UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. 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 professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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

For every child, Protection 

How can you make a difference? 

1. BACKGROUND / RATIONALE

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote the survival, protection and development of children, young people, and women. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, clean water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence and exploitation. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations, and governments.

The UNICEF’s Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS) provides strategic and coordinated support to Country Offices preparing for and responding to humanitarian crises, in accordance with UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025 and the Core Commitments to Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs). EMOPS leads efforts to ensure that UNICEF’s role in any emergency situation – complex, protracted, or sudden-onset is clearly defined, that the Organization is properly equipped to fulfil that role, and that all levels of the Organization are prepared to deliver our mandate.

EMOPS Director’s Office oversees the production of several corporate products such as the Humanitarian Action for Children appeal, the EMOPS end-year summary narrative, the Global Annual Results Report on Humanitarian Action, the Executive Board papers on humanitarian action, briefing and strategic notes and a set of country profiles, which require support writing, editing, copyediting and proofreading per UNICEF’s standards and style.

2. PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT

UNICEF is soliciting proposals from qualified individuals with relevant qualifications and experience in professional writing, editing and proofreading services to support UNICEF Offices globally. The consultancy will be fully remote.

3. PROGRAMME AREA AND SPECIFIC PROJECT AREA

UNICEF's Office of Emergency Programmes is seeking to identify a writer/editor consultant to undertake writing, editing, reviewing services of several UNICEF humanitarian products. This service requires the selected consultant to be able to write research/technical documents, edit specialized documents on broad range of subjects in the area of humanitarian action, such as emergency preparedness and response; humanitarian access, principled humanitarian assistance and protection for children; accountability to affected population; humanitarian coordination; and humanitarian and development nexus. The services will involve developing technical materials such as reports, research, strategy documents, case studies, briefing notes, various knowledge products. The selected consultant will provide editorial support (editing, copy-editing, proofreading) for all these products. The selected consultant will perform the editing work after receiving raw documents, data and inputs by UNICEF Headquarters, Regional Offices or Country Offices, and writing documents according to the assigned purpose (technical document, strategic document or communication and advocacy materials). This also entails summarizing large and complex knowledge products into bite-sized products.

4. OBJECTIVE(S)

The overall objective is to set up a Long-Term Agreement to facilitate and expedite the process by which UNICEF will hire consultants as required to deliver on a comprehensive range of writing and editing services to UNICEF Offices  globally. Under the overall coordination of the EMOPS Director Office, the selected individuals shall undertake one or all of the following tasks: Writing, rewriting, and editing of EMOPS humanitarian products, including:

1. Humanitarian Action for Children ‘s appeal
2. Executive board (EB) papers on UNICEF humanitarian action (specifically one paper for the EB first regular session in February and another one for the EB annual session in June).
3. EMOPS Summary Narrative (Annual Report)
4. Briefing, Strategic notes and Country Profiles
5. Presentations

5. MAJOR TASKS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED

The consultant would be responsible for the range of tasks listed below. The exact deliverables will be based upon mutual agreement between UNICEF and the consultant.

Responsibilities of the Consultant:

• The Consultant will use their own equipment, laptops, microphones, software and other accessories that may be required for this task.
• The Consultant will not give the content/material or any part thereof, to any third party without the written permission of UNICEF. All components will be the property of UNICEF, and the Consultant will not share the same with anyone else.
• The Consultant will not put their own name or logo/emblem on the content/final product.
• The only organization branding will be UNICEF, if required.
• When travel is required: The consultant is responsible for arranging their own travel.

Responsibilities of UNICEF:

• Provide all details pertaining to the activity and the requirements.
• Orient the Consultant on UNICEF’s branding guidelines.
• Describe the methods, practices, and approaches that guide the organization’s overall approach to projects of the type described in the Terms of Reference.
• When travel is required: hiring office is responsible for setting a reasonable travel budget using online research and reimbursing the consultant based on the contracted terms.

6. DELIVERABLES

S. No.	category (if applicable)	Deliverable
1.	Writing	content for reports, publications and digital products in clear, accessible language, following UNICEF Brand guidelines and Style Book, using source materials provided by the requesting division. Initial drafts will be subject to revision based on feedback from technical review and fact-checking. Initial draft based on source material provided by UNICEF, and revisions based on technical review and fact-checking, as needed (word count to be provided).
2.	Editing	Reports, publications and digital products edited for clarity, readability and consistency of message, keeping in mind the reports’ audiences, and writing style. Editing may require rewriting and deletions, noting ambiguities and substantive errors, abridging and restructuring text for greater readability, better logical sequence and elimination of repetitions. Initial editorial review (commenting only, no line/copy-editing) of reports. Line editing of reports (word count to be provided). Final read through; review copy-edits of reports and track changes from technical review and fact-checking; labelling section headers and sub-headers; and ensure consistency.
3.	Copy-editing	Reports, publications and digital products to the highest professional editorial standards following UNICEF Style Book guidelines, including correct grammar, syntax and punctuation; accuracy and consistency in spelling, capitalization and abbreviation/acronyms; correct terminology and United Nations country names; correct and consistent use of footnotes, endnotes, references and other bibliographic entries; accuracy of all URLs included in the text; readability and consistency of logic and flow; clear and concise titles, headings and subheadings; complete and correct front and back matter.
4.	Proofreading	Designed pages against backup files of final copy-edited text, and checking corrections. Complete cross-references within text and footnotes; read amended proofs against previous proofs and incorporate additional editorial alterations as required; check pagination, sales number, taglines and correlation of table of contents with listed items in text.

Note: UNICEF will award LTA to the top ranked candidate overall.

7.       TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA (WITH WEIGHTS FOR EACH CRITERIA)

The selection of consultants for the LTA will be based on technical evaluation and financial offers in the ratio of xx:xx (e.g. 80:20). The criteria for technical evaluation will be as follows:

Criteria	Marks
	Min	Max
Cover Letter – Explaining the motivation for applying and explaining how the qualifications and skill set of the candidate are suitable for this position.	2	5
Relevant educational qualifications of the candidate.	6	15
Relevant work experience	27	30
Work Samples– This includes three examples of work done as per the required assignment	25	30
Sub-Total: Candidates will be selected based on the review of sub-criteria 1, 2, 3 and 4 as listed above.	60	80
TOTAL TECHNICAL SCORE: The minimum overall qualifying score is XX. Only those candidates who meet the overall qualifying marks of XX and score the minimum cut-off in each of the above sub-criteria, including the interview, will be considered technically responsive, and their financials will be opened.	60	80
Financial Score: The selection of the consultant will be on the basis of technical evaluation & financial offer in the ratio of xx:xx (e.g. 80:20)		20
TOTAL		100

8. FINANCIAL PROPOSAL:

 Include your financial proposal separately in the below Financial Proposal template, indicating your professional fee per day. In the financial proposal, indicate your estimate of the maximum number of days to deliver each category of deliverables. Include estimates for proposed number of days per category of deliverable. All costs should be estimated in United States Dollars (USD).

IMPORTANT: The financial proposal should be uploaded as a separate document in the online portal application. Consultant must send a financial proposal, [for all categories applied] in the below format.

Provide quantity, unit and rate for each of the following services: writing, editing, copy-editing and proofreading.

9. SUBMISSION:

The application is to be submitted through the online portal in which applicants are requested to outline all their relevant work experience. The deadline for applications is midnight Eastern Time 3^rd October 2025.

The application should further contain three separate attachments to be uploaded to the online portal:

i. A Cover letter explaining the motivation for applying and how the qualifications and skillset of the candidate meet the requirements of the assignment, and how the candidate will approach the work described in the TOR.

ii. Three Work Samples – This can include reports, campaign materials, resource mobilization strategies or other relevant documents that demonstrate your suitability for the ToRs. Please also provide a short overview including a clear description of your role and activities in each project. It is critical to submit work samples as you will observe from the advertisement that marks have been assigned to these criteria for achieving the most suitable candidate.

iii. A financial proposal indicating a professional fee as per the above template. Please do not forget to specify your name in the file while saving.

Without all the above three documents your application will be considered incomplete and invalid and will not be considered further.

• Any attempt to unduly influence UNICEF’s selection process will lead to automatic disqualification of the applicant.
• Joint applications of two or more individuals are not accepted.
• Please note, UNICEF does not charge any fee during any stage of the process.
• Female candidates meeting the requirements are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds including persons living with disabilities to apply.

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

Minimum requirements:

• University degree in communications or journalism. 
• A minimum of 8 years of experience as writer/editor; experience working with the UN or NGO required. 
• Excellent writing skills. 
• Experience in all forms of writing including for the web.  
• Familiarity with UNICEF's programmes in emergency contexts is essential. 
• Fluency in both written and spoken English
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. 
• Proven ability to work both independently and as part of a team. 
• Copyediting and proofreading per UNICEF’s standards and style. 
• Experience in writing / editing UNICEF Executive Board Papers is an asset

Language:

• Fluency in oral and written English is required
• Fluency in any other UN Language is an 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 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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.

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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

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. 

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. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

[CO/ HQ specific: visa residence requirements: i.e.: UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.]

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.