Contract Duration: 9 months

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, love

How can you make a difference?  

UNICEF seeks an experienced consultant to provide technical oversight, coordination and quality assurance support for ongoing and planned iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) / universal salt iodization (USI) evidence generation activities supported under the US-funded IDD project.

The consultant will support UNICEF Country Offices, governments, universities and technical partners to design, supervise, monitor and ensure quality implementation of sentinel surveillance systems, sub-national iodine intake assessments and related operational research in priority countries, planning or implementing iodine-related studies between June 2026 and February 2027.

The consultant will help ensure that country-level evidence generation is methodologically sound, policy relevant, timely and translated into practical recommendations to strengthen national iodine programmes and sustain USI mandates.

The scope of work covers technical leadership, research quality assurance, country support, protocol development, capacity strengthening, data interpretation and dissemination related to IDD / USI surveillance and research.

Research design and technical oversight:

• Provide technical guidance on design of sentinel surveillance systems for iodine status monitoring.
• Support development and review of protocols for sub-national iodine intake studies.
• Ensure alignment with WHO / UNICEF guidance and global best practice.
• Advise on sampling approaches, indicators, biomarkers, dietary intake methods and salt testing approaches.
• Support ethical review readiness and technical documentation.

Supervision of ongoing country research:

• Provide remote and in-country technical supervision of ongoing studies.
• Troubleshoot implementation bottlenecks affecting fieldwork, laboratories, procurement or timelines.
• Review inception reports, training materials, field manuals and progress reports.
• Ensure consistency and quality across countries implementing studies.

Data quality assurance and analysis support:

• Review data collection tools and digital systems.
• Support quality assurance procedures for urine iodine concentration (UIC), household salt iodine testing and dietary intake modules.
• Review preliminary datasets and analytical outputs.
• Support interpretation of findings and identification of policy implications.

Capacity strengthening:

• Build capacity of governments, universities and implementing institutions on surveillance methods and iodine programme monitoring and assessments.
• Deliver webinars, technical briefings and training sessions.
• Promote use of evidence for decision-making.

Knowledge products and policy translation

• Prepare country summaries, technical briefs and comparative evidence notes.
• Capture key lessons and findings from surveys and evidence generation into at least 2 scientific peer-reviewed papers.
• Support countries to translate findings into policy recommendations.
• Identify lessons learned and priority actions for sustaining USI programmes.

Other tasks:

• Coordinate with UNICEF Centre of Excellence team, country offices and other consultants.
• Support recruitment/ review of local research partners, if required.
• Any other related tasks assigned by supervisor.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the Terms of Reference here:   ToR Consultancy to provide technical research oversight and quality assurance support for IDD TMS.pdf

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

Minimum requirements: (Qualification/Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills)

Education: Master's degree in Nutrition, Partnerships, Advocacy, Development, Communications.

Work Experience:

• 10-15 years of relevant experience in nutrition surveys, public health research, surveillance systems or micronutrient programmes research and assessments.
• Strong experience with iodine deficiency disorders, USI, urinary iodine surveys or salt iodization programmes.
• Proven experience managing multi-country research studies.
• Experience working with governments, UN agencies, universities and laboratories.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English required.
• Fluency in French desirable.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:

• Strong skills in survey design, sampling methodologies and research implementation.
• Proven ability in data analysis, interpretation and evidence synthesis.
• Excellent report writing and preparation of technical knowledge products.
• Strong project management and multi-country coordination skills.
• Proven stakeholder engagement and partnership management abilities.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.

Desirables:

• Previous experience working with countries.

For every Child, you demonstrate Care

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

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 reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 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.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter 
• A separate financial proposal  Financial proposal Consultancy provide technical research oversight and quality assurance support for IDD TMS.docx

Remarks:   If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not visible on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers

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.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.