International Consultant - ECD and the Status of Pacific Young Children Report
Organizational Context
UNICEF operates in over 190 countries, dedicated to saving children's lives, defending their rights, and helping them reach their full 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 growth.
Job Purpose
The International Consultant will play a crucial role in developing the 'ECD and the Status of Pacific Young Children Report'. This report is a critical initiative responding to outcomes from the 2026 PIF Women Leaders Meeting and the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting. The consultant will be responsible for consolidating fragmented evidence on children's wellbeing across sectors, age groups, and data systems to create a single, integrated regional picture. This will involve identifying emerging issues and supporting policy action through regional governance pathways. The report aims to address significant risks to young children's survival, health, and development, including infectious diseases, injuries, malnutrition, and limited access to early screening and intervention, thereby informing and driving policy and programmatic improvements across the Pacific region.
Responsibilities
The International Consultant will lead the development of the 'ECD and the Status of Pacific Young Children Report', a key deliverable supporting regional ECD priorities and ministerial commitments. This involves undertaking comprehensive research and data analysis to synthesize fragmented evidence on young children's wellbeing across health, nutrition, education, protection, and social welfare sectors in 15 Pacific Island Countries (PICs). The consultant will identify critical gaps, emerging issues, and trends affecting child development, including risks related to infectious diseases, malnutrition, developmental delays, and the impact of social, economic, environmental, and climate-related pressures. Responsibilities include developing a robust methodology for data collection and analysis, engaging with stakeholders from government ministries, regional bodies, and civil society to gather insights and validate findings, and drafting the comprehensive report. The consultant will also be responsible for ensuring the report aligns with regional frameworks such as the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy and provides actionable recommendations for policy and program development to improve ECD outcomes across the Pacific.
Work Experience
A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in early childhood development, research, policy analysis, or program management, preferably within the Pacific region or in developing country contexts. Proven experience in report writing, data synthesis, and stakeholder engagement is essential.
Skills
Early Childhood Development (ECD), Research and Data Analysis, Report Writing, Policy Analysis, Stakeholder Engagement, Project Management, Cross-sectoral Collaboration, Pacific Regional Context, UNICEF Programmatic Areas, Communication Skills, Problem-Solving, M&E Frameworks