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For every child, the right to Social Services
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.
Please refer to UNICEF Iran for more details.
How can you make a difference?
The Social Service Workforce (SSW) constitutes a vital pillar in the architecture of social and protection systems, playing a pivotal role in the identification and empowerment of vulnerable and marginalized children and their families. In the context of Iran, although multiple institutions, including governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community-based actors, contribute to the delivery of social and protection services, the sector requires a coordinated, strategic, and systems-level approach, strengthening the workforce's ability to respond effectively and sustainably to complex social and protection challenges.
In recognition of this gap, a regional study was conducted in 2019, with the participation of several countries across the Middle East and North Africa, to map the landscape of SSW in the region. In Iran, the study was led by UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare (MCLSW), and systematically assessed the workforce's composition, capacities, institutional frameworks, and regulatory mechanisms. The findings of the study have laid the foundation for development of a comprehensive and costed National Strategic Plan to guide future efforts in strengthening the SSW in Iran.
Rationale and the statement of the problem:
Based on the findings of the UNICEF Study on the Status of Social Service Workforce in MENA region, conducted in 2019, Iran needs to strengthen its national vision and coordination frameworks to enable the social service workforce and the custodian organizations to harmonies their efforts in service provision. Hence the current consultancy is going to support the process under the technical guidance of an international consultant i.e. Maestral International1, and in close coordination with UNICEF Iran and MCLSW to develop a national strategy for this purpose while validating findings from 2019.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
TOR-SSW- Local Consultant-Final VA.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
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The applicant must meet the following qualifications:
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION
TECHNICAL CRITERIA (score)
Advanced degree in social work, social policy, or a related field (Max:10)
Minimum 5 years’ work experience in child protection, social services, or workforce development (Max: 15)
Proven experience in facilitating national-level consultations (Max: 20)
Proven experience in conducting data collection through KIIs, FGDs etc. (Max: 25)
Written and verbal communication skill in English and Farsi (Max: 10)
Max technical score: 80 points
Financial offer: 20 points
The applicant shall submit a resume, demonstrating the above-mentioned qualifications and experiences, together with a detailed breakdown of the consultancy cost including any travel costs, when applicable. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for the next recruitment formalities.
Minimum score for passing technical criteria: 60 scores
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
[add the 8th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role].
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 disabilities 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.