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 a future

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Partner research and due diligence (DD) are key enablers of UNICEF work towards 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 business and private philanthropy entities, while at the same time ensuring that interactions with the private sector are pursued in alignment with the organization’s integrity standards, mandate, and priorities and engagement is informed by an adequate, evidence-based assessment of the risks and opportunities that engagements may pose to UNICEF, and ultimately to children.

This function requires specialized support for the profiling, reviewing and assessment of prospect partners (i.e. companies, foundations and major donors) and risk assessment of activities considered by UNICEF for non-commercial interactions (i.e. funding engagements and co-branded partnerships).

To meet the growing need for corporate research and due diligence, UNICEF PFP’s 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 Corporate Research Officer (PFP-PASS) and working closely with the rest of the PASS team. The incumbents will be responsible for undertaking regular and ad-hoc corporate intelligence work as related to UNICEF corporate engagement.

Overall objectives of the assignment will include:

• Ensuring, through the delivery of corporate research reports and due diligence analyses provided by the consultant, that UNICEF engagement with corporations and other partners is undertaken in line with applicable ethical standards, criteria and policies and the organization is equipped with the necessary knowledge base to assess and manage potential ethical and reputational risks involved.

• Ensuring that audience focused information on ethical business and risk management related to key potential and/or current corporate partners of UNICEF is readily available to users and to Partnerships colleagues through contributions of research reports delivered by the consultant.

•Ensuring that due diligence research results, data and information is properly documented, recorded and managed using the organization’s dedicated CRM platform for due diligence information management and advisory support.

How can you make a difference? 

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the Terms of Reference here:   ToR Corporate Research Consultant TMS.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or above) in communication, marketing, journalism, public relations or business administration and other relevant fields is required.​
• Work Experience:
• A minimum of two years of progressive experience in the following fields: corporate social responsibility, market research, or other related fields is required. 
• Experience in the development of high quality, polished communication products targeted at private and corporate audiences, preferably in the international development arena is required. 
• Experience with prospect research, analysis and partner due diligence is required.​
• Language Requirements:
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official languages is an asset. ​ 
• Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
• Ability to identify strategic issues, opportunities and risks, and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction. 
• Attention to detail and track record of delivering against objectives. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, along with the ability to capture key points and actions in succinct formats for a variety of audiences  
• ​Computer literacy in standard applications is mandatory (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Internet, etc.).  
• Ability to work remotely with alignment to the time-zone and working hours of Rome, Italy.  
• Desirables:
• Understanding of corporate engagement dimensions within or outside of UNICEF an asset.  
• ​Understanding of non-profit management and the UN system an asset.  

For every Child, you demonstrate Care

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

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 reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 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.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter 
• A separate financial proposal  Financial Proposal Corporate Research TMS.xlsx

Remarks:  

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.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.