Contract Duration – 18 months

Working arrangement: Remote

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.

TERMS OF REFERENCE In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam and Orissa, UNICEF is supporting the operationalization of CPSS as a model approach. This will include CRSA (Child Rights Situation Analysis) at multiple levels, direct consultations with children, DCPUs, and interdepartmental actors. The findings to reveal critical systemic gaps, the need for institutional convergence, and the importance of placing children's voices at the center of planning and response.

The current proposal of intervention is designed to consolidate learnings of the interventions in AP, Telangana and Karnataka into actionable strategies. Initiate and strengthen the CPSS in Odisha and Assam. Through CRSA validation, district- and state-level consultations, convergence planning, and development of Operational Strategic Documents (OSDs), the consultant will translate system assessments into systemic change.

Ultimately, this work aims to strengthen the implementation of Mission Vatsalya by embedding CPSS principles across departments, statutory bodies, and service mechanisms—ensuring every child in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam and Odisha has access to timely, effective, and coordinated protection.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: CP CIC HFO Consultant.pdf

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Post graduate Degree in Public Health or Social work or Education or Social Sciences / Psychology, preferably with a Doctoral Degree

• Work Experience:
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in childrights & protection.
• At least fifteen years or more experience in project planning, project implementation, coordination, research and evaluation and training, especially around child rights and protection.
• Language Requirements: Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are mandatory. In addition, the consultant should preferably be able to read, write and speak in two of the languages Telugu, Kanada, Hindi, Odiya, Assamese
• Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
• Skills for developing advocacy briefs and documentation and technical writing expertise, strategic communication skills, data interpretation abilities are an important requirement for this position.
• Candidates with a good understanding of the government sector and its functioning. Preference will be given to candidates who have experience of working with Government of Telangana/ AP/ KAR/Orissa/Assam
• Computer proficiency with a high level of familiarity with database management; and commonly used packages like MS Office – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Email and Web Browsers, Internet Explorer, Epi-info and Stata etc.
• Desirables:
• Candidates need to have excellent presentation skills, and analytical and interpersonal abilities will be given preference.
• Should be able to travel 10 to 15 days in a month.
• Should be self-motivated, hard-working, team player, energetic and creative with good analytical skills.

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

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

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, TMS (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter
• A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template) Financial proposal for CP CIC HFO Consultant.docx

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.