How can you make a difference?
To support UNICEF in positioning and operationalizing the Heads of State Initiatives (HoSI) as a flagship mechanism for accelerating political commitment, financing, and accountability in the WASH sector. The consultant will provide technical, advocacy, and coordination support to UNICEF’s WASH Partnerships and Advocacy and WASH Systems and Governance teams in advancing the Heads of State Initiatives (HoSi), ASWA III programme priorities, and global engagements with key partners (Sanitation and Water for All) and major events (UN 2026 Water Conference), while ensuring coherence between political advocacy, systems strengthening, and UNICEF’s global advocacy plan.
This includes:
• Driving strategic alignment across UNICEF, HoSi, and SWA partners.
• supporting political engagement and HoSi compact implementation in priority countries.
• enhancing the visibility, credibility, and impact of HoSI through integrated advocacy outputs, global visibility (particularly the UN Water Conference 2026) and partnerships.
• Ensuring complementarity with the P3 Advocacy & Partnerships Consultant, who focuses on the UNICEF UN 2026 Water Conference engagement strategy.
Scope of Work
• Updated HoSi communication strategy and website.
• Country‑level HoSI support packages and periodic technical assistance reports.
• HoSI learning products, including country case studies, synthesis briefs, advocacy briefs and explanatory notes for internal and external audiences.
• UNWC 2026 HoSI High‑Level side event strategy note (linking Dakar, Abu Dhabi and post‑UNWC follow‑up).
• High‑level briefing notes and talking points for UNICEF senior leadership.
• Country spotlight profiles for HoSI/ASWA III countries.
• Post‑UNWC 2026 synthesis note capturing political, financing, and accountability commitments.
• Monitoring report on compact implementation and financing commitments.
• Advocacy-ready learning products and donor friendly briefs to support senior leadership engagement.
• Travel might be needed as part of scope of work.
Minimum requirements
Demonstrated experience working with UN agencies, international NGOs, multilateral partnerships, or development finance institutions at global, regional, and country levels.
Proven experience supporting country teams in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
Systems strengthening and governance: Deep understanding of WASH systems, financing, and accountability mechanisms.
High-level coordination and diplomacy: Strong political judgment, discretion, and ability to operate in complex multi-stakeholder environments.
Stakeholder engagement and facilitation: Excellent skills in convening, facilitating, and managing diverse partnerships.
Communication and drafting: Proven ability to produce high-quality advocacy briefs, donor-friendly materials, and senior leadership notes.
Capacity building and knowledge management: Experience designing learning agendas, peer-to-peer exchanges, and packaging technical content into advocacy tools.
Working knowledge of French is a strong asset, given the focus on ASWA III countries.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
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
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.