Strategic Technical Consultant on Sugar-sweetened Beverage Taxation and Healthy Food Fiscal Policies (Internationals only, Remote with possible travel to Beijing)

Organizational Context

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. 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.

Job Purpose

China faces a growing burden of childhood overweight and obesity due to changing dietary patterns and unhealthy food environments. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a significant contributor to excess sugar intake and obesity risk among children and adolescents. UNICEF China supports efforts to advance healthier food environments through evidence generation, policy dialogue, and strategic advocacy. This consultancy aims to explore the feasibility and policy relevance of fiscal measures, including SSB taxation and related healthy food fiscal policies. Recognizing the technical complexity and political sensitivity of fiscal policy development, UNICEF seeks an international consultant with recognized expertise in health taxation to provide high-level strategic and technical advisory support to UNICEF and its national partners.

Responsibilities

Provide high-level strategic and technical advisory support to UNICEF and its national partners on the feasibility and policy relevance of fiscal measures, including sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxation and related healthy food fiscal policies. This includes advising on the design, implementation, and potential impact of such policies, considering the socio-economic and fiscal context of China. The consultant will be expected to conduct or appraise fiscal modeling, price elasticity analysis, and health impact projection models, interpreting complex economic data and simulation results. They will also support governments, WHO, or international organizations on fiscal policy design and implementation, leveraging their familiarity with the Chinese context or similar high/middle-income countries. Furthermore, the role involves excellent analytical, strategic advisory, and policy writing skills to contribute to UNICEF's agenda on advancing healthier food environments for children. Experience contributing to WHO/global normative guidance is highly desirable.

Work Experience

Minimum 15 years of professional experience in health taxation, fiscal policy, public finance, nutrition policy, or related areas.

Skills

Expertise in sugar-sweetened beverage taxation and/or health taxes, Proficiency in fiscal modeling, Price elasticity analysis, Health impact projection models, Ability to appraise complex economic data and simulation results, Experience supporting governments on fiscal policy design and implementation, Familiarity with the socio-economic and fiscal context of China or similar countries, Excellent analytical skills, Strategic advisory skills, Policy writing skills, Experience contributing to WHO/global normative guidance (desirable)

Explore related opportunities