Current vacancies

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 for as long as we are needed. 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 professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to answers 

The Education Unit is seeking a consultant to support the implementation of education research. The Education unit embeds implementation research into large-scale and cross-country innovative programmes. The overall aim of the research portfolio is to inform improvements in education delivery to improve all children’s learning, and to synthesize lessons across countries to build global public goods. This consultancy will have a primary focus on research around education programmes and reform activities for marginalized children, including those with disabilities, in the Latin America and Caribbean and South Asia regions.

How can you make a difference? 

The consultant will collaborate with the broader research team to support the design and implementation of mixed-methods research for inclusive education programmes and reform activities in several countries:
1. Supporting the development of fit-for-purpose research plans.
2. Adapting, contextualizing, and creating (when needed) data collection tools and protocols based on the research plans.
3. Supporting the implementation of the research strategy, related data collection and feedback loops, providing capacity building and trainings to partners on data collection and analysis.
4. Analysing data, and research output writing to inform implementation and scale of education programmes.
5. Coordinate with country office colleagues, in addition to relevant ministries of education in the process of implementing the research.

Major areas of work and responsibility
1. Support the development and facilitation of research co-creation meetings coordinating with colleagues from UNICEF country offices.
2. Development of data collection tools in collaboration with implementing Ministries of Education, UNICEF Country Offices, Regional Offices, and partners.
3. Support the Innocenti Education team in the provision of ongoing technical support to the implementation of research plans, supporting the implementing UNICEF Country Offices, Ministries of Education, and partners.
4. Data analysis and drafting of research outputs based on implementation research built into inclusive digital learning programmes.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  IE IR consultancy TOR EXT.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree (Master's or higher) in education, psychology, sociology or related social sciences.
• Work Experience: A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional work experience at national or international levels in inclusive education for children with disabilities and other marginalized groups, with experience working in developing countries.
• Skills: Strong research skills, including data analysis, data collection methodologies and instrument development in both qualitative and quantitative research.
  Excellent written and oral communication skills for a variety of audiences. Thinks and acts strategically. Works collaboratively with others.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English and in Spanish.

Desirables:

• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. 
• Experience working on inclusive education projects in low- and middle-income countries.
• Experience working in the Latin America and Caribbean region and the South Asia region.
• Fluency in another UN language (e.g., Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian).

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

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. 

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.