UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
For every child, hope
The Children’s Rights and Business (CRB) Unit within the Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP) Division is responsible for developing guidance: a) for companies, governments, and civil society on addressing business impact on children’s rights and, b) for UNICEF on how to engage business to address its impact on children. UNICEF sees the world of business (i.e. the ecosystem of large and small businesses, regulators, industry associations, investors, etc.) as having a key role in addressing child deprivations and achieving the SDGs. UNICEF works with all business stakeholders – companies, government, and civil society – to create an enabling environment where business respects and supports children’s rights.
UNICEF offices at HQ, regional and country levels are engaging businesses around their impact on children in many different ways, informed by the country contexts and programmatic priorities of the individual offices.
UNICEF is seeking an expert consultant to periodically scan for opportunities for submitting funding proposals to bilateral donors whose priorities align with UNICEF’s children’s rights and business agenda, and supporting the development of these proposals to initiate or scale up existing child rights and business work at country, regional and global level.
CONTEXT
Within UNICEF, there is a growing understanding of the importance of business as not only an increasingly important social and economic actor in many parts of the world, but also a duty bearer for children’s rights. Business is also recognizing that it has to become more sustainable and socially responsible, and larger companies in the region are starting to take measures towards this end.
As many UNICEF Country Offices and national committees are starting to engage more strategically with the business sector around the Children’s Rights and Business Principles(CRBP) towards changing business conduct to respect and support children’s rights there is an increased drive to systematically include the business sector in UNICEF’s planning and programming processes. This has taken the form of bilateral engagement with emblematic or champion companies, piloting approaches with business, training programmes for business on children’s rights, engagement with regulatory and industry standards, and the production of tools and guidance for business.
In order to allow for initiating new activities around engaging businesses around their impact on children, as well as to scale up existing initiatives, UNICEF needs to scale up investments in qualified staff, research and knowledge generation, partnerships and activities on the ground.
How can you make a difference?
UNICEF is seeking an expert consultant with a strong familiarity of the international development cooperation environment, and other international cooperation modalities(trade promotion, FDI etc.), as well as previous experience in developing proposals to bi-lateral donors, to undertake this assignment.
The primary focus for this assignment will be to develop proposals for donor agencies that are particularly focused on responsible business, rather than the broader scope of development cooperation, which will likely mean a focus on potential donors that aren’t currently contributing to UNICEF’s programmatic or humanitarian work.
MAIN TASKS & DELIVERABLES
Under the guidance of the supervisor of this contract, and guided by UNICEF’s 2021 mapping study of public sector donors whose priorities align with UNICEF’s children’s rights and business agenda, the consultant is responsible for periodically scanning for upcoming funding opportunities with donors, recommend suitable opportunities to the supervisor, and support the development of 3 funding proposals during the year.
The contract is structured around 2 deliverables:
1. Identifying potential opportunities with public sector donors for submitting funding proposals for children’s rights and business activities at global, regional, or country level:
a. Regular monitoring of upcoming opportunities announced by potential donors, and report suitable opportunities to supervisor with recommendations on how to proceed.
b. Support the CRB team with intelligence about the abovementioned donors and opportunities, including deadlines, suggested framing of proposals, advice on potential size of funding asks, geographic priorities and any other factors key to develop a successful proposal.
c. Investigate potential donors or opportunities identified by UNICEF by request.
2. Support the development of 3 proposals:
a. In discussion with supervisor, agree on 3 different proposals to be developed (responding to concrete opportunities identified, or possibly template proposals for key priority issues that can be adapted to specific opportunities).
b. Supported by relevant UNICEF offices and staff, develop these into high quality proposals outlining proposed cases for support and other required information.
c. Support the submission of these proposals to relevant donors.
Contract management: UNICEF Children’s Rights and Business team in its Division of Private Fundraising and Partnerships will be responsible for all aspects of management of this project, administrative and technical. A focal point in the team will be available to the consultant to consult on framing, methodology and necessary insights on past and existing relationships with donors.
ESTIMATED DURATION OF THE CONTRACT AND PROPOSAL
The consultant is expected to deliver the deliverables as per the plan above (subject to discussion). This consultancy will be carried out on a part time basis (estimated 20 working days) throughout 2 months, tentatively from 13 September 2021 to 12 November 2021.
REPORTING TO
Corporate Alliances Manager, the Children’s Rights and Business (CRB) Unit
WORKPLACE
Consultant is expected to work remotely with no expectation for travel.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- A first level university degree in Business Administration, Corporate Social Responsibility, Communications, international development, or related fields is required.
- 5 years of relevant work experience is required.
- Demonstrable experience in working with or familiarity with bilateral donor organizations and channels, with particular reference to those related to sustainability, business responsibility, trade, international law, or related areas is required.
- Demonstrable experience in developing successful funding proposals for bi-lateral donors is required.
- Fluency in English required.
- Experience and demonstrable skills in writing reports and presenting in English is required.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.
Remarks: Please indicate your ability, availability, and gross daily rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily rate will not be considered. Also, please mention the earliest date you can start.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.