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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, a bright future

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: The purpose of this consultancy is to provide specialized advisory support on innovation governance and systems‑change methodology to UNICEF country engagement under COMPASS and SPARK, while contributing targeted expertise to the alignment, quality, and institutionalization of UNICEF’s innovation portfolio. The consultant will operate as part of a distributed team led by the Office of Innovation, providing direct governance mentoring to country offices, and contributing expert inputs to methodology alignment, guidance products, and institutional learning processes. The consultant will not lead delivery of COMPASS or SPARK workstreams, but will strengthen the consistency, quality, and application of governance and systems‑change approaches, ensuring coherence across country engagement and institutional frameworks.

Scope of Work: Under the supervision of the Innovation Manager (Systems & Services), the consultant will provide targeted advisory, mentoring, and quality assurance support, aligned with the resource coverage model. The scope includes:

1. Country Office Mentoring - COMPASS Cohorts 4 and 5
2. Systems and Methodology Alignment
3. Quality Assurance of Guidance and Knowledge Products
4. Institutional Learning and COMPASS Architecture
5. SPARK and COMPASS Linkages
6. Strategic Advisory support - Centers of Excellences and Global Programme Division
7. OECD Partnership and Knowledge Management Contributions
8.  Responsive Technical Assistance 
9. Governance Knowledge and Institutional Integration

If you would like to know more about this consultancy's scope of work and deliverables, please review the Terms of Reference here:   ToR Innovation Governance & Strategy Advisor TMS.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: Master's Degree in Governance, organizational development, public policy, innovation management, international development, or a related field. A first degree with two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu.

Work Experience: A minimum of 8 years of professional experience, including substantive work in governance model design or reform in international organizations.

• Demonstrated experience navigating senior stakeholder dynamics in complex, multi-divisional organizations.
• Experience developing institutional frameworks, guidance documents, or policy integration tools in a UN or comparable context.
• Familiarity with innovation portfolio management and UNICEF or UN governance structures is a strong asset.

Language Requirements: Excellent written communication in English; working knowledge of another UN language is an asset.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills: Strong analytical and synthesis skills; ability to translate complex governance and methodology work into clear, actionable documents.

• Experience providing quality assurance on large bodies of policy or programmatic guidance.
• Ability to manage multiple parallel workstreams with different stakeholder groups across HQ, regions, and country offices.

Desirables: Prior experience with UNICEF's innovation governance structures (GIB, ISC); knowledge of COMPASS, the 5D Innovation Framework, or OOI Systems & Services portfolio.

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 Innovation Strategy and Country Engagement Adviser.docx

Remarks:  If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not visible on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers

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.