Roster of National Individual Consultants in Child Protection, Chisinau, Moldova

Organizational Context

UNICEF operates in over 190 countries and territories, dedicated to saving children’s lives, defending their rights, and helping them fulfill their potential from early childhood through adolescence. 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 opportunities for professional and personal development.

Job Purpose

UNICEF Moldova is establishing a roster of national consultants in child protection to provide high-quality technical assistance for UNICEF programmes and national counterparts. The purpose of this roster is to ensure flexible and timely access to specialized expertise for the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of child protection interventions. This will focus on strengthening national systems, advancing evidence-based policies, and supporting sustainable institutional reforms. The roster will support UNICEF's work on core and emerging child protection priorities, including the prevention of and response to violence against children (VAC), gender-based violence (GBV), and violence against women (VAW). It will also focus on strengthening child protection services for vulnerable children, developing child-friendly justice systems, promoting survivor-centred communication, preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), addressing online safety risks, and supporting national reforms in the context of EU accession and the European Child Guarantee.

Responsibilities

Consultants engaged through this roster will contribute to evidence generation, policy and legal development, system strengthening, capacity building, and programme implementation as defined by specific assignments from UNICEF Moldova’s Child Protection team. They will work closely with national and local authorities, civil society organizations, and development partners to generate substantive outputs that strengthen child protection systems, improve service delivery, and support policy and legal reforms. Specific areas of contribution include strengthening national systems, governance frameworks, and public services to promote and protect child rights, focusing on equity, inclusion, non-discrimination, and the best interests of the child. This involves advancing child-rights-based policies, improving access to quality social and child protection services, strengthening child participation, supporting evidence-based decision-making, and enhancing institutional capacities. Consultants will also support the prevention of and response to all forms of violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation affecting children through integrated and child-centered protection systems, improving coordination, enhancing prevention and early intervention, supporting data collection, addressing emerging risks like online violence, and strengthening services for child victims. Contributions may also extend to gender-based violence, EU accession and the European Child Guarantee, investing in families, preventing family separation, deinstitutionalization, developing social services, and justice for children.

Work Experience

A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in child protection, social services, or a related field, with a proven track record in programme design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Experience working with national governments, NGOs, and international organizations is desirable.

Skills

Child protection systems strengthening, Policy analysis and development, Programme design and implementation, Monitoring and evaluation, Capacity building, Research and data analysis, Stakeholder engagement, Knowledge of child rights, Understanding of gender-based violence, Familiarity with EU accession processes, Report writing, Communication skills

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