Research Consultant (Intergenerational Governance), OSE, UNICEF Innocenti, 13.5 months, Florence, Italy (Remote) #593501

Organizational Context

UNICEF operates in over 190 countries, dedicated to saving children's lives, defending their rights, and helping them fulfill their potential. We are committed, passionate, and proud of our work, viewing the promotion of every child's rights not just as a job, but as a calling. UNICEF fosters diverse career growth opportunities, encouraging professional and personal development.

Job Purpose

The purpose of this consultancy is to support UNICEF Innocenti's comparative research on formal youth governance mechanisms within national and multilateral arenas. This initiative contributes to the learning, documentation, and synthesis agenda related to the Leading Minds Fellowship on Climate Education. The Research Consultant will provide essential analytical, research, coordination, and synthesis support across various study components. This includes conducting comparative analyses, tracing participation pathways, and performing thematic research to understand how children's, adolescents', and young people's priorities are articulated, mediated, and integrated into public decision-making systems. Special attention will be given to youth-led climate education initiatives as a practical lens for examining youth participation, evidence generation, and intergenerational governance in relation to policy and systems-change agendas.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of UNICEF Innocenti, the Research Consultant will undertake several key responsibilities. This includes supporting the development of a comparative analysis focused on intergenerational governance and participation, specifically examining how the priorities of children, adolescents, and young people gain traction within public decision-making systems. The consultant will also support the creation of a portfolio of comparative country case studies, meticulously tracing participation-to-impact pathways from youth input to institutional response. Furthermore, they will contribute to the design, implementation, and analysis of research investigating multi-route participation pathways. The role involves supporting the development of analytical outputs that explore how intergenerational governance functions in contexts of conflict, fragility, displacement, and constrained civic space. Additionally, the consultant will contribute to comparative analyses assessing the influence of public investment, institutional location, and demographic context on youth-focused governance arrangements. Finally, the consultant will support the creation of high-quality knowledge products, such as reports, publications, and policy briefs, and assist in translating research findings into actionable recommendations for policy and institutional design.

Work Experience

A minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience in research, policy analysis, or programme support, preferably in areas related to youth participation, governance, or international development. Experience with comparative research methodologies and qualitative/quantitative data analysis is essential.

Skills

Research and analytical skills, Comparative analysis, Policy analysis, Youth participation, Intergenerational governance, Report writing, Data synthesis, Coordination, Project support, Climate education, UNICEF policies and procedures, Communication skills

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