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For every child, result
Governments in South Asia are increasingly expected to harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to strengthen public sector performance, improve service delivery, and enhance accountability. However, many institutions lack structured training materials and contextualized examples that link AI techniques directly to evidence-driven policymaking.
While AI literacy initiatives exist, most focus on conceptual overviews rather than providing governments with practical, hands-on capacity to apply AI methods across the data value chain - from data collection and digitization, to analysis, to dissemination, and to the evaluation of policy outcomes. To ensure long-term sustainability, UNICEF ROSA requires a comprehensive training package that can be rolled out repeatedly without reliance on external trainers, and that includes concrete prototypes relevant to UNICEF’s mandate.
Purpose of Assignment:
Developing high-quality, modular training materials and working prototypes will serve a dual purpose:
By producing ready-to-use training modules and UNICEF-relevant prototypes, this consultancy will enable governments and UNICEF offices to build technical capacity at scale, while ensuring that AI adoption is aligned with principles of responsibility, inclusivity, and data governance.
The purpose of this consultancy is to design and produce a comprehensive practical AI training package that equips government officials and UNICEF staff with the technical knowledge and practical tools to apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in support of evidence-driven policymaking.
The consultant will focus on:
• Developing a complete training curriculum and materials (≈72 hours, structured into six modules). Each module will combine conceptual guidance, practical exercises, datasets, and assessments, and will explicitly link AI techniques to policy-relevant use cases in South Asia.
• In close collaboration with UNICEF ROSA, develop practical prototypes that demonstrate UNICEF-relevant applications of AI. These prototypes will be integrated into the training package as hands-on examples of how AI can be applied to data for policy analysis. The prototypes (at least four) will be developed in open-source environments and Azure AI environments, ensuring adaptability to different Country Office contexts and IT infrastructures.
By the end of the consultancy, UNICEF ROSA will have a self-contained set of training materials and demonstration prototypes that can be reused, adapted, and cascaded across the region, enabling governments to strengthen their capacity for responsible and effective AI adoption in the public sector.
Scope of Work:
The consultant will carry out the following tasks in close coordination with UNICEF ROSA
Inception and Planning
Curriculum and Training Design
For every module, the consultant must:
Sketch of Training Modules (minimal content expected):
Prototype Development
Provide a Training of Trainers (ToT) for UNICEF-selected staff and government representatives from a designated South Asian country, based on the developed training materials; the participants will learn about the training and will receive complementary guidance on how to approach participants when they themselves are developing the training. The ToT will be delivered in a hybrid format, comprising four components:
Final Deliverables
Submit the full training package (curriculum, materials, codes, datasets, trainer’s manual, and prototypes).
Description of Tasks:
Deliverables for the Assignment:
For details on the assignment including tasks and deliverables, please refer to the link: Terms of Reference
Note: Please submit financial proposal based on the above deliverables.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education:
Advanced university degree in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, or a related field.
Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:
Technical Skills
Language Proficiency
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
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 persons 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. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.
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.
