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And we never give up.
For every child, a fair chance
How can you make a difference?
Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
The Innovation and Action for Immunization and Child Survival Forum will be held in Maputo, Mozambique, between 22 to 25 July 2025, and bring together stakeholders involved in addressing the main infectious causes of mortality for children under five. This two and a half-day event will serve as a platform for knowledge sharing and for new and ambitious commitments to accelerate the achievement of SDG 3.2 by 2030.
UNICEF is a co-host of the Forum and is also co-chairing the Advocacy and Communications Working Group. This group will develop and deliver an advocacy and communications strategy which supports Forum objectives. UNICEF is seeking a consultant from May to August to support the advocacy activities with Governments and partners in the run up to the Forum and to capture advocacy successes and results during and afterwards.
The advocacy and communications for the Forum are key deliverables in a major donor advocacy grant and essential for meeting donor requirements.
Scope of Work:
The consultant will work with UNICEF’s Head of Child and Nutrition Advocacy and colleagues across UNICEF to deliver the advocacy workstream of the Advocacy and Communications Strategy with the goal of securing strong government engagement, and where possible new commitments, at the Forum in July. This includes preparing internal briefings to support UNICEF’s plans and activities, developing advocacy resources, and supporting and coordinating (in close collaboration with UNICEF offices) government engagements and preparations ahead of the Forum. The consultant will also consolidate new commitments and Government statements from the Forum and help produce a short results report after the Forum takes place.
Work Assignment Overview
Brief, support, and prepare UNICEF COs for government engagements ahead of the Forum
Deliverables/ Outputs
Prepare at least two comprehensive written briefings and key information documents for UNICEF offices to support their planning and engagement for the Forum.
Arrange bilateral or group calls with UNICEF offices in participating countries to coordinate process for development of engagements.
Create an internal document setting out UNICEF’s country goals and priorities for the Forum which can inform advocacy before, during, and after the Forum.
Delivery deadline
June 30 2025
Estimated Budget
Suggested: 7 days $
Work Assignment Overview
Organise direct engagements and preparations with priority country governments ahead of the Forum.
Deliverables/ Outputs
Coordinate and facilitate calls with priority governments ahead of the Forum – in close partnership with UNICEF offices and other Forum partners.
Prepare at least one Government facing briefing to support their engagement with the Forum and to help secure new commitments. Coordinate and facilitate calls with at least 6 priority governments to coordinate preparation of country commitments.
Delivery deadline
July 15, 2025
Estimated Budget
Suggested: 18 days $
Work Assignment Overview
Document and support dissemination of new and updated commitments from governments and partners
Deliverables/ Outputs
Prepare a list of government statements/commitments for the Forum.
Work closely with GHS to inform the development of appropriate communication assets and activities to promote new commitments and governments statements during and after the Forum.
Work closely with GHS to create communications and one short briefing which celebrates and promote the new commitments. Ensure these are shared with partners and available for UNICEF leadership.
Delivery deadline
8 August
Estimated Budget
Suggested: 10 days $
Work Assignment Overview
Prepare advocacy resources to support the Advocacy and Communications Working Group Strategy.
Deliverables/ Outputs
Refine and contextualize key messages to support Forum objectives based on agreed partner priorities, data, and UNICEF priorities.
Develop and manage tracking tool to monitor commitments and government engagements.
Estimated Budget
Suggested: 5 days $
Work Assignment Overview
Work closely with the Mozambique CO Advocacy, Partnerships, and Programme teams with national government engagement ahead of the Forum.
Deliverables/ Outputs
Support national government relationships, requests, and coordination.
Help secure strong national government commitments.
Ensuring alignment between ACWG, government comms plans, and national communication plans/needs
Estimated Budget
Suggested: 10 days $
Travel
If selected candidate is based outside Mozambique, travel is expected to attend the Child Survival and Immunization Forum in Maputo, Mozambique.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum Qualifications required*:
Masters
Disciplines:
Medicine, Epidemiology, Public Health, International Relations, Public Policy, International Development, Human Rights, Global Health, Communications, Journalism or similar.
*Minimum requirements to consider candidates for competitive process
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:
• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in sectors associated with global and/or public health, advocacy and communication.
• Excellent writing and research skills, including experience in writing short reports and briefings is essential.
• Experience in developing and creating advocacy materials, key messages, event briefings and concept and talking points.
• Proven experience in deploying a range of advocacy and communication tactics with governments and partners
• Demonstrated experience in design and management of projects and working across countries and partners
• Knowledge of children’s rights, public policy, and global health.
• Experience in advocacy at the international level is an asset.
• Experience working in a developing and emergency environment is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (especially Arabic or French) or a local language is an asset.
• Good working knowledge and experience across Microsoft SharePoint, Word, PowerPoint, Excel is required.
*Listed requirements will be used for technical evaluation in the competitive process
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.
According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.
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.
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 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.