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 peace 

PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT:

The main purpose of this consultancy assignment is to support and provide technical guidance for the design, development, and global rollout of Philanthropy Compass 2.0, UNICEF’s next-generation digital decision-making and learning platform for major donors, philanthropists, family foundations, and UNICEF National Committees.

The consultant will serve as the Product Owner (Project Manager), ensuring the platform’s user-centered design, technological robustness, and strategic alignment with UNICEF’s global philanthropy and digital transformation priorities. The consultancy role will bridge strategy, content, design, and data — coordinating multiple stakeholders across UNICEF HQ, National Committees, and regional offices to deliver a world-class digital product that strengthens UNICEF’s value proposition for philanthropic partners

How can you make a difference? 

SCOPE OF WORK:

Under the supervision of the Fundraising Manager, Global Philanthropy (P-4), the consultant will be responsible for the following six workstreams and corresponding deliverables:

1. Product Discovery and Governance Setup (Dec 2025)

• Conduct stakeholder interviews and map user journeys to define the minimum viable product (MVP) scope, value proposition, and success indicators.
• Oversee, manage and strategically position content from (UHNWIs) to ensure understanding of the compass as a comprehensive tool to support philanthropic journeys.
• Establish the governance structure, documentation standards, and communication channels for project coordination between PFP Digital, ICTD, and Global Philanthropy.

2. Strategic Roadmap, MVP Design, and Web Developer Recruitment (Jan–Feb 2026)

• Develop the Philanthropy Compass 2.0 product roadmap, outlining phased features, dependencies, and key performance indicators.
• Create MVP wireframes, visual hierarchy, and user flows reflecting design thinking and systems thinking principles.
• Support the hiring and onboarding of a web developer/vendor, preparing technical ToRs, evaluating candidate portfolios, and aligning deliverables with UNICEF procurement procedures.

3. Agile Implementation and Vendor Management (Mar–Apr 2026)

• Lead the first two sprint cycles with the web developer and design team, ensuring quality control and timely delivery.
• Produce sprint review reports, progress trackers, and risk management documentation.
• Facilitate weekly coordination calls and ensure cross-team alignment on product backlog and sprint goals.

4. Stakeholder Engagement and Market Workshops (May–Jun 2026)

• Design and facilitate four stakeholder workshops (e.g. HQ, Australia, UK, Korea) to gather market-specific insights and validate design assumptions.
• Produce a consolidated feedback report with actionable recommendations integrated into subsequent product iterations.

5. Data Visualization, Content Migration, and UX Testing (Jul–Aug 2026)

• Oversee migration of content and tools from Philanthropy Compass 1.0 to the new platform.
• Lead the design and integration of interactive data dashboards and visualizations to enhance donor decision-making.
• Coordinate user acceptance testing (UAT) and ensure usability and accessibility compliance.

6.  Pilot Launch, Onboarding Toolkit, and Global Rollout (Sep–Nov 2026)

• Conduct pilot launch in selected markets; collect and analyze user feedback for final refinements.
• Deliver onboarding toolkit, training materials, and launch communications for internal and external audiences.
• Present the final Philanthropy Compass 2.0 to global stakeholders.

Consultant's Workplace and Official Travel:

The Consultant will be remote/home-based. As part of the assignment, there is a possibility of travel during the assignment on a per need basis and this will be covered separately by UNICEF, and not included in the lump sum fee. The consultant will arrange her/his travel as and when they take place, and related costs will be reimbursed per UNICEF travel policy.

Travel Clause:

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants apply.
• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSAFE certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.

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

Education:

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in one of the following fields is required: Project Management, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Alternatively, a first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree or higher), with two (2) additional years of relevant work experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of eight (8) years of professional experience in product management, platform development, or digital transformation within global organizations, is required.
• Proven experience managing complex multi-stakeholder digital projects with cross-functional teams and external vendors, is required.
• Experience working closely and directly with philanthropists and major donors partners, is required.
• Demonstrated expertise in data visualization, human-centered design, and systems thinking to enhance user experience and decision-making, is required.
• Demonstrated expertise in agile methodologies, digital UX/UI design processes, and content architecture, is required.
• Experience working in fundraising innovation contexts is a strong asset.
• Working experience with potential pilot markets (e.g. Australia, UK, South Korea) is highly desirable.
• Prior experience with UN system, INGOs, or global non-profit organizations is an asset.

Competencies:

• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; proficiency in another UN language is an asset.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and deliver high-quality results under pressure.
• Demonstrated capacity to coordinate diverse teams and maintain strong stakeholder relationships across cultures and time zones.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

Remarks:  

Please indicate your all-inclusive (lump sum) fees against the deliverables listed above, including all associated administrative and travel costs (if applicable), in the cover letter. The office selects the individual based on best value for money.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.