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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 support

In Lao PDR, UNICEF works in partnership with the Government of Lao PDR and partners to promote and protect the rights of children and women in Lao PDR. With over 50 years of service, we are one of the longest-serving international organisations in the country.

Visit unicef.org/Laos to learn more about what we do at UNICEF in Lao PDR.

How can you make a difference? 

UNICEF in Vientiane, Lao PDR is looking for an International Consultant for Advancing Disability-Inclusive Social Protection Policy Engagement and Learning. The duration of this assignment is 4 months, starting as soon as possible and the consultant shall be home based.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

The consultant will play a key role in synthesizing knowledge, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and providing evidence-based recommendations to ensure scalability, quality, and sustainability in disability-inclusive social protection. The findings from this consultancy will contribute directly to strengthening Lao PDR’s national strategy and framework on disability inclusion and UNICEF’s work in advancing equity-driven policy.

Under the supervision of UNICEF’s Chief of Social Policy, the individual consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Knowledge Collection & Policy Development

• Conduct a comprehensive review of lessons learned from the Okard Program, Child Grant Program, and other relevant disability related initiatives focused on DMIS, identification, and child-centered support mechanisms.
• Assess quality assurance, uniformity, and sustainability within existing programs, identifying key gaps and recommendations for improvement.
• Develop policy options that ensure disability-inclusive programs are scalable, high quality, and aligned with UNICEF’s Disability Inclusion Strategy and CRC principles.

2. Stakeholder Engagement & Joint Planning Workshop

• Facilitate engagement between CBRD, UNICEF, and government counterparts to align on priorities for strengthening disability inclusion within national and sub-national frameworks.
• Organize and support a joint planning workshop, ensuring stakeholders collaborate effectively to improve disability management and identification systems.
• Prepare workshop materials, presentations, and reports, summarizing discussions and proposed actions.

3. Regional Case Study on Disability Management Systems

• Conduct research on Disability Management Information Systems (DMIS) and disability inclusion models in Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines (Batangas) and Lao PDR.
• Identify best practices, challenges, and actionable recommendations that can inform Lao PDR’s approach to disability identification and support mechanisms.
• Produce a comparative case study, highlighting lessons learned and policy implications for Lao PDR.
• Input and review of the global initiative on a road map for disability identification, needs assessment, certification for inclusive social protection in lower resources and fragile settings.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:ToR for individual consultant to support disability inclusion_TMS.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• Master’s degree in public policy, Social Protection, or Disability Studies – with a focus on child-centered and inclusive policies
• Economics, Social Sciences, or Development Studies – specializing in equity-based program design and evaluation
• Statistics or Data Science applicable to Disability Management Information Systems (DMIS) development and analysis

Work Experience:

• Extensive experience (minimum 7 years) in disability inclusion policy, social protection research, and stakeholder coordination
• Proven expertise in conducting policy stock takes, quality assurance assessments, and sustainability analyses for disability-inclusive programs

Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to develop evidence-based policy recommendations, ensuring scalability and uniformity across social protection frameworks.
• Technical knowledge of Disability Management Information Systems (DMIS), identification mechanisms, and disability support structures.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English (professional working level) with excellent technical writing skills for producing policy briefs, case studies, and human-centered narratives.

Desirables:

• Proficiency in facilitating multi-stakeholder workshops with UN agencies, government counterparts, and development partners.
• Strong research and analytical skills in comparative studies, particularly in regional disability models from the region

Submission of applications:

Interested candidates are kindly requested to apply and upload the following documents:

• Letter of Interest (cover letter)
• CV or Resume
• Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost including medical insurance with medivac, travel and accommodation cost for this assignment as per work assignment

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

Remarks:  

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.

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.