Contract Duration- 4 months

Working arrangement: Home Based

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

In recent years, UNICEF, through AMIF-funded initiatives and in close collaboration with national and territorial institutions, has supported the strengthening of Italian child protection system for UASC, with particular attention to interinstitutional coordination and the effectiveness of reception pathways. This work has generated a substantial body of evidence, analysis and good practices related to the interaction between the juvenile justice system and the reception system.

Building on this foundation, the Knowledge Translation Consultant (Juvenile Justice) will work under UNICEF Child Protection Specialist’s supervision and in close coordination with relevant institutional stakeholders—including Juvenile Courts, Prefectures, Local Authorities and reception actors—to ensure that key findings and lessons learned are effectively disseminated to targeted audiences. In particular, the consultant will:

Develop a dissemination strategy tailored to different institutional and professional audiences (e.g. judicial authorities, central administrations, territorial services), identifying appropriate formats, channels and messaging to maximize policy relevance and operational uptake;
Translate analytical findings on interinstitutional coordination, governance models and protection pathways into clear, accessible and policy-oriented dissemination products (e.g. synthesis notes, policy briefs, presentations, knowledge products);
Support the capitalization of replicable good practices emerging from territorial coordination between Juvenile Courts and reception actors, highlighting their added value, enabling factors and conditions for transferability;
Contribute to the organization and facilitation of dissemination moments (e.g. technical meetings, workshops, national or interinstitutional events), ensuring coherent messaging and alignment with UNICEF advocacy and programmatic priorities;
Ensure consistency of dissemination outputs with Law 47/2017, national guidance tools (including the relevant Vademecum), AMIF priorities and the evolving EU framework, particularly the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and Regulation (EU) 2024/1351;
Where relevant, support UNICEF in preparing dissemination inputs for national-level dialogue with central administrations, including the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of the Interior, as well as for exchanges with territorial authorities.
The assignment will ensure that knowledge generated at territorial level is not only documented but effectively shared, understood and used to inform strategic planning, institutional coordination and the continuous improvement of protection pathways for unaccompanied and separated children in Italy.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: External ToR TMC0004130.pdf

Minimum requirements:

Education: Advanced university degree (Master’s level or equivalent) in Law (with specialization in juvenile justice, migration or human rights); Social Sciences (e.g. Sociology, Political Science, International Relations); Migration Studies, Human Rights, Child Protection or Social Policy; Public Administration or Public Policy, with a focus on justice, migration or social services, or other relevant disciplines.
Work Experience:

Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Dissemination, knowledge management or capitalization of projects related to child protection, juvenile justice, migration or asylum;

• Design and delivery of workshops, trainings or capacity-building activities targeting public institutions and professional audiences;

• Technical work on interinstitutional coordination mechanisms involving judicial authorities, public administrations and social services;

• Advisory or consultancy roles within international organizations, public institutions, NGOs or research bodies working on MSNA/UASC protection.

Demonstrated experience working with or for public institutions, in particular:

• Prefectures or migration/asylum administrations

• Juvenile Courts or justice sector actors;

• Local Authorities and professionals within reception and child protection systems.

Proven experience in translating technical and legal content into practical, audience-specific dissemination materials, including presentations, synthesis notes and facilitation tools.

Prior experience in projects funded by AMIF and/or familiarity with Italian and European policy frameworks on migration and asylum is considered a strong asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in Italian
Intermediate English (B2)

Technical and Professional Skills

Strong understanding of:
- juvenile justice systems and child protection frameworks;
- protection of unaccompanied and separated children (MSNA/UASC);
- interinstitutional coordination between justice, migration and social service systems.
Proven ability to design targeted dissemination workshops for differentiated professional audiences.
Solid knowledge of Italian legislation on MSNA (including Law 47/2017) and familiarity with the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and Regulation (EU) 2024/1351.
Experience in applying rights-based and child-sensitive approaches to policy dialogue and capacity building.

Analytical and Communication Skills

Excellent capacity to synthesize complex analytical outputs and mapping results into clear, policy-relevant and operational messages.
Strong writing skills for institutional and professional audiences.
Ability to develop structured workshop materials, case studies and discussion scenarios.
Excellent presentation and facilitation skills in multi-stakeholder settings.

Interpersonal and Organizational Skills

Ability to work effectively with a wide range of institutional stakeholders, including judicial authorities, central administrations and territorial services.
Strong coordination skills and ability to work under supervision while managing multiple deliverables.
Sensitivity to institutional roles, mandates and governance dynamics.

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 TMC0004130.xlsx
A detailed technical proposal: Applicants are requested to submit at least one (maximum two) writing samples demonstrating relevant experience in design of workshops, trainings or capacity-building activities targeting public institutions and professional audiences. Applications without samples will not be considered.

Remarks:

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.

National knowledge translation consultant (Juvenile justice), Child Protection Section, 4 months, ECARO O/P Rome, Italy (Remote)