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.
For every child, the right to innovation
How can you make a difference?
The purpose of this consultancy is to provide strategic and time-bound technical assistance to advance UNICEF/YuWaah’s work on youth innovation, entrepreneurship and livelihood pathways, including green innovation, with a focus on strengthening institutional mechanisms, partnerships and approaches that can be sustained and scaled through existing systems.
The consultant will support the development, adaptation and institutionalisation of priority initiatives across national and state ecosystems, including youth green innovation programming, institutional adoption of the Youth Green Readiness Layer, imaGen Ventures, innovation-to-IP and entrepreneurship pathways, Institute Innovation Councils (IICs) and higher education institutions, and state-level youth innovation models. The assignment will also facilitate collaboration across government, academia, industry, skilling, incubation and other relevant partners to strengthen opportunities for adolescents and young people.
The consultancy will contribute to translating programme experience and emerging approaches into scalable and sustainable models, while integrating equity and inclusion, meaningful youth engagement, safeguarding, evidence generation and appropriate use of digital and AI-enabled approaches.
If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Green Innovation Consultant.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have...
Minimum requirements: |(Qualifications/Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills)
- Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in development studies, public policy, education, business/entrepreneurship, economics, innovation, sustainability/climate studies, social sciences, engineering/technology, management or another relevant discipline.
- A first university degree with additional relevant professional experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree, subject to UNICEF’s applicable recruitment requirements.
- Work Experience:
- Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in youth innovation, entrepreneurship, skills/future skills, youth livelihoods, green skills/green economy, education-to-employment pathways, or related areas.
- Demonstrated experience working with government systems and national/state institutions in India on programme design, technical assistance, systems strengthening, institutionalisation or scale is essential.
- Demonstrated experience designing or strengthening youth innovation and entrepreneurship programs with a strong knowledge of innovation progression from idea to market is essential.
- Knowledge of learning and skilling ecosystem and pathways, and how to facilitate transitions to employment, entrepreneurship and livelihood opportunities.
- Strong stakeholder engagement, partnership development, facilitation, analytical writing and communication skills across government, academia, private sector and development partners;
- Knowledge of green economic transition and/or responsible AI/digital tools is an asset.
- Language Requirements: fluency in written and spoken English is required.
- Desirables: Prior experience with UNICEF, Generation Unlimited/YuWaah, another United Nations agency or a comparable international development organisation is desirable;
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 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 Green Innovation Consultant.docx
- A detailed technical proposal: Applicants should submit a concise technical proposal outlining their understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, sequencing of work, stakeholder-engagement approach, quality assurance/risk management approach and examples of comparable assignments.
Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not downloadable 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.
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.
