Development of a UNICEF Strategy for Engagement in Fragile, Violent and Conflict-Affected Settings
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 to our mission, offering diverse opportunities for professional and personal growth within a passionate and inclusive culture, ensuring attractive compensation and benefits.
Job Purpose
This consultancy aims to develop a practical UNICEF strategy for engagement in fragile, violent, and conflict-affected settings. The strategy will define UNICEF’s comparative advantage, enhance the resilience of systems and communities, and promote coherent, risk-informed, and child-centered programming across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. By drawing on evidence, country experiences, and existing UNICEF guidance, the assignment will produce a strategic framework to guide programming, advocacy, partnerships, resource mobilization, and technical support in these challenging contexts. The goal is to strengthen UNICEF's ability to effectively serve children and communities facing interconnected challenges such as conflict, displacement, climate shocks, poverty, and weak governance.
Responsibilities
The consultant will lead the development of a comprehensive UNICEF strategy for engagement in fragile, violent, and conflict-affected settings. This involves conducting thorough research and analysis of existing evidence, country-specific experiences, and current UNICEF guidance. The consultant will identify UNICEF’s comparative advantages in these contexts and propose approaches to strengthen the resilience of national and local systems and communities. A key responsibility is to ensure the strategy promotes coherent, risk-informed, and child-centered programming, effectively bridging the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. The consultant will translate complex analyses into a clear, practical, and user-friendly strategic framework. This framework will guide UNICEF’s programming, advocacy efforts, partnership development, resource mobilization strategies, and technical support. The consultant will also facilitate consultations with diverse stakeholders at headquarters, regional, and country office levels to gather input and ensure buy-in. The final output will be a strategic document that enhances UNICEF's operational effectiveness in challenging environments.
Work Experience
A minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible professional experience is required in international development, humanitarian action, peacebuilding, resilience, fragility, conflict prevention, systems strengthening, or related programming fields.
Skills
Understanding of fragility, violence, and conflict dynamics, Knowledge of resilience building and systems strengthening, Familiarity with humanitarian-development-peace collaboration, Understanding of UNICEF's mandate and child rights programming, Ability to translate complex analysis into strategic guidance, Strong consultation and facilitation skills, Excellent analytical, synthesis, and writing skills, Ability to work independently and manage timelines, Experience in programming in fragile contexts, Risk-informed programming expertise