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Consultancy Title: Entrepreneurship Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Generation Unlimited (YPA) secretariat, Programme Group, UNICEF NYHQ

Duration: 15 January 2025 to 31 December 2025

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ / Remote

About UNICEF

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 for developing 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.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

Under the direct supervision of the Youth Engagement and Entrepreneurship Lead, with overall guidance from the Deputy Director of Programmes and in close collaboration with the Programmes Team at Generation Unlimited (GenU), and select Country Offices, the consultant will provide technical expertise and operational support to enhance GenU’s entrepreneurship portfolio. This includes mapping entrepreneurship initiatives, designing an integrated support system, and building out the entrepreneurship portfolio strategy. The consultant will strengthen technical components across entrepreneurship programs, including portfolio management, incubation systems, and follow-on funding mechanisms. A specific focus will also be on bolstering the entrepreneurship model of the Egypt Country Office, with linkages to imaGen Ventures and the ROTA/Silatech program methodology.

Scope of Work:

1. Development of Entrepreneurship Portfolio Strategy

• Conduct a comprehensive mapping of all entrepreneurship initiatives within GenU. Deliverable: One consolidated mapping report with visualized data, detailing existing initiatives, stakeholders, and gaps.
• Develop an integrated support system for all programmes under the entrepreneurship portfolio, ensuring harmonized incubation, mentorship, and funding support. Deliverable: Design of and operational plan for the integrated support system, including tools, resources, and processes.
• Support the Youth Engagement and Entrepreneurship Lead in developing GenU’s entrepreneurship strategy, incorporating thematic pathways (green, MSMEs, AI) and skilling systems. Deliverable: Entrepreneurship Portfolio Strategy document, including milestones, resource needs, and outcomes framework.
• Design guidance on how to strengthen portfolio management systems across initiatives, ensuring structured feedback and targeted support for participating entrepreneurs. Deliverable: Report outlining the portfolio management framework with technical components for monitoring and evaluation.

2. Strengthening Technical Systems and Frameworks

• Enhance incubation systems within the entrepreneurship portfolio by creating a structured approach for mentorship, funding, and capacity-building. Deliverable: Toolkit for a structured incubation system, including mentorship guidelines, funding strategies, and training templates.
• In coordination with Partnerships Team, build a follow-on funding network, identifying a list of prospective partnerships and mechanisms to secure investments for enterprises post-program engagement. Deliverable: Follow-on funding strategy report, including outreach plans and identified partners.

3. Support to Egypt Country Office Entrepreneurship Model

• Strengthen the Egypt Country Office entrepreneurship model, aligning it with the imaGen Ventures framework and enhancing the ROTA/Silatech methodology. Deliverable: Technical report outlining the refined entrepreneurship model, integration roadmap, and lessons learned from the Egypt Country Office.

4. Resource Mobilization and Knowledge Products

• Develop knowledge products, such as case studies and briefs, highlighting best practices from global and country-level entrepreneurship initiatives. Deliverable: Three knowledge products (e.g., case studies, reports) showcasing entrepreneurship innovations and successes.
• Support the creation of technical proposals to attract funding for scaling entrepreneurship programs. Deliverable: Two technical proposals for funding developed and submitted.

5. Capacity Building and Public Knowledge Sharing

• Organize and facilitate capacity-building sessions for internal teams and implementing partners to operationalize the entrepreneurship strategy. Deliverable: Four capacity-building sessions delivered with session reports.
• Coordinate a Community of Practice, including online learning events. to share insights on entrepreneurship, green skills, and funding mechanisms. Deliverable: Three webinars facilitated with documented outcomes.

6. Monitoring and Reporting

• Develop a process to monitor progress across entrepreneurship programs, ensuring alignment with GenU’s objectives. Deliverable: Results framework document with defined indicators and tracking tools..

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

• Conduct a comprehensive mapping of all entrepreneurship initiatives within GenU. A consolidated mapping report developed with visualized data, detailing existing initiatives, stakeholders, and gaps (15 February 2025)
• Develop an integrated support system for all enterprises within the entrepreneurship portfolio. An operational plan for the integrated support system, including tools, resources, and processes produced (5 March 2025)
• Support the Youth Engagement and Entrepreneurship Lead in building GenU’s entrepreneurship strategy. An entrepreneurship Portfolio Strategy document developed, including milestones, resource needs, and outcomes framework (31 March 2025)
• Design a structured portfolio management system to provide targeted support across initiatives. A portfolio management framework report developed with technical components for monitoring and evaluation (22 April 2025)
• Enhance incubation systems for mentorship, funding, and capacity-building across initiatives. A structured incubation system toolkit developed, including mentorship guidelines, funding strategies, and training templates (14 May 2025)
• Build a follow-on funding network for enterprises emerging from GenU programs. A follow-on funding strategy report produced with identified partnerships and outreach plan (12 June 2025)
• Strengthen the entrepreneurship model of Egypt Country Office with linkages to imaGen Ventures and ROTA/Silatech. A technical report on the refined entrepreneurship model produced, including integration roadmap and lessons learned (10 July 2025)
• Develop knowledge products to showcase entrepreneurship innovations and successes. Two knowledge products highlighting global and country-level entrepreneurship best practices developed (28 August 2025)
• Develop technical proposals to attract funding for scaling entrepreneurship programs. Three funding proposals developed and submitted (19 September 2025)
• Facilitate capacity-building sessions for internal teams and implementing partners on the entrepreneurship strategy. Four capacity-building sessions conducted with session reports (24 October 2025)
• Organize webinars or learning events to share insights on entrepreneurship, green skills, and funding mechanisms.    Three webinars facilitated with documented outcomes (18 November 2025)
• Develop a results framework for monitoring progress across entrepreneurship programs. Results framework document with defined indicators and tracking tools developed (31 December 2025)

Qualifications

Education: 

Advanced university degree (Masters) in the area of Business Administration, Economics, Entrepreneurship, International Development, Entrepreneurship, or other related field.

Work experience:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *: 

• Minimum 5 years of experience in entrepreneurship program development, management, or consultancy.
• Proven track record in supporting portfolio management systems and follow-on funding networks.
• Experience working on entrepreneurship models in the MENA region is an asset.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Strong technical knowledge of incubation systems and funding frameworks.
• Proficiency in report development and program documentation
• Fluency in English required; Arabic is an asset. Working knowledge of another UN language an asset

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.