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, the right to peace 

PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT:

Partner research and due diligence (DD) are key enablers of UNICEF’s work in scoping, prospecting, and developing private sector engagements. This area of work, managed for the organization by the Private Fundraising and Partnerships Division (PFP) aims to support UNICEF’s effective engagement with businesses and private philanthropic entities, while ensuring that all interactions with the private sector aligned with the organization’s integrity standards, mandate, and priorities. Engagement must be informed by adequate, evidence-based assessments of the risks and opportunities that such interactions may pose to UNICEF, and ultimately to children.

This function requires specialized support for profiling, reviewing, and assessing prospect partners (e.g., companies, foundations, and major donors), as well as conducting risk assessments of activities considered by UNICEF for non-commercial interactions (e.g., funding engagements and co-branded partnerships).

To meet the growing need for corporate research and due diligence, the Partnerships Advisory Support Services (PASS) team seeks additional consultant capacity. This expansion aims to support global engagement with businesses and philanthropists. The team also requires assistance in researching public opinion trends on social issues, media coverage, and reporting for profiling and analyzing potential high-value partnership prospects.

Under the direct supervision of the Corporate Research Officer (PFP-PASS, Geneva), and working closely with the rest of the PASS team, the incumbent, preferably based in the respective region, will be responsible for undertaking regular and ad hoc corporate intelligence work as related to UNICEF corporate engagement. 

How can you make a difference? 

SCOPE OF WORK and OVERALL OBJECTIVES:

• Ensure, through the delivery of corporate research reports and due diligence analyses, that UNICEF’s engagement with corporations and other partners is undertaken in line with applicable ethical standards, criteria, and policies and that the organization is equipped with the necessary knowledge base to assess and manage potential ethical and reputational risks.
• Ensure that audience-focused information on ethical business and risk management related to key potential and/or current corporate partners is readily available to users and to Partnerships colleagues through research reports delivered by the consultant.
• Ensure that due diligence research results, data, and information are properly documented, recorded and managed using the organization’s dedicated CRM platform for due diligence information management and advisory support.

Specific objectives will include:

• Supporting the due diligence process with a focus on delivering regular research and risk assessment reports on companies and business entities considered by UNICEF for high value partnerships.
• Ensuring research and risk assessment reports are regularly uploaded in UNICEF’s due diligence management database, in line with timeliness KPIs for turnaround on due diligence research reports.
• Developing audience-adequate content related to due diligence research (presentations, briefing materials, etc.) in support of the due diligence team’s efforts, ensuring that content is timely and effectively available to all users.

WORK ASSIGNMENTS:

• Report Delivery:  Provide corporate research support for the due diligence process for UNICEF’s funding and non-funding corporate engagement by conducting corporate review reports as needed.
• Information Management:  Upload information related to UNICEF corporate research and due diligence on the UNICEF intranet, internet, CRM, and other relevant platforms.
• Monitoring, Documentation, and Dissemination:  Support the unit in documenting and sharing information on corporate research and due diligence, including identifying relevant information (from both internal and external sources) on ethical business and sustainability issues, market trends, and other related issues, ensuring prompt dissemination for use in briefings, meetings, and presentations.

DELIVERABLES:

Payment will be made on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. UNICF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if deliverables/outputs are incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Deliverable 1: by 18 January 2026, by 18 February 2026, by 18 March 2026, 18 April 2026, 18 May 2026, 18 June 2026, 18 July 2026, 18 August 2026, 18 September 2026, 18 October 2026, 18 November 2026, and by 31 December 2026.

• Approximately 40 due diligence research reports per month.

Deliverable 2: by 18 January 2026, by 18 February 2026, by 18 March 2026, 18 April 2026, 18 May 2026, 18 June 2026, 18 July 2026, 18 August 2026, 18 September 2026, 18 October 2026, 18 November 2026, and by 31 December 2026.

• Timely upload of all 40 reports into UNICEF due diligence database - within 10 working days for regular analyses and 2 working days for emergency research requests.

Deliverable 3: by 18 January 2026, by 18 February 2026, by 18 March 2026, 18 April 2026, 18 May 2026, 18 June 2026, 18 July 2026, 18 August 2026, 18 September 2026, 18 October 2026, 18 November 2026, and by 31 December 2026.

• Dissemination of due diligence research reports, research reports on external trends and developments, and impact prospecting updates (approximately 8 updates per month in various formats, such as briefing note inputs and presentations.

Deliverable 4: by 18 January 2026, by 18 February 2026, by 18 March 2026, 18 April 2026, 18 May 2026, 18 June 2026, 18 July 2026, 18 August 2026, 18 September 2026, 18 October 2026, 18 November 2026, and by 31 December 2026.

• Submission of one summary report against deliverable targets per month

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

Education:

• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or above) in communication, marketing, journalism, public relations, or business administration, and another relevant field is required.

Experience:

• A minimum of two years of progressive experience in corporate social responsibility, market research, reporting, or other related fields is required.
• Experience in developing high-quality, polished communication products targeted at private and corporate audiences, preferably in the international development arena, is required.
• Experience with research, analysis, and partner due diligence is highly preferred.

Others:

• Ability to identify strategic issues, opportunities, and risks, and communicate a broad and compelling organizational direction.
• Attention to detail and a proven track record of delivering against objectives.
• Understanding of corporate engagement dimensions within or outside of UNICEF is an asset.
• Understanding of non-profit management and the UN system is an asset.
• Ability to work remotely while aligning with Geneva, Switzerland’s time zone and working hours.
• Computer literacy in standard applications is mandatory (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Internet, etc.).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to capture key points and actions succinctly for a variety of audiences.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN official language is an asset.

Remarks:

The application should include a cover letter and a portfolio of sample work. Sample works may include due diligence reports, position papers, or briefing notes. At least one sample of previous work must be provided. Applications submitted without at least one sample of work and a cover letter will not be considered.

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. 

Remarks:  

Please indicate your all-inclusive (lump sum) fees against the deliverables listed above, including all associated administrative and travel costs (if applicable), in the cover letter. The office selects the individual based on best value for money.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed 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. 

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. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.