National Consultant to Assist the Government in Developing a Disability-sensitive Social Protection Package for Children with Disabilities and contribute to drafting Budget Briefs on Child Protection, Education and Social Protection

UNICEF Moldova is looking for a National Individual Consultancy to Assist the Government in Developing a Disability-sensitive Social Protection Package for Children with Disabilities and contribute to drafting the Budget Briefs on Child Protection, Education and Social Protection.

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 protection

How can you make a difference? 

1. Purpose of the Consultancy

The consultant will provide technical assistance to the Government in implementing recommendations arising from the analysis of the extra costs of disability, jointly validated with stakeholders and the MLSP. The consultant will advocate for an integrated social protection package with complementary services focusing on key priorities within the disability system. The consultant will also assist UNICEF in revising budget briefs and facilitate collaboration with the International Consultancy Institution contracted by UNICEF to draft budget briefs on child protection, education, and social protection.   

2. Objectives of the Consultancy

The two primary objectives of consultancy are as follows:

• To advocate for the adoption of a social protection and complementary service package for children with disabilities, grounded in UNICEF’s analysis of the extra costs of disability, and to advance concrete policy and legal recommendations for consideration by line ministries to strengthen and align national frameworks.
• To provide technical guidance, coordination, and support for reviewing the draft guideline on formulating, implementing, and reporting on child-friendly budgets; and disseminate the findings of the Cost of Inaction report to key stakeholders, advocating for the allocation of necessary resources.

The consultant is also expected to be responsive to additional tasks related to her/his area of expertise and within the scope of this TOR, as requested by the UNICEF Social Policy Specialist.

3. Details of how the work should be delivered

The consultancy aims to provide technical, advocacy, and coordination assistance to UNICEF and line ministries on child-sensitive social policies, public finance management, and capacity building. The working schedule and arrangements will be agreed upon with the selected consultant. The consultant will develop a detailed working plan under the guidance of UNICEF’s Social Policy Specialist.

4. Deliverables

* Exact deadlines will be mutually agreed upon contract signature.

To achieve the above objectives, the individual consultant, under UNICEF guidance, will conduct briefings and meetings with UNICEF and other partners as required.

5. Reporting requirements

The consultant will report to the UNICEF Social Policy Specialist, who will regularly communicate with the consultant and provide feedback and guidance on his/her performance and all other necessary support to achieve the objectives of the consultancy, as well as remain aware of any upcoming issues related to the consultant’s performance and quality of work. Also, the consultant will work closely with the Social Policy, Education and Child Protection Teams.  

All activities and deliverables undertaken by the consultant shall be discussed and planned in consultation with UNICEF. The consultant is expected to deliver each technical component of the deliverables electronically in English (in Word format). At each stage, the deliverables shall be sent to the Social Policy Specialist, with the Deputy Representative in copy.  

6. Performance indicators for evaluation of results:

The performance of work will be evaluated based on the following indicators:

• Completion of tasks specified in ToR.
• Compliance with the established deadlines for submission of deliverables.
• Quality of work.
• Demonstration of high standards in cooperation and communication with UNICEF and partners.

7. Definition of supervisory arrangements

The consultant will work under the oversight of the Social Policy Specialist of UNICEF Moldova. Payments will be rendered upon successful completion of each task, as per the schedule outlined in the ToR.

8. Work location and official travel involved

The work will require local travel to conduct in-person visits and interviews with government officials. The consultant is expected to cover costs, arrange and schedule such visits, including transportation. The UNICEF office will facilitate introductions to key informants.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• A university degree in one of the following fields is required: Social Sciences, International Relations, Government, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of two years of experience in public policy and development work is required. Experience as an economist and in public financing for children is advantageous.
• A minimum of two years of managerial experience in Public Finance Management,  is required.
• A good understanding of social policy in Moldova and sectoral social budgets is considered a strong asset.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in Romanian and working knowledge of English are required. Knowledge of Russian would be an advantage.

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

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

For more details on the consultancy assignment and requirements, please refer to attached Terms of reference (ToR):

 2025 TOR_Nat Indiv Consultant_Strenghtening Services for CWD & Child-friendly Budgets_VA.docx

HOW TO APPLY: Your online application should contain your Curriculum Vitae, suitable references and the Financial Offer (template below):

 Financial Offer_Strenghtening Services for CWD & Child-friendly Budgets.xlsx

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.

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 candidates from targeted underrepresented groups 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.