Consultancy Title: Partnerships Consultant (HIV)

Division/Duty Station: HIV/Gender/PSC Hub, Programme Group, NYHQ

Duration: 1 June 2025 – 31 December 2025

Home/ Office Based: Remote

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

UNICEF’s Programme Group (PG) – provides global thought and technical programme leadership to achieve results for the most disadvantaged and excluded children everywhere within the overall framework of the UNICEF Strategic Plan and in response to the universal scope of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PG, working with other divisions and regional offices, leads UNICEF’s global programmatic vision to provide countries with technical assistance to boost programme excellence, as well as with support to leverage evidence, partnerships, and innovations that can be adapted and taken to scale in different country contexts – including humanitarian settings and low-, middle-, and high-income countries.

​​​​​​​PG is accountable for enabling the organization to deliver on UNICEF’s programme commitments and the related targets in the Strategic Plan, including those related to our normative mandates (gender, human rights, disabilities) and life course priorities (including the focus on early childhood and adolescence).

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

PG is seeking a Partnerships Consultant (HIV) to provide time-bound critical support across three sections: HIV, Gender, and Programme Strategy & Coordination Hub. The consultant will be required to deliver key donor reporting, resource mobilization assets, communications products and strategic documentation (outlined in the deliverables below) during a critical period for the organization from June to December 2025.

Scope of Work:

The scope of work includes CDC Cooperative Agreement donor reporting, development of resource mobilization assets for HIV/AIDS Programme, development of communication materials and evidence briefs related to UNICEF’s Gender Equality Action Plan (UGEAP), and development of a strategic paper on 'High-Potential Opportunities for Trust Funds'. The consultant will work independently to deliver high-quality outputs across the three programme sections, exercising professional judgment and technical expertise to complete the required deliverables with minimal supervision. The consultant will maintain appropriate communication with key stakeholders while taking full ownership of the work process and products.

HIV/AIDS Section

1. HIV/AIDS Grant Management and Donor Reporting (30 days over 7 months)

• Coordinate and prepare comprehensive donor reports for the HIV/AIDS CDC Cooperative Agreement
• Ensure compliance with CDC reporting requirements and deadlines
• Liaise with technical teams to gather programmatic inputs and financial data for CoAg (and other donor reports as relevant)
• Maintain quality assurance of all relevant reports

2. Resource Mobilization, Partnership Development and Knowledge Management for HIV/AIDS (40 days over 7 months)

• Develop targeted resource mobilization assets and materials for UNICEF’s HIV/AIDS Programme
• Support strategic engagement with key partners and donors for HIV/AIDS
• Identify funding opportunities aligned with UNICEF's programmatic priorities for HIV/AIDS
• Leverage established networks to identify and develop new partnership opportunities for HIV/AIDS
• Develop and manage a KM strategy for HIV/AIDS to ensure all assets including reports, case studies and photographs are properly managed for seamless utilization across the section

Gender Equality Section

3. UNICEF’s Gender Equality Action Plan (UGEAP) Strategy and Communications (42 days over 7 months)

• Develop and execute strategy for roll-out of UGEAP
• Develop comprehensive package of communications materials to accompany UGEAP, including brochure and promotional materials
• Assemble technical package of guidance and evidence from sectors to accompany UGEAP including repackaging standalone evidence briefs
• Develop package of guidance and templates to support monitoring and reporting on the UGEAP including a template for a national-level GEAP, updated Gender Equality Programmatic Review toolkit, and an explainer on the GEAP standard measuring institutional accountability for gender equality.

Programme Strategy and Coordination Hub

4. Trust Funds Paper Development (28 days over 7 months)

• Develop a paper for 'High-Potential Opportunities for Trust Funds' that provides concrete and actionable recommendations and parameters for a new generation of programme and partnership trust funds including hosted funds

• Conduct research and consultations to inform the paper
• Prepare high-quality analysis and recommendations
• Support presentation of findings to senior management

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Work Assignment Overview/Deliverables and Outputs/Delivery deadline

(1) HIV/AIDS Grant Management and Donor Reporting (30 days over 7 months)

1a) Financial analysis & report of funds availability

Analysis and concluding report of available OR funding including funds to be carried over from previous years

June 30th, 2025

1b) Country Office Consultations (CDC)

Documentation of programmatic progress, challenges, and best practices from all Country Offices receiving CDC CoAg funds.

August 31st, 2025

1c) Annual Progress Report (Y5 CDC)

Consolidated technical and programmatic report covering all components of the HIV/AIDS Cooperative Agreement, highlighting achievements, challenges, and impact

October 31st, 2025

1d) Tracker and QA for all donor reporting requirements

Develop and maintain tracker for annual donor reporting requirements and quality assurance of relevant reporting

November 30th, 2025

1e) CDC Financial Compliance Package (CDC ER)

Complete set of financial documentation including expenditure reports, budget utilization analysis, and DATIM uploads for CDC compliance

December 31st, 2025

(2) Resource Mobilization and Knowledge Management for HIV/AIDS Programme (40 days over 7 months)

2a) HIV/AIDS Investment Case Portfolio

Comprehensive set of evidence-based investment cases for key HIV/AIDS Programme pillars, including data visualizations and impact projections, developed and published in consultation with technical leads and regional offices

August 30th, 2025

2b) Resource Mobilization Strategy

Targeted strategy for engaging at least 6 donors and partners, including dissemination plan for investment cases and coordination with regional and country offices

September 30th, 2025

2c) Donor landscape analysis

Donor landscape analysis, opportunity mapping, and engagement roadmap for traditional and non-traditional funding sources

October 31st, 2025

2d) Knowledge Management strategy for HIV/AIDS

Develop and manage a KM strategy for HIV/AIDS to ensure all assets including reports, case studies and photographs are properly managed for seamless utilization across the section

December 31st, 2025

(3) Gender Equality Action Plan roll-out strategy and communications (42 days over 7 months)

3a) GEAPU Roll-out Strategy

Comprehensive strategy for the implementation and roll-out of UNICEF's Gender Equality Action Plan, including stakeholder engagement approach and timeline and define materials needed

July 31st, 2025

3b) UGEAPU Core Communications Package

Produce high-quality brochure, and supporting promotional materials that effectively communicate UGEAP priorities to internal and external audiences according to roll-out strategy

October 31st, 2025

3c) Technical package of guidance and evidence to accompany UGEAP

Assemble technical package of guidance and evidence from sectors to accompany UGEAP including repackaging standalone evidence briefs

November 30th, 2025

3d) Monitoring package and Programmatic review toolkit

Develop package of guidance and templates to support monitoring and reporting on UGEAP including a template for a national-level GEAP, updated Gender Equality Programmatic Review toolkit, and an explainer on the GEAP standard measuring institutional accountability for gender equality

December 31st, 2025

(4) Development of paper “High-Potential Opportunities for Trust Funds” (28 days over 7 months)

4a) Lessons learned analysis on Trust/Hosted Funds

Deliver a SWOT analysis of UNICEF's current approach to trust and hosted funds based on a desk review and at least 12 stakeholder consultations. The report will summarize key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats outlining key lessons learned and best practices for future initiative

September 30th, 2025

4b) Define parameters for selecting and evaluating potential programme and partnership trust funds

Produce final paper with clear strategic vision for UNICEF's approach to trust funds including hosted partnerships, aligned with the organization's overall goals and objectives and a set of criteria (parameters) for selecting and evaluating potential programme and partnership trust funds

October 30th, 2025

4c) High potential opportunities report

Produce a summary report of key high potential opportunities identified for further exploration

November 30th, 2025

4d)  Presentation for senior leadership

Prepare PPT and supporting notes for presenting findings and strategy to PG Directors including iterations with Deputy Director Programme Group

December 15th, 2025

Qualifications

Education: Advanced university degree (Master's or higher) in international development, public administration, business administration, international relations, or related field

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:

Skills:

• Excellent writing, communication, and analytical skills
• Strong coordination and relationship management abilities
• Experience in developing communications materials and strategic messaging
• Knowledge of gender equality frameworks
• Proven ability to work effectively across multiple teams and priorities
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines

Work experience:

• Minimum eight (8) years progressively responsible professional level experience in the areas of resource mobilization, strategic partnerships, policy analysis and or other relevant areas
• Experience developing investment cases related to UNICEF’s HIV Programme
• Experience with CDC donor reporting and relationship management required
• Prior experience with gender equality frameworks required
• Knowledge of UN/UNICEF systems, procedures, and operations required

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.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

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. 

Remarks:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.