Consultants at United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

Background

• The purpose of this consultancy is to strengthen UNICEF’s capacity to protect and respond to the needs of children affected by armed conflict and armed violence in Nigeria.
• The consultant will provide technical support and guidance on contingency planning, monitoring, and coordinated action across sectors to ensure effective protection responses.
• Specific attention will be given to children at risk of recruitment and use by armed groups, sexual and gender-based violence, family separation, and other grave violations.
• The consultancy will also support the development of early warning systems, enhance the capacity of staff and partners to respond to emergencies involving children in conflict-affected areas, and provide technical input on the financial and programmatic aspects of humanitarian interventions addressing armed violence.

How can you make a difference? 

• The consultancy will play a critical role in Child Rights Monitoring, reporting and response, ensuring that violations against children affected by armed conflict and those in non-emergency settings are documented, analyzed, and addressed.
• The assignment will further support implementation and monitoring of the Handover Protocol for children encountered in conflict in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin, serve as Secretariat for the Group of Friends on Children and Armed Conflict (GOF-CAAC) in Nigeria, and provide leadership as the Abuja-based Emergency Focal Point for the Child Protection Section.
• Through these interventions, consultancy will contribute to improved preparedness, timely response, and accountability in addressing the protection needs of children affected by emergencies and violence.

Scope of Work:

• The Consultant will support UNICEF Nigeria’s Child Protection Section in strengthening emergency preparedness, response, and child rights monitoring through the following key responsibilities:
• Child Rights Monitoring Reporting and Response:
  • Support the monitoring and reporting of child rights violations, including for children affected by armed violence in non-emergency settings.
  • Contribute to the design, planning, and monitoring of the Handover Protocol for children encountered in the course of armed conflict in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin Region.
• Coordination and Secretariat Functions:
  • Serve as Secretariat for the Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict (GOF-CAAC) in Nigeria, ensuring effective coordination, communication, and follow-up of activities.
  • Act as the Abuja-based Emergency Focal Point for the Child Protection Section, supporting coordination, reporting, and response actions.
• Capacity Building and Training:
  • Support the design, organization, and delivery of emergency preparedness and response training for UNICEF staff, partners, and regional standby Emergency Response Teams.
  • Strengthen office and partner capacity in emergency preparedness, coordination, and response through workshops, technical guidance, and simulation exercises.
• Emergency Preparedness and Planning:
  • Support the development, updating, and implementation of country contingency plans and early warning mechanisms to enhance preparedness for potential emergencies.
  • Participate in the formulation of emergency response plans and monitor compliance across sectors, including financial resource allocation.
  • Provide policy and program advice on emergency management issues, offering direction and guidance to strengthen preparedness and response mechanisms.

Work Assignments Overview

• Develop inception report, workplan, and methodology
  • Deliverables / Outputs:
  • Inception report and approved 11.5 months workplan
• Update and validate national contingency plans, including early warning mechanisms
  • Deliverables / Outputs:
  • Updated contingency/early warning plans
• Support development of emergency response action plans and monitor compliance
  • Deliverables / Outputs:
  • Draft and validated response action plans
• Provide policy advice and guidance on emergency preparedness to Country Office
  • Deliverables / Outputs:
  • Policy briefs and technical guidance note
• Develop and maintain emergency information database.
  • Deliverables / Outputs:
  • Functional emergency information/response database

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Social Sciences, Law, International Development, Public Policy, Humanitarian Affairs, or a related field.
• A first-level university degree combined with at least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.
• Professional training/certification in emergency preparedness, child protection, or project management is an asset.

Knowledge, Expertise, and Skills:

• Strong knowledge of child protection, humanitarian principles, emergency preparedness, and UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children (CCCs).
• Proven expertise in program management, emergency response, inter-agency coordination, and monitoring & evaluation.
• Demonstrated experience in financial/resource management, including Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) planning, budgeting, and reporting.
• Skills in capacity building, training design, and strengthening emergency response mechanisms for staff and partners.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, negotiation, and report-writing skills, with fluency in English (knowledge of Hausa or Kanuri languages is an advantage

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others.

Application Closing Date
25th September, 2025; 11:55 PM West Central Africa Standard Time.

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Background

• The development of the UNICEF Nigeria Country Programme (2028–2032) comes at a pivotal moment for both Nigeria and the global development landscape.
• Nationally, Nigeria is preparing to roll out its National Development Plan (2026–2030) and to co-create a new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2028–2032, both of which will set the direction of the country’s development trajectory.
• These processes are unfolding amidst rapid demographic growth, technological shifts, environmental stressors, widening social inequalities, and the upcoming 2027 general elections, which are expected to reset governance priorities for the coming decade.

How can you make a difference? 
Purpose of the Assignment:

• The UNICEF Nigeria Country Office is looking to hire a qualified individual consultant with the requisite technical expertise and experience to support and facilitate the country programme development process for 2028-2032.
• More specifically, the individual consultant will support the following in close collaboration with the Deputy Representative, Programmes and Chief, Planning, Monitoring and Reporting.

Specifically, the consultancy will:

• Provide technical leadership for the design of UNICEF Nigeria’s 2028–2032 Country Programme, ensuring strategic alignment with the UNSDCF, National Development Plan, UNICEF Strategic Plan, and relevant global/regional initiatives.
• Integrate evidence synthesis, including lessons learned, evaluations and foresight analysis into programme design by June 2026.
• Attend and actively participate in relevant planning workshops such as the Strategic Moment of Reflection (SMR) in July 2026, monthly CPD reference group meetings, and around 6 stakeholder and partners meetings within July-November 2026.
• Support the preparation and co-facilitate the strategic planning workshops, including the theory of change by September 2026 and results framework (RF) development by February 2027, CPD validation by March 2027.
• Provide monitoring and evaluation technical assistance and guidance on the theory of change and results framework development.
• Facilitate at least three key strategic planning workshops (ToC, RF, CPD validation workshops) and attend relevant planning meetings to present or validate key documents in support of the development of the 2028-2032 Country Programme.
• Draft the Theory of Change and Results Framework, with a SMART and technically sound results measurement plan, in consultation with the reference group.
• Draft the 2028-2032 Country Programme Document in collaboration with the reference group to be ready for submission to the Regional Office by the April 2027.
• Produce a high-quality CPD narrative and annexes that meet UNICEF HQ and Regional standards and timelines for submission to the Executive Board by May 2027.

Deliverables / Outputs

• Consolidate evidence synthesis, integrating lessons learned, evaluations, and foresight analysis to inform programme design.
  • Produce a matrix linking evidence to draft programme priorities based on the conceptual framework
• Active participation, co-facilitation and technical guidance in at least 6 key stakeholder and partner consultation meetings (monthly CPD reference group meeting, Strategic Moment of Reflection, ToC, Results Framework and CPD Validation), to ensure technical quality and alignment of the CPD with the UNSDCF, National Development Plan, UNICEF Strategic Plan, and global/regional initiatives
  • Review ToCs
  • Report on the key discussion points and strategic intent paper to the CPD if required
• Based on the ToC, the consultant will support the development of the CP results framework to articulate UNICEF's country programme outcomes and outputs.
• Draft the UNICEF Nigeria’s 2028–2032 Country Programme Document (CPD) narrative and annexes shared with the Resident Coordinator and endorsed by the Government before finalisation and submission to the regional office.
  • First draft CPD narrative and annexes prepared in consultation with the reference group.
• CPD internal validation workshop
  • Revised CPD package incorporating Regional Office feedback.
  • Final CPD narrative and annexes that meet UNICEF HQ and Regional standards, ready for submission to the Executive Board.

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced degree in Planning, Public Policy, International Development, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• Planning expert with minimum 8 years of extensive experience and skills on UNICEF CPD development, Strategic prioritization, ToC development.
• Extensive experience and skills in developing Results frameworks for Country Programmes and results measurement and indicator frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting the development of at least 2 UNICEF country programme development process.
• Strong understanding of child rights, intergenerational equity, and sustainable development, including familiarity with relevant global frameworks (e.g., UN CRC, SDGs, Declaration on Future Generations).
• Experience working with government institutions, think tanks, and multilateral agencies, particularly in long-term planning processes.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others.

Application Closing Date
18th September, 2025; 11:55 PM West Central Africa Standard Time.