UNICEF Innocenti conducts research on child well-being and rights, including in the digital environment. The Digital Engagement and Protection (DEP) unit has been studying how digital gaming, a popular leisure activity for children, can be designed to support their well-being. This work has been ongoing since 2019 in collaboration with The LEGO Group and a range of partners, funded by The LEGO Foundation, and resulted in research reports and the Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children (RITEC) framework of eight dimensions for children’s well-being in digital play. The evidence synthesis will be undertaken by UNICEF from January to May 2026. UNICEF is seeking a part-time consultant to build on this to produce the enhanced Safety & Security content and update the RDT, through engaging stakeholders and supporting the piloting of the updated toolbox for finalization in 2027.

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.

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For every child, the right to a digital future

UNICEF Innocenti conducts research on child well-being and rights, including in the digital environment. The Digital Engagement and Protection (DEP) unit has been studying how digital gaming, a popular leisure activity for children, can be designed to support their well-being. This work has been ongoing since 2019 in collaboration with The LEGO Group and a range of partners, funded by The LEGO Foundation, and resulted in research reports and the Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children (RITEC) framework of eight dimensions for children’s well-being in digital play. The RITEC-8 framework was used to develop the RITEC Design Toolbox (RDT), intended for design professionals in the online gaming industry who create digital play experiences for children. The project has entered a new phase (called RITEC 2.0), where the unit will lead the generation and synthesis of high-quality evidence on online gaming and child safety in particular, in order to update the RDT on this topic.
The existing RITEC-8 framework and RDT includes ‘Safety & Security’ as a mandatory core dimension of designing for child well-being in digital play. However, the RDT currently only provides cursory guidance on this dimension given the absence of a safety focus in the previous RITEC research. Through this new project phase, the Safety & Security dimension will be further developed through evidence synthesis and engaging gaming practitioners. The evidence on the topic will be translated into actionable recommendations and result in an updated version of the RDT with built out safety guidance. The goal for this project is to address practitioners’ feedback about existing research and knowledge gaps and update guidance for practitioners to help enhance the technical and content capacity of design teams, resulting in the design of games that support children’s well-being, safety and security.
The evidence synthesis will be undertaken by UNICEF from January to May 2026. UNICEF is seeking a part-time consultant to build on this to produce the enhanced Safety & Security content and update the RDT, through engaging stakeholders and supporting the piloting of the updated toolbox for finalization in 2027.

How can you make a difference? 

1. Map out key additions to current RITEC Safety & Security coverage, including through key informant interviews with game design stakeholders.
2. Draw on the evidence synthesis on safety-by-design and translate this knowledge into actionable design guidance.
3. Successively develop the additional content and, working with a designer, integrate it into an updated RDT with strengthened RITEC Safety & Security dimension. Note that other dimensions that overlap with Safety & Security may also need updating.
4. Throughout, collaborate with UNICEF Child Rights and Business and Child Protection teams, RITEC project partners, designers, and a Community of Practice (CoP) being convened through the project, consolidating feedback and ensuring final production of outputs (coordinating with service providers for editing and layout).

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Download File GORaF_ToR_Digital_RITECT2_Consultant EXT.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

Minimum requirements:

  • Education: Advanced University degree in Design, Gaming, Technology, Social Science, Psychology or other demonstrably relevant discipline.
  • Work Experience: Minimum 3 years of work experience in one of the following areas is required: designing digital products or services for children or children’s rights in the digital environment, design research in the gaming sector, video game design, or Trust and Safety specialization
    Proven experience in producing toolkits or guidance for game designers or tech developers
  • Skills: Excellent writing skills, including writing for non-technical audiences
    Ability to speak and write fluently in English
    Ability to organize own work with limited supervision according to deadlines
    Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment
    Ability to establish harmonious and effective working relationships
  • Language Requirements: English

Desirables:

Experience in translating Safety and Security best practices into guidance or product design
Experience working in an international environment on topics related to responsible technology, children’s rights and well-being in the digital environment, or experience within the gaming sector
Ability to speak another official UN language
A relevant PhD

Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. 

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

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

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 Individual 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. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants 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.

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.