National Consultant- Senior Technical Advisor (Social Protection), Abuja Nigeria 10 Months

Job no: 582582
Position type: Consultant
Location: Nigeria
Division/Equivalent: Dakar (WCAR), Senegal
School/Unit: Nigeria
Department/Office: Abuja, Nigeria
Categories: Social Policy

Apply now

UNICEF, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, works together with partners in 190 countries and territories to promote and advocate for the protection of the rights of every child.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, commitment 

In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children's rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families.  UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally - click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
 
The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical coordination and liaison support with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. The consultant will be embedded in the Ministry and will be responsible for coordinating the technical deliverables of the Minister’s Technical Assistant (TA), while also serving as the primary liaison between the Ministry and the UNICEF. This role will ensure alignment, effective communication, and timely delivery of key outputs in support of the Ministry’s humanitarian and social protection objectives.

How can you make a difference? 

Scope of Work:
 
Coordinate technical support from DPG the Ministry of humanitarian affairs, specifically
 
1.Coordinate Technical Advisors (TA) Across Core Areas
 
  • Provide day-to-day coordination support to the TAs working on the core areas.
  • Ensure that the technical inputs of each TA are cohesive, complementary, and aligned with the Ministry’s agenda.
2.Liaise Between the Ministry and UNICEF
  • Serve as the focal point for the draft implementation and monitoring of the workplan between the Ministry and UNICEF
  • Facilitate information flow, meeting coordination, and reporting to ensure mutual alignment and accountability.
  • Support the preparation of briefings, presentations, and updates for both Ministry leadership and UNICEF stakeholders.
3.Provide Strategic and Operational Support
  • Identify synergies across the four core technical areas and support cross-functional collaboration among the TAs.
  • Assist in tracking milestones, deliverables, and timelines for technical outputs.
  • Ensure timely escalation to UNICEF of any bottlenecks or issues requiring senior-level decisions.
4.Support Documentation and Reporting
  • Consolidate inputs from all TAs into unified technical reports and progress updates.
  • Maintain proper documentation of TA deliverables, stakeholder feedback, and engagement outcomes
Work Assignment Overview
 
Tasks/Milestone:

1.Review workplans and key milestones for each technical area supported by DPG

Deliverables/Outputs:

Consolidated DPG workplan

2.Prepare presentation of key activities and milestones 2025-2026

Deliverables/Outputs:

Presentation

3. Facilitate monthly coordination meetings with TAs to review progress of implementation.

Deliverables/Outputs:

Progress update reports (per core area of support)
 
4. Prepare monthly technical updates and reports for DPG members
 
Deliverables/Outputs:
 
DPG briefing notes and slide deck
 
5.Coordinate and support DPG-Ministry meetings
 
Deliverables/Outputs:
 
DPG meeting slide technical notes/briefs

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File ToR_Senior Tech Advisor Consultancy.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

An advanced university degree (master’s or higher) in Social Policy, Economics, Public Administration, Development Studies, Social Protection, or a related field from a recognized institution.

Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in strategy development, policy dialogue, and institutional capacity strengthening for social protection at national or subnational level.
 
Demonstrated experience providing technical advisory support to government ministries, departments or agencies on social protection, poverty reduction, or related policy reforms.
 
Familiarity with shock-responsive social protection systems, social registries, cash transfer programs, and inter-agency coordination mechanisms is highly desirable.
 
Experience working with international development partners (e.g., UN, World Bank, EU, bilateral donors) on social protection or humanitarian-development nexus programming is a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF is also proud of a diverse workforce who are profoundly committed to supporting the full realization of children’s rights, and in uplifting a rights-based approach in all that we do.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others  

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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 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. 

Advertised: W. Central Africa Standard Time
Application close: W. Central Africa Standard Time

Apply now

Back to list