Trusted Data for Children Strategic Convening and Positioning Consultant, Office of Strat

Trusted Data for Children Strategic Convening and Positioning Consultant, Office of Strat & Eviden(OSE) ,Remote/Home-based with travel to Florence, Italy #

Job no:
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Florence
Level: Consultancy
Location: Italy
Categories: Child Protection, Innovation

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 growth 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 opportunity.

How can you make a difference?

The objectives of this consultancy are the following:

• Consolidate relevant UNICEF and partner work into a concise evidence and portfolio synthesis, including findings from recent analytical work.
• Refine the proposed strategic shift towards the governance of data ecosystems affecting children and clarify UNICEF’s comparative advantage, scope and boundaries.
• Clarify the relationship between the wider offer, RD4C, the DG4C Manifesto and other relevant assets and partnerships.
• Develop and test an initial country-facing offer, including practical entry points through the country programme cycle and a proportionate technical-support model.
• Design and facilitate an outcome-oriented international convening based on practical country and sectoral scenarios.
• Produce a concise strategic package setting out the value proposition, priority products and services, partnership options, initial country applications and roadmap.

Scope of work:

Inception and Analytical Review

• Prepare the inception note, methodology, workplan, and consultation plan.
• Review UNICEF and partner materials and synthesize key trends, gaps, and implications related to data and AI governance for children.
• Map existing initiatives and assets and identify strategic issues requiring validation.

Consultations and Country Demand

• Conduct consultations with UNICEF offices, partners, governments, and external experts.
• Identify country needs, policy opportunities, and operational use cases.
• Assess implementation approaches, partnership roles, and entry points across the country programme cycle.
• Prepare a summary of consultation findings.

Convening Design and Preparation

• Develop the concept note, framing paper, preliminary UNICEF offer, and country-facing service catalogue.
• Design practical discussion scenarios and prepare the agenda, facilitation materials, presentations, and participant guidance.
• Advise on stakeholder profiles and participant balance.

Facilitation and Synthesis

• Lead or support facilitation of the two-day Florence convening.
• Guide strategic discussions, co-design processes, and prioritization exercises.
• Document key decisions, recommendations, partnership opportunities, and follow-up actions.
• Prepare a rapid synthesis of outcomes.

Final Strategic Recommendations

• Refine UNICEF’s vision, value proposition, and country-facing framework based on convening outcomes.
• Finalize the service catalogue, priority instruments, partnership approach, and implementation roadmap.
• Clarify the role of the DG4C Manifesto and its relationship with RD4C.
• Prepare a senior management briefing and presentation.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: TMC ToR.pdf

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

Work Experience:

• Advanced (Master's) university degree in public policy, governance, international development, data governance, digital or AI governance, law, child rights, social sciences, international relations, or another relevant field.

Skills:

• Excellent strategic analysis, synthesis and writing skills.
• Strong facilitation, listening, consensus-building and stakeholder-engagement skills.
• Ability to navigate institutional sensitivities and clarify complemen