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UNICEF Tajikistan is at the beginning of a strategic shift in how it mobilizes resources for children. Official development assistance is under increasing structural pressure, and from FY2027 Tajikistan will transition from grant-only financing to blended terms under the International Development Assistance (IDA) and the Asian Development Fund (ADF), reducing the availability of highly concessional financing for social sectors. At the same time, the domestic private sector has expanded both in scale and in its willingness to invest in social impact. As a result, private sector engagement has become a strategic response to the evolving financing landscape rather than a complementary fundraising activity.

To respond to this shift, the office developed and adopted the Private Sector Engagement Strategy 2026, which organizes engagement under two complementary pillars. Pillar 1 – Leveraging focuses on influencing companies to direct their own resources, expertise, business practices and networks towards improving outcomes for children, without financial resources flowing through UNICEF. Pillar 2 – Resource Mobilization focuses on cash, in-kind and matched contributions channelled to or through UNICEF. In line with the UNICEF Resource Mobilization Strategy, which recognizes income and influence as mutually reinforcing, the office will prioritize leveraging in 2026–2027 while progressively expanding resource mobilization as partnerships mature. This consultancy has been designed to support that strategic sequencing.

Two significant developments in 2026 created a unique opportunity to accelerate private sector engagement. First, UNICEF Tajikistan hosted its inaugural Charity Gala Dinner on 12 June 2026 in Dushanbe, focused on early childhood intervention, bringing a significant number of Tajik companies into direct engagement with UNICEF for the first time. Second, the Nasli 2050 Business Advisory Group was established with eight founding chief executives representing the banking, telecommunications, aviation, technology and investment sectors. The Group is permanently co-chaired by the UNICEF Representative and an annually rotating private sector co-chair, meets quarterly with an annual general meeting, and is supported by a secretariat housed within UNICEF. Its official public launch is planned for October 2026.

The draft Country Programme Document (CPD) 2027–2030 commits UNICEF Tajikistan to establishing a high-level business advisory platform that brings together private sector leaders to co-invest in solutions for children. The Nasli 2050 Business Advisory Group serves as this flagship platform. In parallel, the 2026 Annual Management Plan, under Priority Result 3, establishes measurable targets for private sector engagement, including at least six documented leveraging initiatives annually (against a baseline of four) and a minimum of four partnerships delivering measurable results.

While the office has established the strategic framework and enabling platforms, it does not currently possess the dedicated corporate partnership expertise required to convert these opportunities into structured, high-value partnerships at the pace envisaged under the new Country Programme. The LEAP Section leads coordination of private sector engagement and serves as the secretariat for the Business Advisory Group; however, the current staffing structure does not include a position with dedicated technical expertise in corporate partnerships.

Consequently, specialized consultancy support is required to establish partnership pipelines, develop engagement models, and secure tangible leveraging and resource mobilization results.

2. Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to support UNICEF Tajikistan with the analysis, strategy and partnership documentation required to convert the relationships opened during 2026 into a prioritised and managed corporate partnership portfolio, and to establish the Nasli 2050 Business Advisory Group as a functioning platform with an agreed work programme for 2027 and 2028.

The business need is specific. The office has partners interest but no systematic map of the corporate landscape, no agreed value proposition to use with private sector companies, no standing partnership documentation, and no pipeline against which progress can be tracked and reported. This consultancy is needed to produce those instruments. Relationship management, representation, convening and all decisions on partnership acceptance remain with UNICEF staff throughout the assignment.

By the end of the assignment the following results are to be acheived:

• a prioritised corporate partnership pipeline that UNICEF staff can maintain and report against beyond the contract period;

• documented leveraging instances and partnerships counting towards Annual Management Plan Priority Result 3 and its successor under the Country Programme 2027-2030;

• the Nasli 2050 Business Advisory Group operating after its public launch, with an adopted charter and an agreed work programme for 2027 and 2028;

• partnership documentation prepared to a standard that can be cleared under UNICEF’s framework for engagement with business.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: External ToR TMC0005627.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have...

Minimum requirements:

Education:

Master's degree in business administration, international business, economics, marketing and communications, development studies, international relations, international law and human rights, or other related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum 5 years of professional experience in private sector engagement, resource mobilization, and corporate partnership development.
Demonstrated experience in development of partnerships and resource mobilization strategies
Demonstrated experience conducting market or stakeholder analysis and producing prioritised prospect mapping.
Demonstrated experience developing corporate engagement or private sector fundraising strategies and value propositions.
Demonstrated experience preparing documentation for high-level stakeholder engagement events or for senior advisory bodies, councils or boards.
Demonstrated experience preparing or negotiating corporate cooperation agreements, including partner risk screening.
Previous working experience in Central Asia, including Tajikistan considered as a strong asset.
Previous working experience with United Nations and/or UNICEF considered as a strong asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Working knowledge of Russian is required.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:

Strong analytical and written communication skills in English, with the ability to produce documents intended for chief executive level audiences.
Ability to work independently and remotely across time zones with limited day-to-day supervision.

Desirables:
Familiarity with UNICEF programmatic approaches and with UNICEF guidance on engagement with business, including due diligence requirements, is a strong asset.
Familiarity with UNICEF’s Private Sector Fundraising structure, including National Committees, PFP and PPD, is an asset.

*Listed requirements will be used for technical evaluation in the competitive process

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 (only acceptable in the format of the linked template) Financial proposal TMC0005627.xlsx
A detailed technical proposal:

Candidates are required to submit a technical proposal of no more than three pages setting out.

Proposed approach, methodology and work plan,
At least two samples of similar works conducted before

Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not downloadable 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.

International Private Sector Engagement and Partnerships Consultant, LEAP Section, 3.5 months, Dushanbe, Tajikistan (Internationals only) Home based with travel