Knowledge and Research Quality Consultant, COE, Nairobi (Remote)

Organizational Context

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

Job Purpose

This consultancy aims to contribute to the development and implementation of a robust Knowledge and Research Approach for UNICEF's Health Programme Team. This approach will align with corporate standards to enhance the work of the UNICEF health workforce across Centers of Excellence (CoEs) and country offices. The goal is to ensure that CoEs have access to rigorous evidence to support technical assistance, and that country offices can access knowledge for quality programming. Mechanisms will be established for CoEs to share country knowledge for organizational decision-making, and for partners to understand UNICEF's knowledge positions. The approach will leverage new technologies like AI to optimize evidence gathering and dissemination through webinars and policy papers, ensuring systems coherence and institutionalizing the generation and governance of evidence for child thought leadership and program implementation.

Responsibilities

The consultant will lead the contribution to the Knowledge and Research Approach, focusing on building the necessary institutional capacity for knowledge and research generation. Key responsibilities include: a) Conducting a scoping exercise to identify existing knowledge and research, including an assessment of the TA Hub's knowledge area and future knowledge generation needs. b) Developing a strategic approach for utilizing evidence and data to advance UNICEF’s global vision for children and child thought leadership. c) Advising on and developing standards for the quality assurance and sign-off of evidence pieces. The consultant will also consider UNICEF's external engagement, including how to use knowledge externally and support the generation of evidence from Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), in light of initiatives by organizations like WHO and The Wellcome Trust. The consultant will collaborate with CoEs, country offices, Unit Leads, and Knowledge Management focal points, reporting to the Senior Advisor Primary Health Care Coordinator.

Work Experience

A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in knowledge management, research, health program development, or a related field. Experience with UNICEF or other UN agencies is highly desirable. Proven experience in developing and implementing knowledge and research strategies.

Skills

Knowledge Management Strategy Development, Research Design and Methodology, Evidence Synthesis, Health Programme Support, Stakeholder Engagement, AI and Technology Integration, Policy Analysis, Capacity Building, Report Writing, Project Management, Data Analysis, UNICEF Strategic Plan Alignment

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