The purpose of this consultancy is to facilitate a strategic planning process that: • Examines the current and emerging needs of child protection in humanitarian action sector; • Identifies trends, opportunities, risks, and challenges likely to shape the sector over the coming years; • Assesses the Alliance's achievements, strengths, limitations, and comparative advantage, of which data/findings also contribute to donor reporting; • Defines the Alliance's future role and strategic positioning within the broader humanitarian ecosystem; • Builds consensus among Alliance stakeholders regarding future priorities and strategic directions; • Engage with the Alliance technical group leadership to think through the linkage between the new strategy and the implementation plan; and • Produces a validated strategic framework, to guide the Alliance's work from 2027 for a period of 3 to 5 years.
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.
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For every child, the right to protection
How can you make a difference?
UNICEF is a co-lead of The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (the Alliance), a global, interagency network dedicated to promoting and strengthening child protection in humanitarian action (CPHA).
The Alliance's previous Strategy ´A Clarion Call: The Centrality of Children and their Protection within Humanitarian Action (2021–2025)´ set out a five-year vision and strategic direction focused on strengthening the quality, scale, and impact of child protection in humanitarian action. Recognising significant changes in the humanitarian landscape, including increasing humanitarian needs, protracted and complex crises, growing pressures on humanitarian financing, localisation commitments, and evolving humanitarian architectures, the Alliance ended this strategy prematurely and adopted the ´Strategic Brief: Prioritising Protection of Children in a Changing Humanitarian Landscape´ in May 2025 to guide priorities through to the end of 2026.
The humanitarian landscape continues to evolve rapidly. Child protection actors are operating in an environment characterised by escalating conflicts and crises, shrinking protection space, and funding reductions. These realities require the Alliance to ensure that its strategic direction is one that can support its members, as well as the broader sector, to safely navigate this phase, while also playing an influential role in shaping the future of humanitarian action.
Therefore, as the Alliance approaches the end of its current strategic period, it seeks a consultant to design and facilitate a highly participatory strategy development process and support the development of a new strategy/strategic plan for the period beginning in 2027. The consultant will undertake a forward-looking consultative process to help define the future strategic direction of the Alliance. This process should assess the evolving needs, opportunities, and challenges facing the Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPHA) sector and then identify the role, value proposition, and support the Alliance should provide the sector in this changing environment.
The purpose of this consultancy is to facilitate a strategic planning process that:
- Examines the current and emerging needs of child protection in humanitarian action sector;
- Identifies trends, opportunities, risks, and challenges likely to shape the sector over the coming years;
- Assesses the Alliance's achievements, strengths, limitations, and comparative advantage, of which data/findings also contribute to donor reporting;
- Defines the Alliance's future role and strategic positioning within the broader humanitarian ecosystem;
- Builds consensus among Allia nce stakeholders regarding future priorities and strategic directions;
- Engage with the Alliance technical group leadership to think through the linkage between the new strategy and the implementation plan; and
- Produces a validated strategic framework, to guide the Alliance's work from 2027 for a period of 3 to 5 years.
If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: 
TMC0004096 ToR.pdf
Minimum requirements:
- Education: Master's degree in relevant field, preferably in International Development/Development Studies, International Relations, Human Rights, International Law, and others.
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Work Experience:
- At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in strategic planning
- Significant experience in facilitating organizational or network strategy development process
- Experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations and consensus-building process
- Experience in working with global networks, alliances, aor membership-based organizations
- Experience in integrating localization, participation, and equity considerations into strategic planning
- Language requirement: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Skills: Strong understanding of humanitarian action and humanitarian coordination mechanisms
- Familiarity with child protection and protection issues in humanitarian settings
- Familiarity with the current humanitarian landscape
- Excellent qualitative research and analytical skills
- Strong facilitation and workshop design skills
- Highly Proficient in a range of PC/web applications, including but not limited to: MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Outlook, and ethical use of AI tools
Desirables: Working knowledge in Arabic, French, or Spanish is an asset
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
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 reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 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.
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
- A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template) TMC0004096 Financial Proposal Template.docx
- Technical Proposal requirements:
- Applicants are requested to submit a technical proposal outlining methodology and approach (max 10 pages)
- Applicants are requested to submit examples of previous strategy development assignments (up to two)
Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not visible on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers.
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.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.