Consultancy: Mapping Public Sector donor priorities and potential funding opportunities for children’s rights and business, Child Rights and Business (CRB), Division of Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP)

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

The Children’s Rights and Business (CRB) Unit within the Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP) Division is responsible for developing guidance: a) for companies, governments, and civil society on addressing business impact on children’s rights and, b) for UNICEF on how to engage business to address its impact on children. UNICEF sees the world of business (i.e. the ecosystem of large and small businesses, regulators, industry associations, investors, etc.) as having a key role in addressing child deprivations and achieving the SDGs. UNICEF works with all business stakeholders – companies, government and civil society – to create an enabling environment where business respects and supports children’s rights.

UNICEF offices at HQ, regional and country levels are engaging businesses around their impact on children in many different ways, informed by the country contexts and programmatic priorities of the individual offices.

CONTEXT

Within UNICEF, there is a growing understanding of the importance of business as not only an increasingly important social and economic actor in many parts of the world, but also a duty bearer for children’s rights. Business also recognizes that it has to become more sustainable and socially responsible, and larger companies are starting to take measures towards this end.

As many UNICEF Country Offices and national committees are starting to engage more strategically with the business sector using the Children’s Rights and Business Principles (CRBP) towards changing business conduct to respect and support children’s rights there is an increased drive to expand this across the business world. Key considerations remain stronger integration of children’s rights considerations in ESG, business due diligence and responsible business conduct, understanding and developing effective mechanisms for the regulation of business impact, developing good analysis of actual business behavior across sectors, guidance for business on what can be done (and how to do it), and guidance for UNICEF on approaches and engagement modalities. 

In order to allow for initiating new activities around engaging businesses around their impact on children, as well as to scale up existing initiatives, UNICEF needs to scale up investments in qualified staff, research and knowledge generation, partnerships and activities on the ground.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF is seeking an expert consultant to produce a mapping of potential bilateral donors whose priorities align with UNICEF’s children’s rights and business agenda. The aim of this mapping is to inform a strategy for UNICEF’s resource mobilization to initiate or scale up existing child rights and business work at country, regional and global level.   

UNICEF is seeking an expert consultant with a strong familiarity of the international development cooperation environment and other related international cooperation modalities (trade promotion, FDI etc.) to undertake this mapping.  

MAIN TASKS & DELIVERABLES

Under the guidance of Corporate Alliances Manager, CRB, PFP, the consultant will be responsible for delivering the mapping of potential public sector donors whose priorities align with UNICEF’s children’s rights and business agenda.

The contract assumes that only desk research will be necessary to complete the tasks of the consultancy.

The contract is structured around 1 deliverable to be completed by 13 Jan 2020:

Final report outlining:

1. 1. Identification of 5-10 key potential donors with an indicated or demonstrated interest/priorities responsible business conduct, including the promotion of human rights and business and/or children’s rights and business. 
   2. For each potential donor, gather and compile evidence of their specific responsible business conduct interest areas by industry, human rights theme, or geography.
   3. For each potential donor, suggest ways to best frame UNICEF’s Children’s Rights and Business work to fit with priorities (trade conditionalities, investment standards, FDI, climate/environment, business and human rights, women’s economic empowerment, children’s rights, sustainable business etc.).
   4. For each potential donor, document any examples of their work or investments so far.
   5. For each potential donor, assess or estimate the potential levels of financial support they may be capable of giving, citing previous project investments, statements, etc. to support these estimates. 
   6. For each potential donor, provide all available insights on their planning horizons and budgeting processes and timelines.
   7. For each potential donor, provide suggested contact information.
   8. For each potential donor, provide templates or links and any known requirements for funding requests, including examples of sample funding requests if available, as well as selection criteria (for possible future action).
   9. Debrief meeting with CRB team, highlighting key findings and recommendations.

Contract management: UNICEF Children’s Rights and Business team in its Division of Private Fundraising and Partnerships will be responsible for all aspects of management of this project, administrative and technical. A focal point in the team will be available to the consultant to consult on framing, methodology and necessary insights on past and existing relationships with donors. 

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

• Advanced university degree in Business Administration, Corporate Social Responsibility, Communications, or related fields is required. Alternatively, a first level university degree in international development or related studies, in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of 5 years of work experience in engaging bilateral donors and relevant areas is required.
• Demonstrable understanding of UNICEF’s programming mandate and country office planning processes is desirable.
• Demonstrable experience in working with or familiarity with Bilateral donor organizations is required.
• Demonstrable understanding of Human Rights and business/ Children’s Rights and Business is desirable.
• Fluency in English required.
• Experience and demonstrable skills in writing reports and presenting in English is a must.

ESTIMATED DURATION OF THE CONTRACT AND PROPOSAL

The consultant is expected to deliver the deliverables as per the plan above (subject to discussion), tentatively starting 30 November 2020 with an end date of 13 January 2021. The estimated time to finalize the deliverable is up to 20 working days.

REPORTING TO 

Corporate Alliances Manager, Children’s Rights and Business (CRB), PFP

WORKPLACE

Consultant is expected to work remotely with no expectation for travel.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Remarks:  Please indicate in the cover letter your ability, availability (the earliest date you can start) and gross fee (in USD) to undertake the deliverable above (including all other expenses related, if applicable).  Applications submitted without a gross fee will not be considered.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract 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. Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors 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.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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.