UNICEF Brazil prioritizes the quality of early childhood care services to ensure children’s rights and full development. In the 2024–2028 Country Programme. A flagship urban initiative is UAPI (Unidade Amiga da Primeira Infância), created in 2019 with the municipal government of Fortaleza. UAPI provides technical assistance, training, monitoring, and certification to Primary Health Care Units (UBSs), Municipal Early Education Centers (CMEIs), and Social Assistance Reference Centers (CRAS). It strengthens professional capacity and results-based management to improve services for pregnant women, children under six, and their families. Nine capitals have signed 18‑month partnerships starting in September 2025: Belém, Boa Vista, Fortaleza, Manaus, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, São Paulo, and São Luís. UNICEF has also expanded the UAPI methodology to the Social Assistance sector, reinforcing CRAS services and coordination with Health and Education. Further details on the complete methodology are available on www.uapi.org.br

In Recife, there was a significant expansion of the units enrolled: in total, 100 health units, 25 educational units and 3 social services are part of the new edition of the initiative in the city. To support the local implementation, UNICEF will hire a consultant to provide technical support to strengthen municipal teams, analyze indicators, and understand territorial dynamics, contributing to the refinement of the UAPI methodology, development of an evaluation and certification framework, monitoring tools, an integrated training calendar, and baseline/intermediate indicator analyses to improve early childhood service quality.

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The selected consultant will:

Provide technical support to the UNICEF team in Recife in implementing the UAPI methodology, ensuring the integration of health, education, and social services.
Support UNICEF team in regular technical meetings with the municipal secretariats, and local scientific committees to help intersectoral coordination, clarify doubts, and address challenges related to the implementation of the methodology.
Conduct structured field missions to UAPI participating units in Recife (Unidade Básica de Saúde - UBS, Centro Municipal de Educação Infantil - CMEI, and Centro de Referência de Assistência Social - CRAS), together with the UNICEF team, offering direct support to local teams to strengthen the use of indicators and improve service quality.
Support the application of the methodology and monitoring tools already defined for UAPI implementation, including monitoring the collection and analysis of baseline and intermediate indicators, as well as clarifying questions and providing technical support to municipal and UNICEF teams.
Support the structuring of an integrated training calendar, in line with municipal needs and UNICEF guidelines.
Produce periodic progress reports, in coordination with the UNICEF team in Recife, highlighting lessons learned, good practices, and recommendations for strengthening the intersectoral implementation of the UAPI.

DELIVERABLES

The consultancy is expected to produce the following deliverables:

1. Initial report and work plan (up to month 1)

Holding alignment meetings with the UNICEF Office in Recife and municipal secretariats. Delivery of a detailed work plan and schedule, including the strategy for monitoring key health, education, and social service indicators.

1st payment – 10% (by month 1)

- After delivery and approval of the initial report and work plan.

2. Baseline analysis report (by month 2)

Consolidated report analyzing the initial situation in Recife based on the UAPI indicators already defined, identifying strengths, gaps, and priorities in the three areas.

2nd payment – 20% (by month 2)

- After delivery and approval of the Baseline Analysis Report.

3. Training schedule and training plan (by month 3)

Integrated training plan for UBS, CMEI, and CRAS teams, aligned with UNICEF guidelines, including schedule and priority topics and Technical report on the first field mission to participating UAPI units (UBS, CMEIs, and CRAS), documenting progress, challenges, best practices, and recommendations

3rd payment – 25% (by month 3)

- After delivery and approval of the training schedule and training plan

4. Report on the second field activities and interim indicators (up to month 5)

Technical report consolidating the findings of the second field mission, including analysis of interim indicators compared to the baseline.

Fifth payment – 25% (up to month 5)

- After submission and approval of the report on the second field mission and interim indicators.

5. Consolidated final report (up to month 5)

Comprehensive report summarizing the results achieved, analysis of indicators, consolidation of field activities, record of training conducted, and recommendations for the continuity of the UAPI in Manaus.

6th payment – 20% (up to month 6)

- After delivery and approval of the consolidated final report.

PAYMENT

Payments will be processed within 15 days of product approval by UNICEF staff.

TRAVEL PLAN

No domestic or international travel is planned for this consultancy, as all activities will be carried out in Manaus, in coordination with the UNICEF Office and municipal departments. The field activities planned in products 4 and 5 will take place within the municipality itself, in units such as UBS, CMEIs, and CRAS, with no additional travel costs.

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Brazilian Portuguese

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UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

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GENERAL CONDITIONS: PROCEDURES AND LOGISTICS

Consultant will work from home using own equipment and stationery. UNICEF will provide office space for consultative meetings when needed.
Consultant’s travel costs should be included in the consultant’s fee.
No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant and mandatory courses are completed.
Consultants will not have any representative, certifying, or approving authority, or supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.
The consultant will work remotely on a delivery basis.

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.
A financial proposal including the fee for the assignment based on the deliverables and number of days must be submitted. Consultants are asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum, administrative cost, travel cost and subsistence costs, as applicable.
The payment will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

INSURANCE AND HEALTH COVERAGE

The contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expenses, such life, health, and other forms of insurance covering the term of the contract as he or she considers appropriate.
The contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members.

RESTRICTIONS

Consultants may not receive training at the expense of UNICEF. Notwithstanding, consultants must complete the applicable mandatory trainings before the signature of the contract.
In case of government officials, the contract cannot be issued without prior written clearance by the Government, or unless on leave without pay.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants. Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Technical Support to UAPI (Unidade Amiga da Primeira Infância) Consultant, Recife, Brazil, 5 months (home-based)