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.

For every child, the right to a future.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of the Assignment:To provide technical and analytical support to UNICEF's evidence generation and policy work on household vulnerability and shock-responsive social protection, including collaborative analytical products and policy recommendations with UN partners in the context of recent and compound shocks, including the Middle East crisis.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: TMC0006997 External ToR Template.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: Master’s Degree or equivalent in economics, development economics, social policy, public policy, statistics, development studies or another relevant social science. A PhD is an asset.
Work Experience: At least seven years of relevant professional experience in social protection, poverty or vulnerability analysis, development economics, household research, or related fields.

Demonstrated experience in producing high-quality analytical reports or policy products using household-level evidence and multiple data sources.

Demonstrated experience in analyzing household, administrative, secondary and/or qualitative data to inform social protection, poverty or vulnerability policies.

Experience undertaking or supporting household-level research, stakeholder consultations or mixed-method analysis.

Skills: Strong analytical and mixed-method skills, including the ability to synthesize household survey findings, administrative and secondary data, qualitative evidence and policy information.

Strong knowledge of social protection, poverty and vulnerability analysis.

Ability to assess the quality, comparability and limitations of different evidence sources and translate findings into clear, feasible policy recommendations.

Ability to design or support focused household-level or stakeholder consultations, where required, and integrate qualitative evidence with existing quantitative analysis.

Excellent analytical writing, presentation and datavisualization skills.

Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, with the ability to work effectively across agencies and disciplines.

Language Requirements: Excellent written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of Sinhala and/or Tamil is an asset, but is not required for international candidates.
Desirables: Experience assessing social assistance coverage, adequacy, targeting, delivery systems and/or shock responsiveness.

Knowledge or experience in adaptive or shock-responsive social protection.

Experience integrating gender, child, disability and other leave-no-one-behind dimensions into policy or vulnerability analysis.

Familiarity with Sri Lanka’s social protection system and current reform context, including Aswesuma and relevant delivery and administrative arrangements.

Experience working with UN agencies, government institutions, international financial institutions and/or research organizations. Experience working with confidential or sensitive household evidence in accordance with ethical and data-protection requirements.

Familiarity with statistical analysis software such as Stata, R or Python.

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) TMC0006997 Financial Proposal.docx

A detailed technical proposal :Applicants are required to submit a concise technical proposal demonstrating their understanding of the assignment and describing the proposed analytical approach, methodology, sequencing and workplan
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.

Shock-Responsive Social Protection and Household Vulnerability Consultant, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 8 Months, Remote (with Possible travel), #596499