Sustainable Energy Consultant (Remote/Work from home) - Ref#578008

In order to reinforce its expertise in sustainable energy UNICEF is seeking a consultant who will support UNICEF with implementation, communications, knowledge management, and research-related work in transitioning energy systems to net zero and adapting essential social services in an integrated and low-carbon manner for children.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, hope.

Consultancy Title: Sustainable Energy Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Climate Environment Energy & Disaster, Programme Group, UNICEF NYHQ

Duration: 15 January 2025 to 31 December 2025

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ / Remote

About UNICEF

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 for developing 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.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

Climate change and environmental degradation present significant and escalating threats to the well-being of children globally, jeopardizing the progress achieved in child survival and development. Over a billion children are exposed to severe risks from climate and environmental hazards such as heatwaves, floods, and cyclones.

Given the urgency of adverse climate impacts, it is crucial to transition our energy systems to carry out effective climate change mitigation. Climate change mitigation projects can play a crucial role in saving children by addressing the underlying causes of climate change and its adverse impacts on their health, well-being, and future. Electricity is a critical enabler that dramatically improves the quality, accessibility and reliability of education, health care and WASH services for children. In healthcare and educational facilities, electricity is needed for lighting, heating, powering vital life-saving medical interventions, digital connectivity, learning digital skills, remote learning and delivering WASH services.

Leveraging its extensive field presence in remote areas, UNICEF is committed to fostering climate-resilient, low-carbon communities that safeguard all children. These endeavors constitute some of the most valuable investments for protecting vulnerable children in communities most vulnerable to climate change and its compounded risks.

The global gap in access to energy for these critical services threatens a child’s ability to survive and thrive. In parts of sub-Saharan Africa, only a quarter of health centers and a fifth of schools have access to reliable electricity. Providing sustainable energy and related equipment for water systems in remote schools improves menstrual hygiene management and means that girls can attend school. Improving access to solar-powered water and electricity in under-resourced schools and health centers will help bridge this global gap.

Decentralized sustainable energy solutions are becoming increasingly financially and technically viable. They enable uninterrupted essential services and power healthcare, water, and educational facilities. They also contribute to reducing GHG emissions and pollution, promote local employment, increase the retention and recruitment of staff, and can be more resilient in the face of disasters. Providing sustainable energy is key to pursuing a just energy transition to ensure that communities’ and households’ social and economic needs are met globally.

In order to reinforce its expertise in sustainable energy UNICEF is seeking a consultant who will support UNICEF with implementation, communications, knowledge management, and research-related work in transitioning energy systems to net zero and adapting essential social services in an integrated and low-carbon manner for children. This includes support  to knowledge management and communications action plan on tools and training for UNICEF staff to strengthen their understanding of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and  clean cooking that can be then integrated across UNICEF’s programs in healthcare, nutrition, WASH, education, social protection and child protection, and supporting UNICEF in its assessing the market landscape and demand for the provision of solar energy in UNICEF’s key sectors (WASH, education and healthcare) to generate the evidence base to inform UNICEF’s value add and future interventions to meet several Sustainable Development Goals. This will contribute to UNICEF-related work in transitioning energy systems to net zero and adapting essential social services in an integrated and low-carbon manner for children. 

Under the close supervision and guidance of the CEED Programme Specialist, the Sustainable Energy Consultant shall have the following responsibilities:

1. Providing knowledge management and communications guidance to ensure that children’s issues, needs, and perspectives are represented in energy planning and implementation (including Health, Education, and WASH) including sustainable energy commitments essential for children
2. Enhancing UNICEF’s sustainable energy programming and advocacy capacity and outputs at all levels; including support to all market landscape and demand aggregation ongoing for selection regions and countries, and
3. Support engaging with key UNICEF partnerships and networks, with a focus on advancing work on sustainable energy 

Scope of Work:

Under the supervision and guidance of the CEED programme specialist, this consultant will work in collaboration with country offices, regional offices, and headquarters to advocate for increased sustainable energy commitments in policy, as well as child-sensitive commitments in energy policies.  The consultant will have the following responsibilities:

1. Provide knowledge management and communications guidance:

• Review and consult on communications and knowledge products to assess their inclusion of child-sensitive sustainable energy commitments.
• Evaluate the impacts of existing multisectoral policies, programmes, and advocacy efforts and identify communications opportunities to elevate these impacts for UNICEF and partner implementation.
• Support the development of UNICEF internal and external knowledge products and platforms demonstrating the organizations approach to sustainable energy for children and young people.

1. Enhancing UNICEF’s sustainable energy programming and advocacy capacity

• Consolidate and present evidence from sustainable energy action integration and UNICEF data aggregation (including market assessments) to inform relevant stakeholders and explore avenues for collaboration.
• Support research and knowledge generation efforts, including dissemination of findings and key insights market assessments for sustainable energy at the global and regional scales.
• Support the identification of strategic entry points UNICEF into the sustainable energy market including for clean cooking, by leveraging market assessments and UNICEF data to inform evidence-based decision making
• Assist in the facilitation of capacity-building and knowledge management sessions (workshops, trainings, etc.) for internal and external audiences.

1. Engaging with key sustainable energy partnerships and networks:

• Assist the identification and development of strategic partnerships for advancing child- and youth-sensitive sustainable energy action.
• Consult on and support child and youth engagement opportunities, including capacity- and skills-building sessions.
• Prepare sustainable energy updates and advocacy materials for internal and external audiences.

Identify and support external advocacy efforts including events with sustainable energy and financing partners.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Provide knowledge management and communications guidance: Review and consult on communications and knowledge products to assess their inclusion of child-sensitive sustainable energy commitments. Evaluate the impacts of existing multisectoral policies, programmes, and advocacy efforts and identify communications opportunities to elevate these impacts for UNICEF and partner implementation. Support the development of UNICEF internal and external knowledge products and platforms demonstrating the organizations approach to sustainable energy for children and young people.

• Deliverable 1: An updated internal and external brochure for SCAP Area of Acceleration 2, including Who’s Who of UNICEF and sustainable energy (15 February 2025)
• Deliverable 2: Planning tools and preparation material (agenda, slide deck, supporting materials) for UNICEF’s internal workshop related to Sustainable Energy for Health, Education and WASH     (15 March 2025)

Enhancing UNICEF’s sustainable energy programming and advocacy capacity: Consolidate and present evidence from sustainable energy action integration and UNICEF data aggregation (including market assessments) to inform relevant stakeholders and explore avenues for collaboration. Support research and knowledge generation efforts, including dissemination of findings and key insights market assessments for sustainable energy at the global and regional scales. Support the identification of strategic entry points UNICEF into the sustainable energy market including for clean cooking, by leveraging market assessments and UNICEF data to inform evidence-based decision making. Assist in the facilitation of capacity-building and knowledge management sessions (workshops, trainings, etc.) for internal and external audiences.

• Deliverable 3: Consolidated sustainable energy market data platform and a user guide for internal and external audiences including examples for generating country-one pagers (15 April 2025)
• Deliverable 4: A mapping of internal and external initiatives related to clean cooking and list of potential activities and partners to elevate UNICEF’s clean cooking work, collated in a slide deck (15 May 2025)
• Deliverable 5:  A pitch deck summarizing insights from the regional market assessments, deep dives and investment cases, including impacts on these assets for UNICEF and external partners (15 June 2025)
• Deliverable 6: A tracking tool for UNICEF and solar implementation linked to the SCAP results framework, including capacity building materials to execute with regional and country offices (15 July 2025)
• Deliverable 7: An internal guidance and decision tree on financing mechanisms such as renewable energy credits and carbon credits for UNICEF programs      (15 August 2025)

Engaging with key sustainable energy partnerships and networks: Assist the identification and development of strategic partnerships for advancing child- and youth-sensitive sustainable energy action. Consult on and support child and youth engagement opportunities, including capacity- and skills-building sessions. Prepare sustainable energy updates and advocacy materials for internal and external audiences. Identify and support external advocacy efforts including events with sustainable energy and financing partners.           

• Deliverable 8: Research report on implementation and financing models for sustainable energy for schools, including recommendations for multi-sector outcome indicators for nutrition, health, and WASH. This should include a list of potential partners to work with (15 September 2025)
• Deliverable 9: An insight report highlighting SCAP implementation and high-level results. This shall include examples of country impact and success stories for different sectors and energy technologies (15 October 2025)
• Deliverable 10: Package of materials for UNICEF engagements at various in-person and online conferences and events related to sustainable energy for social sectors (including: approaches, financing mechanisms, and partnership arrangements)  (15 November 2025)
• Deliverable 11: Finalized UNICEF SCAP Area of Acceleration 2 investment cases (1 short and 1 long) including beneficiary calculations and guidance on carrying out beneficiary calculations (30 December 2025)

Qualifications

Education: 

Advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in in renewable energy, climate change, sustainable development, sustainability, or relevant technical field.

Work experience:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *: 

• Expert knowledge in sustainable energy programming, communications, advocacy required.
• Minimum 1-2 years’ work experience in developing, supporting, or implementing sustainable energy or sustainability related initiatives.
• Strong project management, coordination, and communication skills.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other official UN languages is considered an asset

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.