Consultancy: Volunteer Engagement and Strategy Consultant - Req
Contract
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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.
Consultancy Title: Volunteer Engagement and Strategy Consultant
Section/Division/Duty Station: Generation Unlimited (YPA) Secretariat, Programme Group - NYHQ
Duration: 1 October 2024 to September 30, 2025
Home/ Office Based: NYHQ - REMOTE
About UNICEF
If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education, and the protection of children from violence and exploitation. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.
BACKGROUND
Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:
Anchored in UNICEF, Generation Unlimited (GenU) is a global Public-Private-Youth Partnership, uniting global organizations, leaders and young people to co-create and deliver innovative solutions. Within GenU, the Global Volunteer Initiative (GVI) aims to collaborate with young people (“volunteers”) on issues like climate change, mental health, emergency response and nutrition. These volunteers gain valuable skills and experience that benefit their future endeavours.
The consultant will support GVI by managing the Green Rising initiative, offering global strategy and facilitation expertise and tailored advice on volunteer engagement to UNICEF country offices. Responsibilities include developing strategies for capacity building, collaboration with agencies, leveraging volunteer power for programmatic results, and empowering young volunteers. The consultant will particularly assist UNICEF offices in partnering with young volunteers on climate and environmental actions under The Green Rising initiative. Additionally, the consultant will draft fundraising proposals, marketing communications, and support key events such as webinars, community calls, and design workshops using human-centered design techniques. Supervised by the head of GVI, the consultant will work closely with the GVI team and may require some travel. For more information, refer to the Generation Unlimited/Global Volunteer Initiative website.
Scope of Work:
- Support UNICEF country offices from conceptualization through execution of youth volunteer engagement programming
- Support UNICEF country offices to onboard and capacitate volunteer practitioners
- Prepare fundraising proposals and relevant donor reports
- In collaboration with the GenU MarComms team, draft external communications and event proposals to showcase the Green Rising, with a focus on the volunteerism pillar
- Advise on & draft global strategy for volunteer engagement around the Green Rising
- Facilitate events for volunteer engagement practitioners across UNICEF who are working on youth environmental action
- Disseminate toolkits and other guidance materials related to volunteer engagement around the Green Rising
Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:
Launch the Green Rising volunteer program in at least two additional Country Offices (COs)
- Volunteer strategy workshop designed and facilitated using Human-Centred-Design methodologies, workshop report submitted, 10 calls conducted to support and coach the office staff to implement the program.
30 Sept 2025
Support Jordan, Lebanon & Egypt COs to successfully implement their Green Rising volunteer programmes and report against donor commitments
- 9 calls conducted to support and coach office staff to implement volunteer programmes and measure/report on results against donor commitments
31 May 2025
Share learnings between Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt CO colleagues to support implementation of the volunteer programme.
- At least 4 community calls conducted and 4 unique compilations of relevant learnings, guidance or examples/stories shared with country office colleagues in support of programme roll-out and reporting/measurement
31 Dec 2024
Provide facilitation support to Egypt CO to deliver successfully against donor commitments
- Donor report submitted re first 6 mo’s of programme on employment of young people
31 Jan 2025
Support India CO to roll out their Green Rising South Asia strategy and to scale, report on and fund existing Green Rising volunteer programmes
- 9 calls conducted to support and coach the UNICEF India office
30 May 2025
Support Brazil CO to roll out their Green Rising Amazonia strategy and to scale, report on and fund existing Green Rising volunteer programmes
- 9 calls conducted to support and coach the UNICEF Brazil office
30 May 2025
Provide facilitation support to Nigeria CO to roll out their Green Rising programming
- Green Rising strategy workshop designed and facilitated using Human-Centred-Design methodologies and workshop report prepared
31 Oct 2024
Support UNICEF COs receiving 7% set aside funds for Green Rising implementation
- Conduct at least 15 calls to support and coach at least 3 UNICEF country offices to develop, adapt, sustain, and grow relevant volunteer programmes and to monitor progress
30 Jul 2025
Prepare funding proposals and pitch decks
- Target at least two potential donors to secure funding for The Green Rising.
30 Nov 2024
Draft Unilever donor report
- Prepare the annual donor report for the Unilever- funded Green Rising programmes in Brazil and India
30 Mar 2025
Draft EAA/ROTA and Silatech donor reports
- Prepare 2 semi-annual donor reports for the ROTA/Silatech funded programmes in Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt.
30 Jun 2025
Advise on and draft communications around the Green Rising for 2024
- Content sourced from countries, Green Rising website updated, 3 written stories and 1 video story from countries prepared, comms plan for COP29 drafted, at least one event planned/organized.
30 Nov 2024
Advise on and draft communications around the Green Rising for 2025
- Content sourced from countries, Green Rising website updated, 3 written stories and 1 video story from countries prepared, comms plan for COP30 drafted, at least one event planned/organized.
30 Sep 2025
Advise on and draft the Green Rising global strategy
- Refine and update 3 Green Rising-related strategy documents to align the GVI Green Rising strategy with the UNICEF-wide roll-out of the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan.
28 Jan 2025
Qualifications
Education:
*A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree
Master’s degree from a recognized university in public policy, social sciences or another relevant field
Language Proficiency:
Fluency in English is required, strong written and verbal competency is necessary
Working knowledge of another UN language an asset
Work experience:
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:
- At least 10 yrs of professional experience in volunteer and public engagement work
- Significant experience working with teams to develop, deliver, and optimize successful volunteer initiatives
- Experience facilitating and developing strategies and tactics with multiple stakeholders across functional communities and in global contexts
- Ability to tailor engagement approaches to context, adjusting to suit different issues, audiences, cultures, political situations, & systems of government
- A sophisticated and current knowledge of relevant digital tools and technologies, and a knowledge of trends and best practices in the volunteering and the broader public engagement spaces
- Experience facilitating workshops using human-centred design approaches, building capacity, and hosting internal communications
- Experience writing successful fundraising proposals, including slide decks
- Excellent verbal and interpersonal communication skills; meticulous attention to detail and ability to work under tight deadlines with a commitment to quality
- A solutions-driven attitude and client services orientation
- Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is an asset.
- Experience working in the UNICEF context is an asset
Requirements:
Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and
- Upload copy of academic credentials
- Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :
the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
Indicate your availability
- Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
- At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
- Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.
U.S. Visa information:
With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.
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.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.
The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.