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If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines fordeveloping countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

Consultancy: Entrepreneurship Incubation Consultant  

Duty Station: Programme Group, Generation Unlimited

Duration: 15 January 2026 – 14 January 2027

Home/ Office Based: Remote

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

Under the direct supervision of the Youth Engagement and Entrepreneurship Lead, with overall guidance from the Director of Programmes and in close coordination with the Programme Team at Generation Unlimited (GenU), regional offices, and priority Country Offices, the consultant will provide specialized technical expertise to strengthen GenU’s entrepreneurship incubation pathways. The assignment will focus on designing and operationalizing incubation systems across the Entrepreneurship Portfolio, with particular emphasis on the AI Ventures Accelerator, Community Health Worker (CHW) Entrepreneurship models, and Micro entrepreneurship pathways. This includes developing structured cohort models, crafting technical and business curricula, establishing mentorship and advisory mechanisms, and building follow-on funding and business perks ecosystems that support early-stage ventures from ideation to investment readiness. The consultant will also contribute to harmonizing incubation processes across programs, ensuring entrepreneurs receive consistent, high-quality support regardless of pathway, and will help advance GenU’s broader ambition to build an integrated, scalable entrepreneurship support architecture that is grounded in evidence and adaptable to diverse country contexts

Scope of Work:

1. Development of Integrated Incubation Systems Across the Entrepreneurship Portfolio

• Design and strengthen incubation systems across GenU’s entrepreneurship pathways, ensuring a coherent and structured support architecture for early-stage ventures.

Deliverable: Comprehensive incubation systems blueprint outlining cohort structure, technical and business curriculum components, mentorship and advisory models, assessment rubrics, and processes for venture support across AI Ventures, CHW Entrepreneurship, and Micro Industries entrepreneurship.

• Develop a unified mentorship ecosystem for the Entrepreneurship Portfolio, including sourcing, onboarding, training, and management of mentors and technical advisors.

Deliverable: Mentorship ecosystem framework with tools, templates, and management processes.

• Design the foundation for a business perks and shared services ecosystem to provide startups access to discounted or pro-bono tools, platforms, and business services.

Deliverable: Business perks partner package, with identified partners and clear value propositions for ventures.

2. AI Ventures Accelerator (AIVA) — Design and Technical Strengthening

• Develop the technical and entrepreneurial curriculum for the AI Ventures Accelerator, ensuring alignment with AI venture readiness, ethical AI considerations, and market adoption pathways.

Deliverable: AI Ventures Accelerator curriculum package including learning modules, venture readiness tools, and technical validation processes with a focused lens on the specific barriers, needs and opportunities that young female entrepreneurs encounter

• Support the design of AIVA’s cohort model, including application criteria, selection processes, and venture assessment rubrics.

Deliverable: Cohort design blueprint with selection tools and scoring frameworks.

• Identify potential global and regional AI mentors, technical advisors, and ecosystem partners to strengthen the pipeline of AI ventures.

Deliverable: AIVA mentor and ecosystem partner roster.

 

3. CHW Entrepreneurship — Strengthening Enterprise Pathways in Health

• Support the development of enterprise pathways for Community Health Workers, including models such as data collection, BIAB (Business-in-a-Box), and service-based ventures.

Deliverable: CHW Entrepreneurship incubation guide, detailing enterprise models, revenue pathways, operational steps, and risk considerations.

• Develop tailored incubation materials and business support tools for CHW enterprises, ensuring accessibility and ease of operationalization by Country Offices.

Deliverable: CHW enterprise support toolkit, including templates, pricing tools, and business planning guides.

• In collaboration with UNICEF Health, advise on adaptations needed for different country contexts to enable scale and integration with existing health systems.

Deliverable: Contextual adaptation brief with recommendations for rollout.

 

4. Micro Entrepreneurship — Development of Incubation Pathway

• Strengthen the Micro entrepreneurship pathway within GenU’s portfolio, ensuring youth have access to tailored incubation support.

Deliverable: Micro Entrepreneurship Playbook covering monetization models, pricing strategies, digital distribution, branding, and market positioning.

• Develop a mentor and partner roster, identifying potential collaborators across relevant industries.

Deliverable: Mentor and partner network list with value propositions and engagement recommendations.

• Design modules to support micro entrepreneurs in portfolio development, client acquisition, and marketplace integration.

Deliverable: Micro entrepreneurship learning module package.

 

5. Follow-On Funding and Venture Advancement Systems

• Build a follow-on funding pipeline across the Entrepreneurship Portfolio, identifying venture capital, angel investor networks, corporate innovation units, and other capital partners.

Deliverable: Follow-on funding strategy report including mapped partners, engagement plans, and readiness criteria for ventures.

• Design tools and processes for investment readiness assessment across all incubation pathways.

Deliverable: Investment readiness assessment toolkit.

• Support in facilitating with the Partnerships Team to align pipeline-building efforts with GenU’s partnership strategies.

Deliverable: Integrated partner alignment brief.

 

6. Portfolio-Wide Progress Tracking and Reporting Systems

• Contribute to the harmonization of venture progress tracking across all pathways, aligned with the F6S platform and internal GenU reporting requirements.

Deliverable: Portfolio-wide performance and progress tracking framework with standardized indicators, reporting templates, and dashboards.

• Develop periodic analysis of venture performance, identifying trends, lessons, and opportunities for program improvement.

Deliverable: 4 venture performance analysis briefs.

• Ensure documentation of processes, tools, and learnings to support scalability and knowledge management.

Deliverable: End-year knowledge synthesis capturing key insights and recommendations for future scale.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Work Assignment Overview/Deliverables and Outputs/Delivery deadline

1.  Design and produce an integrated incubation systems blueprint for GenU’s entrepreneurship pathways

-  Comprehensive incubation systems blueprint document covering cohort structure, curriculum components, mentorship/advisory models, and assessment rubrics across AIVA, CHW, and Micro Industries pathways

27 Jan 2026

2.  Develop a unified mentorship ecosystem for the Entrepreneurship Portfolio

-  Mentorship ecosystem framework including sourcing guidelines, onboarding toolkit, training templates, and management processes

18 Feb 2026

3.  Establish the foundational business perks and shared-services ecosystem for early-stage ventures

- Business perks partner package including identified partners, value propositions, and integration flow for venture support.

10 Mar 2026

4. Develop the full curriculum package for the AI Ventures Accelerator (AIVA).

-  AIVA curriculum package with technical modules, venture-readiness tools, and technical validation frameworks

6 Apr 2026

5.  Develop the AI Ventures cohort design and assessment model

-  Cohort design blueprint with application criteria, selection tools, scoring rubrics, and assessment matrices

24 Apr 2026

6.  Produce a global roster of AI mentors, technical experts, and ecosystem partners

-  AIVA mentor and ecosystem partner roster with engagement guidelines

12 May 2026

7.  Design the CHW entrepreneurship incubation pathway and enterprise models.

-  CHW Entrepreneurship incubation guide outlining enterprise pathways, revenue  models, operational steps, and risk considerations

3 Jun 2026

8.  Develop tailored incubation materials for CHW enterprises

-  CHW enterprise support toolkit including templates, pricing tools, business planning guides, and operational tools

27 Jun 2026

9.  Prepare country adaptation guidance for CHW entrepreneurship scale-up

-  Contextual adaptation brief with recommendations for country-level rollout.

15 Jul 2026

10.  Develop the Micro-Entrepreneurship incubation playbook

-  Micro Entrepreneurship Playbook on monetization, pricing, branding, distribution, and market positioning

8 Aug 2026

11. Build the micro entrepreneurship mentor and partner network.

-  Mentor and partner network list with value propositions and engagement plans for micro entrepreneurship developed

29 Aug 2026

12.  Produce modules to support micro entrepreneurs with product development and client acquisition

-  Micro entrepreneurship learning module package (product building, client acquisition, marketplace integration)

17 Sep 2026

13.  Develop the follow-on funding pipeline and partner outreach plan

-  Follow-on funding strategy report with mapped partners, engagement plan, and venture readiness criteria.

9 Oct 2026

14.  Create investment-readiness assessment tools for all incubation pathways

-  Investment readiness assessment toolkit with scoring rubrics and readiness indicators

28 Oct 2026

15.  Align follow-on funding and pipeline systems with the Partnerships Team

-  Integrated partner alignment brief articulating how incubation pathways connect with partnership strategies

19 Nov 2026

16.  Harmonize progress tracking systems across pathways, aligned with F6S

-  Portfolio-wide performance and progress tracking framework with standardized indicators, templates, and dashboards

6 Dec 2026

17.  Produce quarterly analysis of venture performance

- Four venture performance analysis briefs identifying trends, lessons, and opportunities for improvement

13 Mar 2026

14 Jun 2026

17 Sep 2026

15 Dec 2026

18.  Document processes, learning, and system insights for end-year synthesis

-  End-year knowledge synthesis report capturing key insights, process learnings, and recommendations for scale 

9 Jan 2027

Travel: International mission to Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia 

Qualifications

Education:  Master’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, Entrepreneurship, International Development, Entrepreneurship, or a related field.

Language Proficiency: Fluency in English required; Arabic is an asset. Working knowledge of another UN language an asset

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in entrepreneurship program development, management, or consultancy.
• Proven track record in supporting portfolio management systems and follow-on funding networks.
• Experience working on entrepreneurship models in the MENA region is an asset.

Skills: 

• Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Strong technical knowledge of incubation systems and funding frameworks.
• Proficiency in report development and program documentation

Requirements:

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

- Upload copy of academic credentials

- Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :

• • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability

- Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.

- At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

- Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory 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.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

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. 

Remarks:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.