Knowledge and Research Quality Consultant, COE, Nairobi (Remote)

To support the achievement of health outcomes under the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, the Health Programme Team will develop and implement a Knowledge and Research Approach aligned with corporate standards to strengthen the work of the UNICEF health workforce across Centers of Excellence (CoEs) and country offices. The Center of Excellence needs robust, rigorous and in some cases, empirical evidence to support the technical assistance provided. UNICEF Country offices need increased knowledge access to achieve quality programming and CoEs need mechanisms and feedback loops to return country knowledge for organizational decision making. UNICEF partners need to be clear on UNICEF knowledge positions, production and stance. Strategic vision, systems and processes are needed to grow this knowledge evidence base and make use of new technologies such as AI and others optimally, to crawl through evidence tracks. Evidence tracks need cohesion with webinars and policy papers disseminated. There needs systems coherence across sections. This Knowledge and research Approach needs to provide an institutionalized way of growing, synergizing and governing evidence generation of child thought leadership as well as children’s program implementation, for optimal programming and advocacy for children. UNICEF has developed a TA Hub with an AI function to search evidence and this is a new development internally but how much of this valuable information can also be shared externally will need to be considered in this new Knowledge and research Approach.

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 good health. 

How can you make a difference? 

To support the achievement of health outcomes under the 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, the Health Programme Team will develop and implement a Knowledge and Research Approach aligned with corporate standards to strengthen the work of the UNICEF health workforce across Centers of Excellence (CoEs) and country offices. The Center of Excellence needs robust, rigorous and in some cases, empirical evidence to support the technical assistance provided. UNICEF Country offices need increased knowledge access to achieve quality programming and CoEs need mechanisms and feedback loops to return country knowledge for organizational decision making. UNICEF partners need to be clear on UNICEF knowledge positions, production and stance. Strategic vision, systems and processes are needed to grow this knowledge evidence base and make use of new technologies such as AI and others optimally, to crawl through evidence tracks. Evidence tracks need cohesion with webinars and policy papers disseminated. There needs systems coherence across sections.  This Knowledge and research Approach needs to provide an institutionalized way of growing, synergizing and governing evidence generation of child thought leadership as well as children’s program implementation, for optimal programming and advocacy for children. UNICEF has developed a TA Hub with an AI function to search evidence and this is a new development internally but how much of this valuable information can also be shared externally will need to be considered in this new Knowledge and research Approach.

This consultancy will lead on contributing to this Knowledge and Research approach and include  the institutional capacity needed for this knowledge and research generation. The consultancy will include a) A scoping of knowledge and research existing including through having access to the TA Hub knowledge area and what knowledge needs generating. b) Developing an approach to how to use this evidence and data for delivering on UNICEF’s Strategic vision for children and child thought leadership globally. c). Advise and develop standards for quality sign off of evidence pieces.

Externally, partners are also developing strategies for how to access and use knowledge and evidence from LMICs. WHO has developed capacity for systematic reviews of LMIC evidence. The Wellcome Trust is developing research centers to synthesize LMIC evidence for real time use. The UNICEF approach to Knowledge and Research also needs to consider UNICEF’s potential for using knowledge externally and support the generation of LMIC evidence for children.

The consultant will be supervised by the Senior Advisor Primary Health Care Coordinator, Programme Group  – Health (PG-Health), and will collaborate closely with colleagues from UNICEF CoEs and country offices, Unit Leads, and Knowledge Management focal points within the Health Programme Team, as well as with relevant divisions and offices across the organization.

Contribute to an internal Knowledge Management and Research Approach  to facilitate evidence generation for the Center of Excellence to deliver on the UNICEF Health Strategic plan 2025-2029 for children and for external audience to access UNICEF evidence as appropriate.

Expected Results

1. UNICEF has strengthened, institutionalized capacity to be a leader in child thought leadership
2. Improved evidence-based knowledge management and thought leadership
3. UNICEF able to participate in the generation of evidence from LMICs
4. Strengthened KM capacity within the UNICEF Health CoE and Country Office community
5. Institutionalized and effective knowledge transfer between HQ and the Health Centers of Excellence.
6. Timely and high-quality coordination of Health corporate reporting inputs

Deliverables

1. Health Knowledge and Research Approach
2. Standards for Governance and Management of Health Evidence to serve the approach

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

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

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  

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. 

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.