Consultant: Producer of Internal facing Podcast "Step Up for Child Rights" Consultant - Req.#579877
Job no: 579877
Position type: Consultant
Location: United States
Division/Equivalent: Partnerships
School/Unit: Global Communication and Advocacy
Department/Office: Internal Communication & Staff Engagemen
Categories: Communication
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: Producer of Internal facing Podcast "Step Up for Child Rights" Consultant
Section/Division/Duty Station:, Internal Communication and Staff Engagement, DGCA / New York HQ
Duration: March 3, 2025 to October 31, 2025
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. 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:
UNICEF's Global Internal Communication and Staff Engagement (ICSE) team is seeking an experienced, highly skilled, and creative podcast developer and producer/editor to support the production of an internal-facing podcast focused on child rights and other key organizational priorities, such as scale and impact, climate action, partnerships, business model, innovative financing, among others.
This podcast aims to enhance awareness and engagement among staff on critical issues, leveraging the insights and outcomes from the Global Leadership Meeting (GLM) 2025. The GLM 2025, scheduled to take place in Istanbul, Turkiye, from 17 to 19 February 2025, will bring together global leadership to review the building blocks of the next UNICEF Strategic Plan for the period 2026-2029, sharpening UNICEF's focus for scale and impact in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The podcast will feature discussions on advocacy for child rights, strategic partnerships, organizational performance, and innovative approaches to addressing the challenges faced by children worldwide. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in video and audio production, scriptwriting, and storytelling, with a proven track record of creating engaging and impactful podcasts. They will work closely with the ICSE team and other relevant teams as needed to ensure the podcast aligns with UNICEF's mission and strategic goals, providing a platform for thought leadership and knowledge sharing within the organization.
Scope of Work:
Working under the overall guidance of ICSE Communication Manager and supervision of the ICSE Communication Specialist, the consultant will be required to:
• Produce high-quality podcast episodes that align with the thematic focus and objectives of the podcast series.
• Maintain consistency in tone, style, and branding throughout the series to enhance the listener experience.
• Ensure the timely delivery of episodes according to the agreed-upon production schedule.
The podcast producer's services will include pre-production, production, post-production (breakdown below). In total, 10 podcasts in video format need to be produced, appr. 30-40 minutes each.
Pre-production:
• Work closely with the ICSE team to develop episode structure, outlines and/or scripts that resonate with the target audience and support the series objectives. Themes and guests will be identified by
the ICSE team.
• Provide guidance to guest speakers on technical aspects as needed.
Production:
• Oversee recording sessions, ensuring high-quality audio production and adherence to established timelines and guidelines.
Post-Production:
• Edit recorded content, including audio cleanup, mixing, and mastering, to produce polished podcast
episodes.
• Propose cuts and edits as needed to avoid redundancy and ensure coherence in the final episodes.
• Address any feedback or revisions as needed to ensure the highest standard of quality.
• Incorporate music and other creative elements as appropriate.
• Review episodes for accuracy, clarity, and consistency and submit final versions to the ICSE team.
Terms of Reference / Deliverables
Work Assignment Overview Deliverables/ Outputs - Delivery deadline
• Develop a podcast episode structure & outline following review of the previous podcast series
Completed and agreed upon episode structure & outline 10 March 2025
• Record and edit Episode 1
Completed Episode 1 - 24 March 2025
• Record and edit Episode 2
Completed Episode 2 - 7 April 2025
• Record and edit Episode 3
Completed Episode 3 - 21 April 2025
• Record and edit Episode 4
Completed Episode 4 - 5 May 2025
• Record and edit Episode 5
Completed Episode 5 - 19 May 2025
• Record and edit Episode 6
Completed Episode 6 - 2 June 2025
• Record and edit Episode 7
Completed Episode 7 - 15 Sept 2025
• Record and edit Episode 8
Completed Episode 8 - 29 Sept 2025
• Record and edit Episode 9
Completed Episode 9 - 13 Oct 2025
• Record and edit Episode 10
Completed Episode 10 - 27 Oct 2025
Qualifications
(1) Education
• Degree in relevant field, and relevant technical training (e.g. communication, film/music production, broadcast/audio journalism, videography)
(2) Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:
• At least 5 years of demonstrated experience in podcast production, including scriptwriting, recording, editing, and post-production.
• Strong storytelling skills and the ability to communicate complex ideas in a clear and engaging manner.
• Proficiency in video/audio editing software and equipment, with a keen eye for detail and a commitment to quality.
• Comfortable operating remote audio and technical equipment.
• Familiarity with children's rights issues and related topics, as well as the ability to conduct thorough research and identify relevant sources.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and meet tight deadlines.
• Able to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
Requirements:
Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and
- Upload copy of academic credentials
- Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :
o the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
o travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
o Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
o 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 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.
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Application close: Eastern Standard Time
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