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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 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, a better future

UNICEF works to ensure the rights of all children in the East Asia and Pacific Region.  This means the rights of every child living in this country, irrespective of their nationality, gender, religion or ethnicity, to:

• survival – to basic healthcare, peace and security;
• development – to a good education, a loving home and adequate nutrition;
• protection – from abuse, neglect, trafficking, child labour and other forms of exploitation; and
• participation – to express opinions, be listened to and take part in making any decisions that affect them

How can you make a difference? 

UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office is seeking an individual consultant to operationalize UNICEF’s Child-Lens Investing agenda in East Asia and the Pacific and south Asia, translating insights from an upcoming 2025 ESG Regional Review assessing how companies report on children’s rights for approx. 2,000 companies across the region. Through strategic support, the consultancy will drive advocacy, partnerships, and capacity building efforts that enable UNICEF and its partners to engage finance actors as drivers of impact for children, as well as by empowering Country Offices to engage more holistically and strategically with potential corporate partners across the region.

Work assignment (remote/ home-based modality, not office-based):

Consultant - Strategic support to East Asia and Pacific and South Asia Country Offices, in advancing the child-lens investing and ESG/ responsible investing standards and ecosystems across the region

To strengthen UNICEF’s ability to influence ESG and sustainable-finance ecosystems—stock exchanges, regulators, institutional investors and sustainability platforms—so that a child-lens become an integral part of investment analysis, disclosure standards, and stewardship practices, ultimately leveraging sustainable finance for child rights and mobilizing greater and better aligned capital for children.

Building on the evidence currently generated through the ESG Regional Review and informed by UNICEF’s global Child-Lens Investing Framework (CLIF), the consultancy will help translate technical insights into advocacy, partnerships, and operational tools that enable UNICEF’s Country Offices, Regional Office and its partners to:

1. Engage ESG and investment actors - including stock exchanges, securities and exchange commissions, institutional investors and sustainability platforms - as allies in improving how companies assess, measure, disclose, and address their impacts on children.

2. Strengthen UNICEF’s internal capacity (Country Offices, and regional sections - CRB, High Value, Public Partnerships, Programme, Social Policy, Communication and others – to understand and utilize ESG policies, practices and disclosure as a lever for programme influence and fundraising.

3. Facilitate a regional network and knowledge community of ESG stakeholders and UNICEF focal points to exchange experiences, promote harmonized messaging, and amplify results.

4. Position UNICEF as a thought leader on child-rights integration in ESG and sustainable finance, through evidence-based advocacy, regional convenings, and engagement in established platforms (e.g. AVPN, GIIN, ASEAN, PRI, WBA, Responsible Business & Human Rights Forum).

Ultimately, the consultancy will help ensure that ESG and investment frameworks recognize children as a critical stakeholder group and that companies and investors in Asia-Pacific move beyond compliance towards proactive contribution to children’s rights and well-being.

Overall Objective

To position UNICEF and its Country Offices as key partners for investors, regulators, and sustainability leaders championing Child-Lens Investing and the integration of children’s rights in ESG and finance systems.

Expected Results

1. Enhanced national and regional advocacy: UNICEF COs effectively engage ESG stakeholders - investors, stock exchanges, regulators, investor networks, as well as front runner businesses and business leaders - to promote child-rights integration in reporting and disclosure frameworks.

2. Internal capacity built: UNICEF staff (management, partnerships, programme, social policy, communication) understand the CLIF and the impact and ESG investing ecosystems, and can integrate it into programming and resource-mobilization strategies.

3. Regional network established: Local “Investors for Children” or Investors for Impact coalitions begin collaborating with UNICEF to promote stewardship and investment aligned with child rights.

4. UNICEF is positioned as thought leader: Through briefs, convenings, and public dialogue, UNICEF becomes a reference leader on Child-Lens Investing, ESG practices, disclosures and standards in Asia.

5. Capital leveraged for children: Findings and partnerships inform the Innovative Finance pipeline, helping attract new funding and co-investment opportunities for family-friendly policies, nutrition, climate resilience, and digital safety.

Programme area and specific tasks involve:

A. Support Country Offices Engagement on ESG frameworks and Child-Lens Investing

• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to COs/NatComs to the 11 countries, focusing on 3-4 priority markets with the strongest potential, on integrating ESG/impact investing advocacy into their private-sector and policy plans.
• Help design national engagement plans with stock exchanges, securities commissions, standard setters, and impact and ESG investor networks, frontrunner businesses and business leaders, leveraging UNICEF’s global engagement with the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative (UN SSE) collaboration in 2026.
• Draft talking points, country briefs, and advocacy packages for finance audiences.

B. Capacity Building and Internal Learning

• Organize regional learning sessions (mid-2026) and virtual clinics to strengthen staff literacy on sustainable finance (ESG standards, impact and ESG investing), stewardship, and capital market advocacy.
• Localize a training toolkit on Child-Lens Investing and ESG Engagement for UNICEF Teams, to be used across programme, partnership, and social-policy sections.
• Contribute to developing a UNICEF’s internal regional community of practice on ESG and Finance.

C. Regional Mapping and Partnership Development

• Maintain and expand a regional database of key actors: ESG regulators, sustainable-investment platforms, investor coalitions, ESG data providers, and standard setters (GRI, ISSB, PRI, WBA, etc.), frontrunner businesses and business leaders.
• Identify and prioritize entry points for UNICEF collaboration (e.g., AVPN Forum 2026, ASEAN Taxonomy Board, Sustainable Finance Working Groups, national investor councils, standards setters, and other platforms and events).

D. Convening and Thought Leadership

• Identify, co-organize or contribute to high-level forums (e.g., ASEAN Responsible Business Forum, UN RBHR Forum, PRI in Asia, AVPN Summit) to highlight UNICEF’s ESG and Child-Lens Investing narrative.
• Draft technical and policy briefs positioning UNICEF as a partner for regulators and investors embedding social indicators for children in ESG frameworks in support of Regional Office and Country Office colleagues.
• Document and disseminate case studies of investors and companies applying a child-lens in their ESG or impact strategies.

E. Collaboration with Innovative Finance Hub

• The consultant will have a secondary reporting line with the aim of ensuring that the expertise and deliverables are aligned with the CLIF advocacy objectives. The support from the Hub will be on training the consultant at the early stage of the consultancy, validating the content produced for investors and identifying opportunities to amplify the products as best practice examples for other regions
• Aligning investor mapping with leveraging and fundraising priorities.
• Facilitate introductions between UNICEF, investor coalitions, and asset managers interested in child-lens investing products from global players with footprint in the Asia-Pacific market.

F. Knowledge Products and Tools

• Adapt and promote UNICEF’s CLIF, and ESG guidance on disclosure and stewardship for Asia-Pacific audiences.
• Produce concise regional and country briefs on ESG and Finance trends with child-rights relevance.
• Contribute to AP-RO’s knowledge management, tracking ESG advocacy, investor partnerships, and capital-mobilization results, and engage colleagues frequently to update /engage them accordingly.

Expected deliverable and delivery schedule:

1. Inception report and workplan

Detailed plan aligning tasks with 2026 stock-exchanges, regulators and investor-network milestones

30 days

Jan 2026

2. Regional ESG & investor mapping

Updated map of regulators, exchanges, investor coalitions, and sustainable-finance platforms in Asia-Pacific

60 days

Feb 2026

3. Training toolkit + sessions

Child-Lens Investing toolkit and two regional learning sessions delivered

30 days

March – Jul 2026

4. Advocacy and engagement briefs

Tailored packages for at least 4 prioritized COs/NatComs to engage impact investing and ESG finance actors

30 days

Jul 2026

5. Regional convenings

Support or co-organize three multi-stakeholder events positioning UNICEF in ESG and finance fora

30 days

Feb – Nov 2026

6. Knowledge and policy products

Policy brief, investor guidance notes, and good-practice compendium published

30 days

Oct 2026

7. Final report

Summary of results, lessons learned, and roadmap for 2027–2028 ESG integration and Child-Lens Investing strategy

30 days

Nov 2026

8. Ad hoc support during the consultancy period to prioritized Country Offices and Regional Office responding to key advocacy opportunities

30 days

Nov 2026

Payment schedule:

Deliverables	Tentative date	%
1. Inception report and workplan	Jan 2026	20%
2. Regional ESG & investors mapping	Feb 2026	20%
3/4. Training toolkit + sessions / Advocacy and engagement briefs	Jul 2026	30%
5/6/7. Regional convenings / Knowledge and policy products / Final report	Nov 2026	30%

 

Duration of Contract:   December 2025 – November 2026

Duty Travel: The consultant would work on remote base, not expected to be based or travel to Bangkok.

Ideally the consultant is based in Asia. The consultant might have to participate to some relevant advocacy forum(s) when strategic, to be defined through the duration of the consultancy.

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Sustainable Finance, Economics, Business, Public Policy, International Development, or related field.

Work Experience:

• At least 5 years of professional experience in sustainability, ESG integration, impact investing, responsible investment, or sustainable finance.
• Proven experience engaging with financial institutions, investors, regulators, or exchanges on sustainability or human rights.
• Prior experience working with the UN or multilateral organizations on sustainability or corporate responsibility is an asset.
• Prior experience of portfolio management, especially in a sustainable investing context, is an asset.
• Knowledge of child rights, corporate sustainability, and UNGPs/BHR frameworks desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of Mandarin is considered as an asset.

Technical knowledge (if applicable):

• Strong understanding of ESG disclosure frameworks (GRI, ISSB/IFRS, SASB, ESRS, ASEAN standards).

Other skills and attributes (optional):

• Excellent analytical, communication, and facilitation skills.
• Proven capacity to develop training materials, strategic briefs, and advocacy products.
• Strong coordination and partnership development abilities.

Interested candidates are requested to submit CV, full contact information of minimum 3 references, availability, and proposed daily professional fee in USD by 25 November 2025.

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

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 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:  

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. 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. 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