Policy Advocacy Consultant

1. Background:

UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential.

Delivering and sustaining results for children requires action by both governments and the public at large. Political leadership and laws have an impact on public opinion, as well as vice versa. Community norms shape behavior and can be used to increase demand for necessary services. Public expectations influence governments, which in turn provide the overwhelming majority of the finance for polio eradication, immunization coverage, and other aspects of public health, as well as for primary schooling and the provision of water and sanitation. Most governments are also centrally involved in the delivery of relevant services and commodities, while also using laws, policies and regulations to shape private sector provision.

2. Purpose:

To help build UNICEF’s capacity for advocacy, by providing the following:

· Designing and facilitating logistics of four global advocacy workshops, with themes based on experience learned conducting advocacy in upper middle-income contexts, resource-rich contexts and fragile contexts, and violence. This will include supporting the production of workshop reports, and may include travelling to workshop locations. It also includes drawing on lessons learned in the four workshops to prepare for two further global workshops on equity and discrimination, to take place in 2015.

· Regular guidance and follow-up support to four country offices on developing, implementing and monitoring/evaluating advocacy strategies.

· Production of policy briefs, as necessary, on UNICEF’s urban and demographics work. This will include liaising with the urban focal point on various projects, and ensure harmonization with the rest of the Unit’s work.

3. Expected results: (measurable results)

· Logistics and design planning for four global advocacy workshops

· Support in terms of drafting reports produced for each workshop

· Follow up and guidance for four Country Offices on their advocacy strategies

Research and policy briefing notes (as necessary) on urban issues and demographics 1.

Timeframe:5 months (105 days)

Start date:11 August, 2014

End date: 11 January, 2015

4. Key competences, technical background, and experience required:

a) Master degree in politics, public policy, communications, development studies, or related field

b) Minimum 2 years of experience with good logistical, planning and facilitation skills, particularly related to workshops, training and events

c) Experience writing policy briefs and conducting research desirable

d) Good communication skills and experience conducting advocacy is desirable

e) Fluency in English required; proficiency in Spanish and French desirable.

How to apply:

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a proposal (including a detailed assessment of how they will achieve the stated deliverables), along with a cover letter, CV and P 11 form (which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/P11.doc) to pdconsultants@unicef.org with subject line “POLICY ADVOCACY CONSULTANT_ POLICY ADVOCACY AND COORDINATION UNIT” by 23rd July 2014**, 5:00pm EST**.

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

[ Please see attached file. ]