Consultancy: Adolescent Development and Participation (ADAP) Consultant to support implementation across 3 strategic initiatives in MENA (4 Months)

The new UNICEF strategic plan (2022-2025) articulates results for both children and adolescents for each outcome area, including new emphasis on the meaningful engagement and participation of young people as a key contributor to UNICEF’s results for children and as central to adolescent development and successful transition to adulthood. In MENA we are building on this momentum and focusing on programme areas that specifically target working with and for adolescents and youth, with the involvement of relevant expertise that has been built across sections in UNICEF.

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

How can you make a difference? 

The Adolescent Development and Participation (ADAP) programming in the MENA region (2022-2025) therefore, prioritizes increasing access to learning and skilling opportunities for young people which are connected to tangible, concrete opportunities to participate in their communities, in the workplace, and at the table with decision-makers to practice their skills, shape their futures, and bring.
about the positive change they seek.

More concretely, the ADAP section seeks to scale interventions across 3 strategic areas:

1) Support young people’s transition from Learning to Earning (with a focus on NEET – young people Not in Education, Employment or Training)
2) Support Young People’s Volunteer Opportunities for Social Impact; and,
3) Support young people’s engagement and participation in decision-making and policy
formulation.

A consultant is required in the MENA Regional Office ADAP section to develop approaches,
products, tools and best practices to facilitate the implementation of quality programmes addressing
adolescent and youth deprivations at Country Office level.

Scope of Work:

The objective of this consultancy is design and deliver a comprehensive set of approaches, tools, capacity-building trainings to contribute to increasing UNICEF’s delivery of quality programmes across the 3 strategic areas of focus in the MENA region. The consultant will work closely with the ADAP section in the Regional Office to work on the following programme areas within the 3 strategic
areas of focus:

1) Support young people’s transition from Learning to Earning (with a focus on NEET)

A. Support UNICEF Technical Leads in the organization of sessions for the High-Level
Meeting (HLM 2024) on Skilling, Learning and Transition to Decent Work, including Green
Skills/Green Jobs, Second Chance Education, Digital Learning and two Youth-led
sessions. Support in implementation of market study approach in Lebanon, Iraq and
Jordan for Green Skills scoping study.

B. Support ADAPs contribution with Gender section on the Adolescent Girl Strategy
implementation in MENA.

C. Support Regional Advisor and Country Offices (Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt) to
operationalize and help ensure a quick start-up of Silatech/Reach out to Asia (ROTA)
programme, including development of implementation plans, measurement tools and
reporting templates.

D. Provide support in coordination of PROSPECTS partnership including organization of
MAGRP activities at the regional level.

2) Support Young People’s Volunteer Opportunities for Social Impact

A. Support roll-out of the IASC Guidelines Programming for and with Young People in
Emergencies with a focus on building young people’s capacity to prepare and respond
to emergencies.

3) Support young people’s engagement and participation in decision-making and policy
formulation

A. Update strategy on young people's engagement and participation in Climate Change,
including advocacy in UNFCCC forums and agreements (with WASH/Climate teams), and
support ADAP and WASH sections to develop new tools to improve programme
implementation, including webinars, and documentation of best practices.

4) Learning Agenda

A. Support development and organization of the ADAP MENA learning agenda, including
updating the learning strategy and the development of several learning initiatives, including
webinars, podcasts, and a regional learning event.

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

• Education: Master’s degree in international development or in a related field
• Experience: A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in social program development planning and management in adolescent development related areas at the international level some of which preferably were served in a developing country is required. Relevant experience in program/project development and management in related areas in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Expertise: 1) Skills Development programmes that support vulnerable young people in their transition to decent work, including knowledge of Green Skills/Green Jobs pathways; 2) young people’s engagement and participation approaches, including in climate change; 3) Young people in emergencies.
• Skills: 1) Excellent written and oral communication skills; 2) works well under pressure; 3) team player; 4) ability to multitask.
• Language: Oral and written proficiency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is an asset.

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. 

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.