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Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: Adolescent Girls Research & Strategy Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station:  Global Programme Division, Gender Section - Nairobi

Duration: September 2025 – March 2027

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ/ Remote 

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: 

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Gender Equality Action Plan (UGEAP), 2026-2029, outlines the organization’s key commitments to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of all girls and women. Building on UNICEF’s comparative advantages, lessons learned from prior Action Plans, as well as evidence of proven strategies to effect change at scale in the lives of girls and women, this UGEAP sets targets to enhance girls’ and women’s access to quality services across all five programmatic targets of the Strategic Plan. A special emphasis is placed on boosting investments to advance the well-being, leadership and agency of adolescent girls, recognizing that investments in this age cohort yield multiple dividends for every child, their families and societies. UNICEF’s role in convening partners and influencing budgets, policies and systems is underscored, both for greater national ownership and long-term impact. As an organization, UNICEF will lead by example, adhering to sustained financial expenditure for gender equality, robust measures for monitoring and reporting on progress to achieve programmatic targets, and nurturing safe, equitable and empowered workplaces. 

The GPD Gender Equality team provides strategic leadership and guidance on UNICEF’s Gender Policy 2021-2030 and UGEAP, working closely with our network of staff to support UNICEF to deliver on its commitments in the UGEAP and Strategic Plan 2026-2029 – including targeting commitments to adolescent girls in each sectoral area and through multisectoral, at-scale programming for adolescent girls. From 2022-2025, much progress has been made in implementing UNICEF’s Adolescent Girls' Strategy with millions of adolescent girls reached through under the pilot programmes under the POWER4Girls Initiative umbrella; a new Global Girl Leaders Advisory Group launched; a new Adolescent Girls’ Data Portal; new research programmes kickstarted, and more. But more is needed to spearhead and institutionalize focused work on adolescent girls rights in a holistic way – and to ensure progress against commitments to adolescent girls in UNICEF’s new Strategic Plan, under which adolescent girls will be a priority ‘accelerator.’ The gender team oversees global initiatives including and supporting a large portfolio country programmes, under the POWER4Girls umbrella initiative, working to promote adolescent girls’ wellbeing, empowerment and leadership through multisectoral models, particularly on skills, protection and health. Our priority in 2026-2029 is to focus on scaling up and sustainable financing of the ‘best buys’ in proven policy solutions and programme solutions that advance UNICEF’s targets for tangible changes in adolescent girls’ lives .

In alignment with UNICEF’s Gender Equality Action Plan, UNICEF’s Adolescent Girls’ Programme Strategy, and UNICEF’s Strategic Plan ‘adolescent girls accelerator’ commitments, UNICEF is seeking a consultant to support the adolescent girls’ agenda. Specifically, this consultancy will focus on:

• Delivery of key briefings on strategy, partner engagement and policy to advance the adolescent girls agenda
• Deliver key programmatic outputs in collaboration with Senior Gender Advisor – including a robust Results Framework for the global POWER4Girls initiatives; annual adolescent girls report for partners summarising key results and programmatic lessons

Undertake research and support the evaluation of POWER4Girls programmes

Scope of Work:

The consultant, under the supervision of the Senior Advisor, Gender Equality will be responsible for the following tasks:

Strategy, policy & programme resources

·     Support writing of x3 concise Adolescent Girls Accelerator 2026-2029 resources, including a summary of lessons learnt under the Adolescent Girls Strategy 2022-2025 by Dec 2025

·     Support short briefing notes and presentations on adolescent girls for at least x6 strategic engagements, with evidence and learning insights

·     Support drafting and refining of results frameworks for POWER4Girls initiatives with clear robust and measurable indicators, linked to our Theory of Change

·     Support production of adolescent girls donor report by January 2026

Research

·     Review best practice curricula on masculinities, life skills modules, compile curriculum examples in a summary brief and one repository for CO use

·     Review best practice curricula on financial inclusion and financial literacy modules, compile curriculum examples in a summary brief and  one repository for CO use

·     Synthesis ‘what works’ briefs  on x2 other topics on adolescent girls, based on thematic topics relating to economic empowerment, skills or other key areas under POWER4Girls

·     Support the preparation of country case studies outlining key programmatic examples for dissemination (at scale; system strengthening work; etc.)

·     Support design of the evaluation of 2 POWER4Girls programmes and girls’ movements with partner We Are Purposeful 

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

1.  Create evidence informed strategy briefs on adolescent girls

• Support writing of x3 concise Adolescent Girls Accelerator 2026-2029 resources, including a summary of lessons learnt under the Adolescent Girls Strategy 2022-2025 by Dec 2025        

30 December 2025

2. Deliver evidence informed briefing notes & resources on adolescent girls

• Support short briefing notes and presentations on adolescent girls for at least x6 strategic engagements, with evidence and learning insights

31 March 2027

3. Deliver clear results framework for POWER4Girls initiatives

• Support drafting and refining of results frameworks for POWER4Girls initiatives with clear robust and measurable indicators, linked to our Theory of Change  

30 October 2025

4.  Support design of evaluations for POWER4Girls with key partners

• Support design of the evaluation of 2 POWER4Girls programmes and girls’ movements with partner We Are Purposeful

30 July 2026

5. Support annual donor report production        

• Support production of annual donor report by January 2026       

30 January 2026

• Undertake review of best practice on works & practical tools     
• Review best practice curricula on masculinities, life skills modules, compile curriculum examples in a summary brief and one repository for CO use

30 January 2026

• Undertake review of best practice on works & practical tools      Review best practice curricula on financial inclusion and financial literacy modules, compile curriculum examples in a summary brief and  one repository for CO use

30 March 2026

Undertake review of best practice on works & practical tools     

• Synthesis ‘what works’ briefs  on x2 other topics on adolescent girls, based on thematic topics relating to economic empowerment, skills or other key areas under POWER4Girls

30 November 2026

Prepare short case studies         

• Support the preparation of 10 country case studies outlining key programmatic examples for dissemination (at scale; system strengthening work; etc.)

30 January 2027

Qualifications

(1) Education

• Advance University degree (Masters) in the social sciences (i.e. sociology, demography, psychology, political science, social policy or economics), public health, public policy, public administration, international development, or in an area relevant to UNICEF’s sectoral work (e.g. Health, Nutrition, WASH, Education, Child Protection, Social Inclusion, HIV/AIDs, etc.).  

·           Academic credentials in gender and/or adolescence. 

Language Proficiency:

Excellent English oral and written skills; proficiency in another UN language (Spanish, French or Arabic) desirable.

(2) Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

·     Minimum eight years of relevant professional experience and demonstrated track record of having undertaken and led substantive programming and research on gender/adolescent girls and development in key issue areas that are the focus of UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan.  

·     Strong experience in statistical analysis utilizing large data sets, is as asset.

·     Experience with qualitative data collection methods and  analysis techniques highly desirable.

·     Demonstrated people management skills and the ability to forge and manage partnerships

·     Proven experience drafting quality research outputs for different stakeholders and audiences is required.

·     Experience working in a development setting, managing programmes and / or research is required.

·     Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset. 

·     Familiarity/ background with emergency contexts is considered as an asset.

·     Demonstrated excellence in writing and verbal communication; experience with proposal writing an asset

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.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

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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.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, are encourage to apply are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

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The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (if applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract.

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