UNICEF is looking for the qualified expert who will support key national institutions, including the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Population, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Justice, the Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies, the Inter-Agency Working Group under the Executive Office of the President, as well as other relevant government and non-government stakeholders.

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 protection.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete TOR here:  TOR For SSW, CPSS and Digitalization consultant_Final.docx

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education:
  Advanced university degree (master's level or higher) in law, social work, social welfare, child development, child protection, public policy, or a related field relevant to child protection systems, justice for children, or social services reform
• Work Experience: 
  •A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in social service workforce development, social work/social welfare, child protection, juvenile justice and relevant policy reforms, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), or closely related areas;
  •Experience supporting national system strengthening initiatives, including policy development, institutional reform, or programme implementation in collaboration with government counterparts.
•  Skills and Competencies:
  •Strong coordination, analytical, and conceptual skills, with the ability to support policy dialogue and system-level reforms across multiple sectors;
  •Excellent writing, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to produce high-quality technical documents, guidance notes, and donor-facing materials;
  •Experience working in the UN and exposure to the UN standards and regulations, as well as the UN technical guidance is highly desirable. 
  •Ability to work independently under pressure, manage competing priorities, and deliver high-quality outputs within tight timelines.
• Technical Expertise:
  •Demonstrated experience in case management systems, including development of SOPs, tools, referral mechanisms, and inter-agency coordination frameworks;
  •Experience contributing to or supporting digitalization of child protection or social service systems (e.g. digital case management platforms, information systems, or data-driven service delivery) is a strong asset;
  •At least 7 years of experience working with international organizations, government institutions, and development partners, including coordination with large-scale reforms, is highly desirable.
  Language Requirements: 
  •Fluency in Russian, English and Tajik is required, with strong writing, communication, and presentation skills, and the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

• CV and cover letter.
• Technical proposal describing approach/methodology to achieve the tasks of the TOR, workplan with concrete timeframes.
• Financial proposal in TJS-all inclusive, indicting fee per day (Annex 3 to be completed)  Annex 3.docx
• Contact of three references.
• Applications without technical and financial proposals will not be considered.

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

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation 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 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

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 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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.