UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

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

Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: Data Governance Fit for Children Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Data Team (DaT), DAPM, NYHQ

Duration: 16 Dec 2024 to 16 Jun 2025

Home/ Office Based: 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 Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring (DAPM) was established in 2019 to drive decision making and organizational learning, improve effectiveness and achievement of results of UNICEF and its partners to realize the rights and improve the life of every child. DAPM promotes the use of data and monitoring to achieve transformative impact on the lives of children.

Within DAPM, the Data Team (DaT) is the global go-to for data on children. It leads the collection, validation, analysis, use, and communication of the most statistically sound, internationally comparable data on the situation of children and women around the world. For this purpose, both traditional and innovative data and analysis - including administrative and household survey data as well as geospatial analysis, big data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence - are used. DaT upholds the quality, integrity and organization of these data and makes them accessible as a global public good on the data.unicef.org website. 

The Chief Data Office in the DaT team is hiring a Consultant (Data Governance Fit for Children) as key support role to define and drive practices to ensure that data from and about children and data technologies (including statistics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence) are used to advance child rights, not (accidentally or intentionally) to erode them.

Combining hands-on field support with sustained dialogue with key stakeholders, including children and young people, the consultant will support the strategic expansion of the framework. The work will help derive practice-informed insight that will in turn inform the development of DG4C content, tools, frameworks, and guidance for self-enablement at UNICEF and beyond. The consultant will also support communication and advocacy efforts to strengthen the positioning of both DG4C as the global framework and UNICEF as the lead actor in responsible data and data technology practices concerning data for and about children.

Scope of Work:

Provide the following support:

• DG4C team in strengthening UNICEF's visibility and leadership in data governance grounded in children's rights;
• DG4C team in advancing programmes, systems and policies informed by children and youth perceptions, interests and needs.

Under direct supervisor of the Programme Manager, the consultant will be responsible for the following key assignments:

• Craft and roll out the DG4C communication strategy with relevant stakeholders, particularly children and youth.
• Support the roll out and expansion of the UNWDF Commitment to DG4C, particularly translating youth- generated insights into policy.
• Support the development and roll out of youth engagement activities to collect children and young people's voices and preferences across the globe, particularly from Low and Middle Income Countries' (LMIC) youth, with regards to the use of their data (including through data technologies such as AI).
• Support the DG4C team in raising awareness and advocating on the specific needs and vulnerabilities of data for and about children, including through existing coalitions (Responsible Data for Children initiative, UNWDF Commitment to DG4C), and children and youth engagement.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

1. DG4C Communication Strategy Development & Rollout
   • Draft DG4C Communication Strategy: Comprehensive communication strategy that outlines objectives, target audiences (including children and youth), key messages, channels, and timelines by 15 Feb 2025
   • Stakeholder Engagement Plan: A plan to engage relevant stakeholders, including UNICEF, Governments, tech companies, and youth groups, to gather inputs and ensure alignment by 15 Mar 2025
   • Youth-Centric Communication Materials: Co-create and publish three multimedia materials (e.g., one video, two social media content pieces) with direct input from youth tailored to their understanding and needs by 31 Mar 2025

2. Support the Rollout & Expansion of the UNWDF Commitment to DG4C & related ongoing initiatives
   • Mapping Youth-Generated Insights to Policy Recommendations: Report that translates insights from youth engagements into actionable policy recommendations for data governance by 15 Jan 2025
   • Coalition Engagement Plan: Develop an action plan to engage and mobilize the coalition to raise awareness on the Commitment and advocate for DG4C by 31 Jan 2025
   • Advocacy Campaign: Create an advocacy campaign that raises awareness about the UNWDF Commitment to DG4C, with a focus on amplifying youth voices by 28 Feb 2025
   • Progress Report: Two updates/reports to track the implementation of the UNWDF Commitment, focusing on youth insights and contributions, with suggestions on improvement by 15 Mar 2025 and 16 Jun 2025
3. Youth Engagement Activities for youth Input on DG4C
   • Global Survey/Workshops: Implement 2 surveys and/or workshops across regions, focusing on gathering children's views on the use of their data and relate technologies like AI by 15 Apr 2025.
   • Summary Report: Consolidate findings from youth engagement activities, highlighting regional trends and specific preferences from youth participants by 15 May 2025
   • Youth Consultation Report for Policymakers: Present these preferences in a report that informs policy decisions regarding child data use, ensuring that youth voices are prominently featured by 16 Jun 2025
4. Support DG4C Team in Advocacy and Awareness- Raising Efforts
   • Advocacy Briefs: Develop one advocacy brief for each of the three DG4C portfolios (country system strengthening, fragile contexts, artificial intelligence) outlining the value of the DG4C approach and framework by 30 May 2025
   • Social Media Campaign: Design and launch social media content, consisting of at least five posts across UNICEF and external channels, to raise awareness about the DG4C's work, each emphasizing the need for child-centred approaches by 30 May 2025
   • Educational Materials for Stakeholders: Develop educational resources consisting of three products (e.g. a briefing paper, a presentation, an infographic) to educate partners and stakeholders on the unique risks and considerations when handling data about children by 16 Jun 2025.

Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s Degree
• Public policy, communications, law, and data governance, social & computer sciences. Additional relevant certifications or training will be considered an asset.

Work experience:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:

• 5 years of progressive experience in the development and execution of global communication strategies, including through compelling stories, articles, publications, engaging stakeholders across sectors, including youth, policymakers, or international organizations.
• Designed and implemented youth engagement activities.
• Conducted policy research and analysis on digital transformation, data and data technology governance, or related topics, translating insights into actionable recommendations for global decision-makers.
• Experience in responsible, ethical, data programmes and data governance for good.
• Strong skills in strategic communication and public relations, with a focus on influencing policy and decision making.
• Proven ability to lead cross-cultural projects, facilitating collaboration and dialogue between global stakeholders, and ensuring inclusive approaches.

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.