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If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines fordeveloping countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

Consultancy: Responsible Data for Children (RD4C) Strategy Consultancy

Duty Station: Programme Group, Child Protection Team

Duration: 15 Dec 2025 – 31 Jan 2026

Home/ Office Based: Remote

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

UNICEF is dedicated to realizing the rights and well-being of every child. Harnessing the power of data and data technologies offers unprecedented opportunities to better understand, serve, and protect children. Yet, these same technologies also introduce significant risks—making responsible data practices essential to safeguarding children’s rights in the digital and data age.

Launched in 2019, the Responsible Data for Children (RD4C) initiative was established by UNICEF to promote the responsible use of data in ways that advance children’s well-being while minimizing risks and potential harms associated with data collection, processing, and use. Grounded in seven principles, RD4C provides a framework for dialogue and action on how to embed responsible data governance practices centering child rights and needs across diverse contexts. Through practical tools and case studies, the initiative supports stakeholders in translating the RD4C principles into concrete, context-specific practices.

To date, the RD4C initiative has successfully supported UNICEF teams and partners to strengthen their responsible data governance practices. At the same time, the landscape of data generation and use has evolved rapidly, creating new opportunities to enhance outcomes for children, for example, through integration of information management systems and the responsible use of diverse data sources. Advances in artificial intelligence have further expanded these possibilities—while also introducing new risks and challenges. The rapid proliferation of digital solutions used in support of programmes, including by UNICEF and government partners, concentrates data and risk and raises concerns about data management for already vulnerable populations, including migrants, children with disabilities, and survivors of all types of violence.These developments underscore the importance of continued dialogue on how to ensure that children’s well-being and development are safeguarded in an increasingly digital and data-driven world. In this context, UNICEF to looking to strategically evolve the RD4C initiative.

This consultancy will be jointly managed, supervised and supported by the Child Protection Programme Team, PG and the Office of the Chief Data Officer, DAPM.

Scope of Work: 

The purpose of this consultancy is to assess the RD4C initiative and to identify opportunities to strategically evolve it to maximize its scale and impact.

The work takes place amid a growing global conversation on data and AI governance—spurred, in part, by the implementation of the UN Pact for the Future and its Global Digital Compact—and growing concerns about digital well-being. We must center the needs and rights of the child in this global conversation. At the same time, as digital transformation accelerates, national and regional partners seek support on the development of child needs and rights-centric approaches to data governance. Meanwhile, the ecosystem of organizations and initiatives to support responsible data governance in support of child needs and rights is evolving.

The consultancy also aims to refresh the unique scope and value proposition of the RD4C initiative in this context and to strengthen its partnerships and governance for greater, collective impact in support of children. Specifically, UNICEF seeks a consultant to carry out the following activities:

• To map organizations, efforts, coalitions, and initiatives that seek to advance child-centric responsible data or AI governance, children’s digital well-being, or are otherwise concerned with the protection of child rights in an increasingly digital and data-driven world;
• To map demand for responsible data for children, including child-centric AI governance and children’s digital well-being, outside of UNICEF and current supply by RD4C and other organizations, efforts, coalitions, or initiatives to address demand in scalable fashion;
• To refresh the vision and value proposition of the RD4C initiative in context of the mapping, identifying unique opportunities for impact, for example, in scope  (i.e., work area) or target population (children on the move, survivors of violence, victims of harmful practices )
• To develop a proposal to strengthen the governance of the RD4C initiative with an eye towards increasing inclusivity and strengthening collaboration across the ecosystem to increase reach and drive impact at scale
• To identify new partners for the RD4C initiative and their involvement in the governance, and to develop communication to approach potential partners
• To develop a service catalogue and to propose a “business model” for the RD4C initiative to increase its sustainability long-term, diversifying its funding sources

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Work Assignment Overview/Deliverables and Outputs/Delivery deadline

1.  To map the ecosystem of organizations, initiatives, efforts, and coalitions relevant/adjacent to RD4C, and analyze demand vs. supply

-  A document with an overview of organizations, initiatives, efforts, and coalitions with a concise summary of their mission and areas of work including their touchpoint with the RD4C initiative as well as demand for RD4C, supply, and unmet demand

31 Dec 2025

2.  To refresh the vision and value proposition for the RD4C initiative

-  A short document with the vision and value proposition including suggesting for areas of work or target populations motivated by the mapping

31 Dec 2025

3.  To research and develop a governance proposal for the RD4C initiative

-  A short document outlining a proposal for strengthened governance (bodies and processes) to strengthen collaboration across the ecosystem and drive impact

31 Dec 2025

4.  To identify new partners for the RD4C initiative

-  A short document (i.e. options paper) with partners, a motivation as to why partnership should be considered, and the modality for partnership (including, e.g., participation in governance bodies)

15 Jan 2026

5.  To develop a service catalogue and business model for the RD4C initiative

-  A short document with a proposed service catalogue, grounded in the vision and value proposition, and proposed business model leading to a diversification of funding sources

31 Jan 2026

Qualifications

Education:   

A university degree in one of the following fields/disciplines is required – law, international development, public policy, computer or library science, or any other area relevant to the work outlined above.

Data and/or AI governance

Data Security/Data Protection

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:

• A minimum of eight years of professional experience in data or AI governance or a related field
• Experience in the setup and development of organizations, efforts, coalitions, or initiatives including the development of a vision and value proposition
• Experience in setting up governance bodies and processes to strengthen efficiency, reach, and longevity of initiatives
• Knowledge of the responsible data and AI ecosystem including key players and partners including funding partners
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset
• Demonstrated strong writing and presentation skills. Strong analytical and communication skills.
• Valuing teamwork and collaboration

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.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

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 Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

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:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. 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. 

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.