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.

How can you make a difference?

The age of technology and the internet have brought tremendous benefits, including for children. Digital access provides opportunities for learning, communication, play, and social interaction, creating vast potential for realizing children’s rights. However, the spread of digital technologies also comes with a broad spectrum of risks and harms to which children can be particularly vulnerable.

Children may be impacted directly as users of technology products or services; or as a result of the development, deployment, and use of digital technologies in the world around them. For example, children can be victims, targets, participants, and initiators of risky or harmful online behaviour. Children may also encounter technology design features or limitations that are associated with impacts on their right to privacy and freedom of expression, among other rights.

The consultant will contribute to priority workstreams spanning EU digital policy advocacy, global thought leadership, support to regional efforts including the African Task Force on Child Online Protection, and responsive expert analysis across emerging issues in child online protection. This includes advancing UNICEF’s positions within key EU legislative processes, strengthening multisector engagement through high‑visibility convenings, and supporting strategic global discussions on cutting‑edge developments affecting children’s rights and safety in the digital environment.

Across all workstreams, the consultant will deliver high-quality outputs that strengthen UNICEF’s influence on regulatory and governance debates related to artificial intelligence, platform regulation, and emerging topics in online child protection. The role will also provide strategic and technical support to UNICEF staff and partners at regional and country levels. This TOR outlines phase 1 of the assignment, with phase 2 and a costed extension foreseen once funding is secured.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: TMC0002688 ToR.pdf

Minimum requirements:
Education: Master’s degree in law, social sciences, anthropology or related field
Work Experience: 8 years of professional experience in relevant field(s), including child protection, child rights, digital rights, digital governance, online protection or trust and safety
Demonstrated expert and up-to-date knowledge of child online protection frameworks, trends, and best practices.
Proven experience engaging with private sector stakeholders, including technology companies, industry partners, or corporate networks.
Skills: Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Excellent interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
Proven high-quality writing skills, including fluency in English, and excellent verbal communication skills.
Desirables: Experience organizing forums, workshops, consultations, or multi-stakeholder events.
Fluency in Spanish or French will be an advantage.
Demonstrated experience providing technical support and advisory services to government counterparts.Knowledge of digital governance frameworks and child rights principles.
Demonstrated capacity-building and training facilitation skills.
Experience or familiarity with governance standards, legal frameworks, and legal reform processes.

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 TMC0002688.docx

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.

Global child online protection consultant, Child Protection and Migration Global Practice, VPRS team, Amman, Jordan, remote with travel, 5.5 months, CoE Amman, Jordan (Remote with travel) # 594052