To provide technical and advisory support to the Principal Secretary, State Department for Children Services, to strengthen child protection and child-sensitive social protection systems, policies, and programmes, and to advance child related issues in key national and sectoral priorities.
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 Future,
How can you make a difference?
The consultancy will focus on the following key areas:
1. Strengthening Child-Sensitive Social Protection Systems
• Support the expansion and institutionalisation of child-sensitive social protection programmes.
• Strengthen adaptive social protection systems to better protect children affected by droughts, floods, displacement, and economic shocks.
• Promote greater integration of child poverty and vulnerability considerations within social protection programmes.
2. Strengthening Child Protection Systems
• Support the State Department for Children Services in implementing the Children Act 2022, including the development and roll-out of regulations, guidelines, standards and operational procedures.
3. Integration of Social Protection and Child Protection
• Support linkages and referral pathways between cash transfer programmes and child protection services.
• Promote integrated approaches to addressing child poverty, violence, neglect, family separation and harmful practices
If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: 
TMC0007137 external TOR.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have...
Minimum Qualifications required: Masters in Social Policy, Public Finance, Public Policy, Economics,Development Studies, Public Administration, Child Protection, Development Economics or related field.
Years of Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:
Work Experience:
• Minimum of ten (10) years progressive work experience in child-sensitive social protection, child protection, social policy, public policy, public finance, development economics, poverty and vulnerability analysis, public administration, or related fields, including experience providing strategic technical advice to government institutions.
• Demonstrated experience supporting Governmentled policy, systems-strengthening and reform initiatives.
• Experience supporting the design, implementation,coordination or evaluation of social protection and/or child protection programmes.
• Experience working with national and subnational governments, development partners, UN agencies and other international organizations.
• Demonstrated experience in policy analysis,programme coordination, stakeholder engagement,advocacy and strategic advisory support.
• Experience in public finance, sustainable financing,resource mobilisation, budgeting, or investment advocacy for social sectors is an asset.
Language Requirements:Fluency in English required.Knowledge of Kiswahili desirable.
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
• Strong knowledge of child-sensitive social protection and child protection systems.
• Strong knowledge of Kenya’s child protection legal, policy and institutional framework, including the Children Act 2022, or of care reform and violence prevention approaches.
• Understanding of child poverty, vulnerability and social inclusion issues.
• Knowledge of social protection policy, programme design and delivery systems.
• Familiarity with policy development, legislative processes and institutional reform.
• Strong analytical, writing and communication skills.
• Ability to engage effectively with senior government officials, development partners and other stakeholders.
• Evidence generation, policy analysis and translation of evidence into actionable recommendations Strong facilitation, coordination and capacitydevelopment skills.
Desirables:
• Experience working with Government of Kenya ministries, departments and agencies.
• Experience supporting social protection programmes, especially if anchored on vulnerable children and adolescents.
• Experience supporting child protection systems strengthening and inter-sectoral coordination.
• Familiarity with UNICEF programming approaches and child rights-based programming.
• Experience in public finance for children, financing analysis and investment advocacy.
• Experience supporting adolescent-focused programmes, including cash-plus and related social protection initiatives.
Candidates are required to submit a technical proposal setting out how they intend to approach the consultancy and deliver the proposed deliverables. They should also submit an accompanying financial proposal setting out their daily rate. Candidates should also submit an up-to-date CV that highlights how their experience and expertise aligns with the description of the required consultant, alongside a letter of motivation.
Applicants should submit a technical outlining their understanding of the assignment, proposed approach, methodology, and workplan for delivering the assignment objectives.
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) TMC0007137 FINANCIAL PROPOSAL.docx
- A detailed technical proposal .
Candidates are required to submit a technical proposal setting out how they intend to approach the consultancy and deliver the proposed deliverables. They should also submit an accompanying financial proposal setting out their daily rate. Candidates should also submit an up-to-date CV that highlights how their experience and expertise aligns with the description of the required consultant, alongside a letter of motivation.
Applicants should submit a technical outlining their understanding of the assignment, proposed approach, methodology, and workplan for delivering the assignment objectives.
Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not downloadable 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.