outlined as follows:

• Support and strengthen resource advocacy mobilization efforts; establish relations with donors the GoS and other UN Agencies and partners. The consultant will enhance UNICEF Syria’s ability to secure funding by leveraging evidence-based research and positioning UNICEF’s work within global best practices. By integrating international case studies into the National Social Protection Strategy and developing child poverty studies, the consultant will strengthen UNICEF’s case for donor engagement and advocacy for increased financial support.
• Coordinate with technical partners and support  increase resource mobilization. The consultant will work closely with technical partners to align expertise, integrate regional and international lessons, and strengthen UNICEF’s positioning in social policy discussions. Their contributions to child poverty monitoring, positioning papers, and strategic planning will facilitate informed collaboration with partners, ensuring a cohesive approach to policy development and resource mobilization.
• Support the strengthening of reporting for fund continuity. The consultant will enhance UNICEF Syria’s reporting capacity by supporting the development of data-driven studies, cash post-distribution monitoring reports, and policy papers. These efforts will ensure transparent, evidence-based reporting that reinforces the impact of UNICEF’s social policy initiatives, securing continued donor support and funding stability.

If you would like to know more about this assignment, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:

 ToR_International Consultant reporting and advocacy-(Announcement).pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

I. Academic qualifications:

Advanced university degree or equivalent in international relations, political science, communications, international development/development studies, or another relevant technical field.

II. Work experience / Technical competencies:

• A minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public affairs, programme management, resource mobilization, external/donor relations, corporate reporting, advocacy or other relevant area.
• Relevant experience in a UN system, especially UNICEF, other international development agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Experience in donor relations and donor reporting is a strong asset as it is inter-agency coordination.

 III. Language requirement: Fluency in English is required, both spoken and written communication skills. Arabic Language is desirable.

IV. Competencies:

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.

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

1. Applications through UNICEF’s Talent Management System (TMS)
2. CV and 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) 
3. At least 3 References from previous Direct Supervisors

Shortlisted applicants may be invited for further technical assessment. Final recommendation will be made based on “best value for money”, i.e. the hiring section/office shall normally select the individual who quoted the lowest fee from among the candidates who are assessed as suitable for achieving all tasks on time, as per the criteria stipulated in this ToR, and based on the outcome of the evaluation/assessment conducted.

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.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, including paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.

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.

General Remarks:

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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.