Contract Duration: 8.5 months

Working arrangement: remote

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Background

The UNICEF WASH Global Acceleration Investment Programme (WASH-GAP 2030) represents a bold, transformative effort to deliver climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services at scale, targeting hundreds of millions of people across fragile, climate-vulnerable, and rapidly urbanizing contexts. The programme reflects a strategic shift in the sector - from incremental service delivery toward large-scale, systems-oriented approaches that prioritize sustainability, resilience, and equity. Central to this vision is a strong emphasis on strengthening national systems, mobilizing private sector engagement, and leveraging innovative financing mechanisms to achieve long-term impact.

Delivering on this ambition requires more than infrastructure investment; it demands a fundamental transformation in the capacities of the WASH workforce and a structured approach to talent management. Traditional technical expertise—while essential—is no longer sufficient on its own. Instead, WASH professionals must be equipped with a broader and more integrated set of capacities that enable them to navigate complex systems, engage markets, and influence policy environments, including capacity on market-based approaches and private sector engagement, financing and economic analysis, systems thinking, and strategic leadership across the humanitarian-development nexus.

Recognizing these evolving demands, this initiative seeks to establish a comprehensive approach to workforce development through the introduction of a WASH TEAM (Technical, Entrepreneurial, Analytical, and Managerial) Framework. This framework will be complemented by structured capacity building pathways tailored to different career stages and roles, as well as strengthened talent management systems to support career progression, mobility, and retention. Importantly, the initiative will also embed a strong gender lens through a dedicated Women in WASH pathway, ensuring that efforts to build workforce capacity simultaneously advance gender parity, promote women’s leadership, and expand opportunities for women within UNICEF and across the WASH sector.

Together, these efforts will lay the foundation for a future-ready, diverse, and high-performing WASH workforce capable of delivering the scale, quality, and sustainability envisioned under WASH-GAP and the UNICEF Strategic Plan (SP) 2026 - 2029.

Purpose

This initiative aims to develop a future-ready WASH workforce at the Global WASH practice, equipped to deliver the scale and ambition of the WASH-GAP programme. It seeks to strengthen the capacity of professionals across UNICEF global, satellite and country teams to drive systems transformation, effectively engage with markets and the private sector, and navigate increasingly complex financing landscapes. At its core, the initiative promotes a shift toward continuous learning and structured talent development, ensuring that workforce capabilities evolve in line with emerging sector demands. Equally, it places a strong emphasis on advancing gender equality by promoting gender parity and strengthening women’s leadership across all levels of UNICEF WASH workforce. Through this effort, a number of key results are expected.

Expected Results:

A validated TEAM (Technical, Entrepreneurial, Analytical, and Managerial) framework will be established and adopted across UNICEF WASH teams, providing a clear foundation for workforce development. Structured learning pathways will be identified, talent management efforts mapped and new approaches proposed and linked to career progression, enabling WASH professionals to systematically develop themselves over time. The initiative will contribute to strengthening the pipeline of WASH talent at entry, mid, and leadership levels, while also enhancing engagement with private sector actors and financing partners. In parallel, targeted efforts will lead to increased representation and leadership of women within the WASH workforce. Overall, the initiative will support the institutionalization of robust capacity development systems within UNICEF and its partners, ensuring sustained impact and long-term sector transformation.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: TMC0005166 ToR.pdf

Minimum requirements:

Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master's level or above) in Human Resource Management, Organizational Development, Adult Education, Learning and Development, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Psychology, International Development, or a related field.
- Additional certifications in talent management, competency-based human resource management, leadership development, coaching, mentoring, change management, or learning systems would be considered an asset.
Work Experience:
- A minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible professional experience in one or more of the following areas:
  - Talent management and workforce development;
  - Organizational development and change management;
  - Capacity assessment and competency framework design;
  - Learning and development systems;
  - Leadership development and succession planning;
  - Human resource strategy and workforce planning.
- Demonstrated experience leading and delivering organization-wide capacity mapping, skills assessments, and workforce diagnostics for international organizations, multilateral institutions, governments, NGOs, or private sector organizations.

• Technical Expertise:

• Solid understanding of capacity building and talent management approaches, competency modelling, skills assessment and capacity building design

• Experience in developing practical talent management and skills development tools that can be commonly used for self-assessment and learning

• Ability to design career progression pathways and facilitate structured conversations with leadership on workforce and talent decisions

• Strong project coordination and strategic workforce planning skills, succession management, and organizational transformation.

Desirables:

Prior experience with UNICEF or the UN system
Familiarity with UNICEF's programme structure and the work of WASH Global Practice
Commitment to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
Cover letter
A separate financial proposal TMC0005166 Financial Proposal Template.xlsx
A brief technical proposal outlining:

Executive summary (1 page)
Understanding of the Assignment
Proposed Methodology and Approach
Work Plan and Timeline
Relevant Experience and Expertise
Risk Management and Quality Assurance
Annexes:

CV(s)
Work Samples
References

Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not visible on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

WASH Capacity Mapping and Talent Management Consultant, UNICEF Global Programme Division - WASH, CoE Nairobi, Kenya, 8.5 months (remote) #595188