National Safeguarding Consultant, 7 months, Ukraine (Remote/ Work from home)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, hope

UNICEF Ukraine

How can you make a difference? 

Background:

In March 2024, UNICEF launched a new Safeguarding Policy, which requires UNICEF to prevent and respond to harm caused to any individual as a result of their contact with UNICEF or the work of our organization. The Policy emphasises that safeguarding should be embedded in processes, plans and actions as an integral part of programmatic and operational excellence. The Policy sets out UNICEF’s safeguarding principles and standards, prohibited actions and expected practices. It aims to ensure a safeguarding culture and a proactive approach towards preventing and mitigating harm, early intervention and responding to safeguarding risks. In line with the Policy’s provisions, UNICEF Ukraine is responsible for ensuring that safeguarding practices are implemented, including:

• Supporting UNICEF staff and complementary personnel to gain the knowledge, means, and tools to uphold UNICEF’s safeguarding commitment in line with the policy. All staff and complementary personnel must have opportunities to access safeguarding training.
• Supporting partners, suppliers/vendors and those acting on UNICEF’s behalf to become aware of this policy, and to establish their own safeguarding policies and practices.

Informing the communities UNICEF serves and individuals visiting and observing programme activities about UNICEF’s safeguarding standards and how to report safeguarding concerns, and provide a safe and accessible way to report such concerns.

Purpose of assignment:

The consultant will support UNICEF Ukraine in the following areas of work and tasks to support the roll-out of UNICEF’s Safeguarding Policy in Ukraine:  

1. In close coordination with an international expert on Safeguarding, develop a workplan to roll out the Safeguarding Policy to staff, implementing partners, suppliers/vendors, and those acting on UNICEF’s behalf, including a plan to systematize Safeguarding training within UNICEF Ukraine.
2. In close coordination with an international expert on Safeguarding, develop contextualized training packages and materials in English and Ukrainian for: (1) UNICEF staff; (2) implementing partners, suppliers/vendors, and those acting on UNICEF’s behalf; and (3) a training of trainers for UNICEF staff to ensure the sustainability of future Safeguarding trainings.
3. Support the mainstreaming of the new Safeguarding Policy into UNICEF Ukraine’s processes, plans and actions, including through updating/strengthening Safeguarding standards in contractual instruments and in the process of contracting vendors and partnership agreements.
4. Rolling out Safeguarding training, including in Field Office locations, for all UNICEF staff as well as for implementing partners, suppliers/vendors, and those acting on UNICEF’s behalf.
5. The development of an example Safeguarding policy for UNICEF partners and suppliers/vendors as well as a Safeguarding risk assessment tool, including personal data protection impact assessments.
6. Enhance the safe reporting and referral mechanisms for violations of safeguarding measures and similar incidents.

Work assignment overview:

Travel plan: 

Within Ukraine upon request.

Number of days: 15.

Please provide an all-inclusive financial proposal including travels to carry out the deliverables listed above.

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

Education: Master’s degree or higher in one of the following fields is required: psychology, social sciences, human rights, sociology, international relations, international development, or other related disciplines. Degree in psychology is a strong advantage.

Professional experience: A minimum of 2 years of professional experience of child protection, including safeguarding matters. Experience of developing and facilitating training related to child protection and/or safeguarding is a requirement. Experience working in war-affected regions of Ukraine is an asset. Relevant experience of the UN system is an asset. Experience in both humanitarian and development contexts is an added advantage.

Languages: 

• English: Upper-intermediate [B2];
• Ukrainian: Advanced [C1].

Skills and competencies:

• Analytical skills
• Capacity building skills
• Communication and collaboration skills
• Development of training material
• Networking and partnership building
• Innovation and knowledge management
• Impact of Results

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

 To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

Payment of professional fees 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.

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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract 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 and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors 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.