For every child, the right to resilience
UNICEF has been the leading child-rights organization, and a respected partner, for saving and improving children’s lives. In Ghana, UNICEF cooperates with the Government and other partners to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to ensure equitable access to quality social services, and to expand children’s opportunities to reach their full potential. With offices in Accra and Tamale, the UNICEF team seeks to achieve results in strategic programme areas. The overall goal is for every child to survive and thrive, to live in a safe and clean environment, to learn, to be protected from violence and exploitation, and to have an equitable chance in life. The current Country Programme of cooperation is aligned with the Government priorities, the UN Sustainable Development Framework (UNSDF) and Key Results for Children (KRCs) in the West and Central African Region (immunization, nutrition, learning outcomes, ending violence and open defecation). UNICEF main strategies include evidence-based advocacy, system strengthening, integrated programming across sectors, emergency preparedness and response, and innovation.
How can you make a difference?
Following the completion of two major organizational processes, the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the 2023–2027 Country Programme and the Future Focus Initiative (FFI), UNICEF Ghana is strengthening its organizational effectiveness to accelerate results for children. The All-Staff Retreat, under the theme “Stronger Together, Delivering Better: A Healthy, Connected and High-Performing Team for Results for Every Child in Ghana”, will provide a strategic platform to strengthen staff wellbeing, collaboration, and collective accountability in support of a high-performing and agile workforce.
The purpose of this consultancy is to design, facilitate, and document a two-and-a-half-day All-Staff Retreat for UNICEF Ghana Country Office under the theme “Stronger Together, Delivering Better: A Healthy, Connected and High-Performing Team for Results for Every Child in Ghana.” The consultancy will support the Country Office in strengthening staff wellbeing, trust, collaboration, and collective accountability while fostering a shared understanding of organizational priorities and identifying practical actions to enhance team effectiveness and programme delivery.
The consultant will be responsible for designing and facilitating a two and a half day -day, in-person all staff retreat for 101 staff members of the Ghana Country Office. The retreat will focus on fostering a healthy, connected, and high-performing workforce by strengthening trust, , staff wellbeing, communication, cross-functional collaboration, and collective accountability. It will provide a structured and participatory platform for personnel across levels, programmes/operations, and duty stations to reconnect around a shared purpose, reflect on current ways of working, identify opportunities to improve team effectiveness and integrated programming, and develop a practical Country Office Commitment and Action Plan with clear priorities, responsibilities, and follow-up actions.
The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the People and Culture Manager and the overall guidance of the COSA Chair. UNICEF Ghana will provide strategic direction, relevant background documentation, logistical support, and access to key stakeholders, including the Senior Management Team (SMT), Section Chiefs, staff representatives, and retreat planning committee members. The consultant will be expected to design and prepare the retreat and ensure that the facilitation approach is inclusive, participatory, and aligned with UNICEF's values and organizational priorities.
Objectives
The assignment is expected to:
1.Strengthen respectful, inclusive and effective communication by encouraging reflection on the language staff use and how they communicate with one another, including how gender, authority, hierarchy and age shape workplace interactions. The aim is to build a culture of psychological safety where all personnel, regardless of grade, role or background, feel confident to speak up, share ideas, raise concerns and give constructive feedback.
2.Promote staff wellbeing, , and sustainable performance by creating an inclusive environment for dialogue, reflection, and learning on the factors that enable resilience, engagement, and high performance. Foster trust, collaboration, and a one UNICEF approach by strengthening relationships, communication, and cross-functional partnerships across sections, functions, levels, and duty stations, while promoting more integrated ways of working.
3. Facilitate collective reflection on organizational effectiveness and change management to identify practical ways to
strengthen team cohesion, staff engagement, accountability, adaptability and programme delivery. Support the development of a Country Office Commitment and Action Plan that outlines agreed priorities and actions to strengthen wellbeing, collaboration, organizational effectiveness, and results-focused performance, with clear accountability for implementation and follow-up.
Methodology
1. Pre-retreat consultations and design process: Engage with the SMT, P & C, Retreat Planning Committee, and Staff Association Executives to understand priorities, key organizational themes, and expected retreat outcomes.
2. Participatory facilitation: Design and facilitate interactive sessions using reflection, dialogue, team-building activities, collaborative exercises, and action-oriented discussions.
3. Trust-building approaches: Apply approaches that promote trust, wellbeing, open communication, and meaningful staff engagement.
4. Collaborative problem-solving: Facilitate the identification of barriers and opportunities related to teamwork, cross-functional collaboration, performance, and organizational effectiveness.
5. Action planning and follow-up: Support the development of a Country Office Commitment and Action Plan with clear priorities, responsibilities, timelines, and accountability mechanisms.
Minimum requirements
Desirables
- Strong facilitation and group process management skills for large and diverse audiences (100+ participants
- Previous experience working with UNICEF & UN agencies,
For every Child, you demonstrate...
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference, safeguarding and background verification checks. These checks may include verification of academic credentials and employment history, screening against relevant United Nations misconduct databases, and requests for misconduct disclosures from current and former employers, professional associations, other relevant organizations and participating organizations under inter-agency safeguarding initiatives, including the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), where applicable.
Appointment, selection and continued engagement are subject to the satisfactory completion of all required checks. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information and consent to enable UNICEF to undertake these 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially
Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service
Remarks
As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.
UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.
Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
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.
Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
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.