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 health

How can you make a difference? 

1. Background

Children in Georgia continue to face multiple and overlapping deprivations driven by poverty, inequality, and social vulnerabilities, constraining their access to quality services and limiting their opportunities for development and well-being. Despite progress in social protection and decentralization reforms, existing systems remain insufficiently responsive to different shocks that disproportionately affect vulnerable children and families.

UNICEF, , supports efforts to ensure that all children, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from equitable and shock-responsive social policies and programmes. Strengthening social protection and improving public finance for children (PF4C) are central to reducing multidimensional poverty and increasing systems resilience.

UNICEF’s support focuses on strengthening a child-sensitive, inclusive, and shock-responsive social protection framework, expanding universal and targeted cash benefits, promoting child-rights–centered planning, programming and budgeting at the central and municipal levels, and encouraging the active participation of child- and youth-led platforms in decision-making processes.

Prioritized issues and areas

UNICEF’s areas of work in Georgia are determined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Georgia for 2026-2030 and 2026-2030 Georgia-UNICEF Programme of Cooperation. Based on this programme, among other priorities, UNICEF supports planning, implementation, and monitoring of child-friendly social policies and programmes that ensure all children—especially the most vulnerable—grow up in caring family environments and have adequate standard of living through access to quality and inclusive education and healthcare and social services, and live in safe and nurturing communities.

In the frame of 2026-2030 Georgia-UNICEF Programme of Cooperation , it is expected that, by 2030:

“People in Georgia benefit from a more decentralized and inclusive governance system, with stronger human rights protections, gender equality, and enhanced social cohesion”.

It will be achieved through following outputs:

• National authorities have the capacity to develop a child-sensitive and shock-responsive social protection system.
• Local authorities have improved capacities and systems for child-rights centered planning, budgeting, and financing, efficient and shock responsive child-sensitive social programming.
• National human rights monitoring mechanisms are strengthened to monitor child rights through effective and timely collection and analysis of data and evidence on children and families.
• Technical support of UNICEF among others, includes the following areas of work:

• Strengthening the legislative, policy, and programmatic framework for shock responsive, child centered and inclusive social protection — including the advancement and implementation of the Code on the Rights of the Child and the Law on the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; optimization of social protection measures for children with disabilities; transformation of disability assessment and social service delivery systems and the development of a child-sensitive and shock-responsive social protection system that effectively addresses multidimensional child poverty, fosters inclusion, and mitigates risks and vulnerabilities in both crisis and non-crisis contexts.
• Enhancing national and municipal capacities for child-rights–centered social planning and public finance for children (PF4C) — through support for data-driven, participatory, and needs-based planning and budgeting; and institutionalization of child-rights budgeting and accountability mechanisms to ensure equitable, transparent, and efficient allocation of resources for children and families.

Major partners of UNICEF in these areas of work are:

• Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health, and Social Affairs
• Interagency commission on implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
• Ministry of Regional Development
• Parliament of Georgia
• National Statistics Office of Georgia
• Municipalities and National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia
• Civil Society Organizations, including organizations of Persons with Disabilities, social service providers, watchdog organizations, parents’ associations, other relevant
• Academia
• Other state and non-state stakeholders

2. Objective

The aim of this Terms of Reference is to set up a Roster of National Consultants in the field of Social Policy to support the effective and high-quality implementation of the 2026–2030 Government of Georgia–UNICEF Country Programme of Cooperation. The roster will serve as a human resources repository, enabling the Country Office to rapidly and efficiently engage pre-vetted, well-qualified experts in areas such as social policy, social protection, disability inclusion, public finance for children (PF4C), local governance, and research for short- and medium-term assignments.

3. Areas of work, Key priorities, Experts required and deliverables

To support the implementation of the Programme of Cooperation, UNICEF Georgia seeks expertise in the following overlapping areas:

Area 1. Child-Sensitive and Shock-Responsive Social Protection Systems and Services

Purpose: provide support in building shock responsive, child sensitive and inclusive social protection systems and services that address multidimensional child poverty, deprivations and vulnerabilities, and the impacts of shocks.

Key priorities:

• Develop a comprehensive strategy for child-sensitive and shock-responsive social protection and support its implementation.
• Promote universal child cash assistance and provide respective technical assistance
• Integrate risk and vulnerability analysis into social protection design.
• Provide qualitative and quantitative evidence, research and analysis to inform policy and decision-making.

 Expertise is required in the following areas of social policy and protection:

• Social Protection Policy and Systems – to design child centered and inclusive frameworks.
• Shock-Responsive Planning and Programming – to develop innovative financing instruments, such as parametric insurance, to finance shock-related expenditures; enable preparedness and timely delivery humanitarian cash transfers (HCT).
• Disability Inclusion– to ensure design and implementation address children with disabilities.
• Policy Research and Evidence Generation - to design and implement quantitative and qualitative studies and simulations in the respective areas of Child-Sensitive Social Policy and Governance.
• Capacity Development and Training– to design and deliver practical tools for municipal staff to effectively address unmet social needs of the children and their families.

 Area 2. Child-Rights–Centered Social Planning, Budgeting, and Financing

Purpose: To strengthen national and municipal systems for evidence-based, child-focused service delivery, for social planning and financing of social services.

Key priorities:

• Scale up child-rights-centered programming and budgeting frameworks.
• Develop minimum package of social services in municipalities for vulnerable children and their families and support its country-wide coverage.
• Clarify institutional roles and accountability mechanisms for municipal social service planning.
• Build municipal capacity for participation, data-driven and need-based planning and programming.
• Support public finance reforms to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accountability in child-related expenditures.
• Foster engagement with child-led platforms for inclusive decision-making.

Expertise is required in the following areas of child rights centered social planning, budgeting and financing

• Local Governance and Decentralization– to support social programming at municipal level; also, inter and intra municipal cooperation and coordination.
• Public Finance for Children -. Public Finance for Children (PF4C)– to assess fiscal space and advocate for evidence-based child-focused allocations on the central and municipal levels; to enhance fiscal accountability and child-focused spending analysis on the local level
• Capacity Development and Training– to design and deliver practical tools for municipal staff to effectively address unmet social needs of the children and their families.
• Child and Youth Participation– to facilitate structured engagement of children in local decision-making; in implementation of small-scale initiatives affecting their lives; etc.

Please note that being part of the roster does not guarantee any type of formal engagement with UNICEF.

Potential key deliverables may include:

• Situation analyses; thematic reviews;
• Analytical briefs and papers; system and programme mapping;
• Policy briefs, policy papers;
• Legislative analyses and draft legal documents;
• Qualitative and quantitative study/survey/research methodology and instruments;
• Reports of qualitative and quantitative studies;
• Operational procedures, instruments, instructions, and guidance for public servants;
• Training curricula and materials; actual trainings;
• Costing of the social services for children; budget analyses; cost-benefit analyses; other financial analyses as required;
• Other

In-country travels may be required and will be defined for each case separately.

3. Scope of Work

The consultancy work will focus on Georgia.

4. Conditions of Work

The consultant/s shall use their own facilities to manage the work. 

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

Minimum requirements:

Consultants are required to have the following minimum set of qualifications, core competencies, technical background, and experience regardless of specialised area of expertise:

• Core values of commitment, inclusion, and integrity.
• Advanced university degree in public policy, social policy, social sciences, policy analysis, economics, or related field.
• Minimum 7 years’ relevant professional experience in public/social policy and social protection;
• Minimum 7 years of experience in research and analysis and the ability to generate data and use as evidence;
• Excellent understanding of social policy, social protection, and child rights in development context in Georgia;
• Knowledge and experience in the formulation, design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of social protection legislation, policies, programmes, and services
• Knowledge and experience in strengthening national and/or sub-national institutional arrangements in social sector;
• Knowledge and experience in addressing inequities and disparities in social sector;
• Communication, advocacy and negotiation skills: the ability to engage clearly and articulately with stakeholders including, inter alia, government bodies, international organisations, national institutions, civil society and academia;
• Training and presentation skills: the ability to share and impart knowledge, provide technical and policy guidance, build capacities and transmit good practice for child social protection;
• Excellent spoken and written Georgian and English;
• Prominent level of computer literacy.

How to apply:

Applicants are required:

• To submit a CV including relevant previous experience explaining the accomplished work.
• To submit a cover letter, specifying (1) applicant’s motivation to apply and (2) one or more listed in the below section- categories of work, which represent areas of the applicant’s expertise.
• To submit with the application a sample of the applicant’s own written work (report, proposal, situation analysis, etc.) preferably of not more than 2000 words, which are relevant to the selected categories of work; Applications submitted without a sample will not be accepted.
• To provide references (at least 2) that will validate the experience of the applicant.
• To indicate proposed daily fee in US dollars.

Consultants must indicate which category/s of work indicated below they have expertise and would like to be considered; For indicated categories of work applicants need to provide a list of preformed activities (with brief explanation) and evidence on previous experience.

Categories of work (choose one or more)

1. Social Protection Policy and Systems
2. Shock-Responsive Social Protection
3. Disability Inclusive Social Protection
4. Social and Economic Policy Research and Evidence Generation
5. Public Finance for Children (PF4C)
6. Capacity Development and Training in Social Protection
7. Local Governance and Decentralization

Only applicants who are under consideration will be contacted. Work references will be conducted as part of the selection process for short-listed candidates. Once accepted on the Social Policy Roster, consultants will be eligible for direct recruitment by UNICEF Georgia for short-term consultancies over a period of three years. The consultant will be issued a contract which is subject to UNICEF General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants / Individual Contractors. The length of the contract will depend on project needs and funding availability. 

In the choice of its staff and consultants, UNICEF is committed to gender balance and diversity without distinction. Qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

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 

[add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role]. 

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 people 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.