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Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, hope.

 

Consultancy Title: Climate and Child Health Research Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Climate Environment Energy & Disaster, Programme Group, UNICEF NYHQ

Duration: 1 February 2025 to 31 March 2026

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:

The purpose of this consultancy is to support research and technical assistance in the climate and child health component of the Healthy Environments for Healthy Children programme. 

 

Scope of Work:

The last three decades have witnessed huge progress in the reduction of poverty-related environmental risks to children’s health. With the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, the global community made a promise to all children: to safeguard the gains made on child survival and to ensure that every child has the chance to thrive and fulfil their potential. However, climate change and environmental degradation are seriously jeopardizing these precious gains and our promise to the world’s children.

Children’s environmental health has been a longstanding priority across the world and among many global organizations. However, it has lacked global coordination across issues, borders, sectors and partners to drive a lasting impact for children that is holistic. Comprehensive solutions are needed everywhere, especially in in low-and-middle income countries.

UNICEF launched is global programme on Healthy Environments for Healthy Children in 2021. To improve the salience of children’s environmental health, UNICEF has put together a Global Collaborative. The collaborative will advocate for change, broker knowledge and catalyze action by engaging governments, industry and civil society. The Global Collaborative will promote similar multi-stakeholder and multisectoral collaborations at the country level. It will also draw attention to a range of ‘spotlight risks’ on children’s environmental health, including those related to climate change, pollution and built environments.

This consultancy will support the climate change component for Healthy Environments for Healthy Children (HEHC) programme, including the Global Collaborative over a 14-month period. The Global Lead for Healthy Environments for Healthy Children programme based in NYHQ’s Programme Group will be the contract manager supervising the consultant.

The consultant will collaborate with colleagues in the HEHC team, the broader CEED team, PG-Health, Division of Communications, Public Partnerships Division, Private Fundraising and Partnerships, UNICEF NatComs and relevant UNICEF Regional and Country Offices. Additionally, the consultant will be working closely with partners involved in the proposed Global Collaborative.

Under the supervision of the global lead and based on the review/inputs of stakeholders, the consultant will support the following over a 14-month period:

1. Support the development and update of the technical content on climate and child health, including an up-to-date global situation analysis on climate and child health, based on new global research, participation and hosting of global knowledge management initiatives/networks. This includes the development and updating of external and internal facing technical briefs on thematic issues, advocacy messages, human interest stories, investment cases/proposals, videos and e-learning modules.
2. Develop and maintain the ‘climate and child health’ technical components on the global collaborative portal. This includes a) the drafting of web pages, newsletter stories, events and announcements, b) maintenance of resource library on ‘climate and child health’, c) engagement with partner collaborators on  ‘climate and child health’, and d) organizing / contributing to webinars on thematic issues.
3. Provide technical assistance to HEHC programme countries on ‘climate and child health’ technical components. This includes providing (a) online and on-site support in reviewing climate-health plans and proposals, (b) contributing to country research with experience from other countries, (c) participation in quarterly HEHC programme meetings, (d) analysis and report writing.

 

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

1) Support the development and update of the technical content on climate and child health, including an up-to-date global situation analysis on climate and child health, based on existing and new global research, participation and hosting of global knowledge management initiatives/networks. This includes the development and updating of external and internal facing technical briefs on thematic issues, advocacy messages, human interest stories, investment cases/proposals, videos and e-learning modules (31 March 2026)

• Three technical briefs on climate x child health
• Three expert videos on climate x child health
• 6 human interest stories on climate x child health
• Three major investment cases/proposals
• Updated resource library on climate x health of appx 300 products with abstracts and metadata.           

2) Develop and maintain the ‘climate and child health’ technical components on the global collaborative portal. This includes a) the drafting of web pages, newsletter stories, events and announcements, b) maintenance of resource library on ‘climate and child health’, c) engagement with partner collaborators on ‘climate and child health’, and d) organizing / contributing to webinars on thematic issues (31 March 2026)

• Up to three climate x child health related spotlight risks
• Up to 20 climate x child health related news stories
• Up to 10 academic partners on climate x child health
• Up to 10 global webinars on climate x health

3) Provide technical assistance to HEHC programme countries on ‘climate and child health’ technical components. This includes providing (a) online and on-site support in reviewing climate-health plans and proposals, (b) contributing to country research with experience from other countries, (c) development of investments cases, (d) participation in quarterly HEHC programme meetings, (e) analysis and report writing (31 March 2026)

• Co-develop climate x health technical content in 15 CO plans, 15 multi-country proposals and 15 assessments for up to 15 countries.
• Technical writing for up to three donor/annual reports   

 

Qualifications

Education: 

Advanced university degree (Masters) in Public Health.

 

Work experience:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *: 

• Technical expertise on climate adaptation and public health
• Proven experience in drafting programmes and strategies, research and policy advocacy
• Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible and relevant work experience in public health and country programmes
• Ability to organize and plan work independently, and be a team player
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) in English
• Desirable: Previous experience of working with UNICEF/ UN.

 

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.