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, Education.

The 2025 Pacific Early Childhood Development (ECD) Forum, themed "Our Children, Our Heritage: Blue Pacific Resilience through ECD Leadership," is a transformative, three-day gathering (13-15 of May 2025) aimed at advancing the ECD agenda across the Pacific. This high-level forum will bring together leaders from 15 Pacific Island nations to reflect on the progress made since the 2017 Pasifika Call to Action on ECD, incorporating critical updates from 2023. By reaffirming this commitment, the forum seeks to safeguard the optimal development of our youngest citizens, ensuring their futures are deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage and resilient communities that define the Pacific.

Organized by the Pacific Regional Council for ECD (PRC4ECD) and UNICEF, with the support of the New Zealand and Australia Governments, and hosted by the Government of Samoa, this gathering offers a vital platform for Pacific leaders to reaffirm their commitment to nurturing children while preserving the cultural legacies that are the backbone of our Pacific identity.

How can you make a difference? 

Under the overall guidance of the UNICEF ECD Specialist, the consultant shall provide high level executive support to the execution of the 2025 Pacific ECD Forum, including:

Planning, Management & Partnerships

• Support to develop and implement an Events Plan and Timeline including schedule of deliverables, budget and logistics
• Support with all event delivery elements within time limits.
• Coordinate support for the event including options and agreements for interested stakeholders to support through financial, in-kind and other creative mechanisms.

Event Coordination & Logistics

• Support the facilitation of the logistics for all events,
• Support the planning and execution of the Forum

Documentation

• Provide wrap-up correspondence with participating attendees and partners/sponsors, including thank you notes, evaluation surveys, as well as sharing media recap of event
• Properly turn-over all forum documents to UNICEF, including participant database & evaluation forms

Please refer to the ToR ( TOR_ECD_ForumAdminSupport.pdf) for further information on the deliverables and the timelines. 

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:  

Please submit a CV and brief technical proposal as well as a separate financial offer along with your application. The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount for all the deliverables and should show a break down for the following:

• Monthly / Daily fees– based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference above.

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

Education:

• An undergraduate University degree in social sciences, business management, administration, finance or any other relevant field of discipline.

Experience & Skills:

• At least 2 years of experience in high level event planning, execution, coordination and logistics management skills for successful events with regional and international participants.
• Work experience in the Pacific Islands region, including knowledge of the Pacific regional architecture, is required.
• Experience working with UNICEF or a UN system agency is an asset.
• Proven ability to work independently, liaising with and engaging diverse and very busy stakeholders, and effective.
• Ability to work under pressure both independently and as a team member.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills

Language:

Fluency in English is required.

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 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.