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, opportunity

Please access UNICEF Sierra Leone information here and here

How can you make a difference? 

1. Develop the ECE advocacy and communication strategy through consultations with relevant stakeholders and partners, incorporating good practices and lessons learned.
2. Develop an implementation plan with monitoring framework for the advocacy and communication strategy.
3. Develop multimedia assets and knowledge products in support of the objectives of the ECE advocacy and communications strategy and plan.

1. Develop an inception report detailing an understanding of the ToR, methodology to be employed, activity plan and resource needs with a detailed work plan.
2. Conduct desk review of relevant documents including the IECD Policy and ESP 2022-2026.   
3. Conduct a mapping of key target groups and stakeholders by undertaking preliminary interviews with relevant UNICEF staff and stakeholders involved in the development of these documents and implementation of ECE programmes.
4. Conduct and facilitate a series of consultations and workshops with partners to co-develop the strategy and implementation plan.
5. Present the final draft ECE advocacy and communication strategy and action plan including the theory of change, outcomes, key milestones, interim results, and activities and tactics, roles and responsibilities as part of the action plan along with monitoring framework including interim results/ KPI’s and risks and mitigation measures to relevant stakeholders–validation workshop/meeting.
6. Integrate inputs from the validation workshop and submit the final version of the ECE advocacy and communication strategy along with the action plan.
7. Develop selected knowledge/advocacy products and publications detailed under the advocacy and communication plan.

Please see attached ToR for detailed information.  ToR - ECE consultancy.pdf

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

• Advanced university degree/ Masters, in, digital communications, international relations, political or social sciences, education, human rights.
• Minimum of five years of progressively advanced experience in advocacy, including skills in conceptualizing and developing advocacy and communication strategies, materials, and action plans for implementation.
• Experience in developing/implementing ECD/ECE advocacy and communication materials.
• Demonstrated familiarity with the advocacy work of UNICEF and/or international development, humanitarian, and child rights issues.
• Excellent knowledge of English is required - strong communication skills (written and oral) in English are necessary.
• Proven ability to think critically and seek out, synthesize, and interpret large amounts of information.
• Concrete experience on fostering open dialogue, building trust, and engaging key stakeholders.
• Experience in conducting focus groups and key informant interviews and analyzing and using qualitative data.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset. 
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset. 

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.