Professionals with expertise in innovation strategy, governance, public policy, organizational development, and international development may be interested in the latest UNICEF Remote Consultancy 2026 opportunity. UNICEF is recruiting an Innovation Strategy and Country Engagement Adviser to support its Office of Innovation through an 11.5-month home-based consultancy. This work-from-home international consultancy offers experienced professionals the opportunity to strengthen UNICEF’s innovation systems, governance frameworks, and country-level engagement while contributing to global initiatives that improve outcomes for children and young people in more than 190 countries and territories.
The consultancy is ideal for senior professionals with extensive experience in innovation governance, institutional strategy, systems change, and organizational transformation within international organizations. Working remotely as part of UNICEF’s distributed Office of Innovation team, the successful consultant will help improve innovation quality, strengthen governance approaches, and support country offices implementing transformative programmes.
Background & Job Description
UNICEF is the United Nations agency responsible for promoting and protecting the rights and wellbeing of children worldwide. Through partnerships with governments, development agencies, civil society organizations, and communities, UNICEF works to improve children’s health, education, nutrition, protection, and opportunities for development.
To strengthen its innovation agenda, UNICEF established the Office of Innovation, which develops and scales innovative solutions capable of addressing complex challenges affecting children and communities globally. The office supports countries in adopting systems-thinking approaches, innovation methodologies, digital transformation, and governance models that accelerate sustainable development outcomes.
The Innovation Strategy and Country Engagement Adviser will provide specialized advisory services supporting UNICEF’s innovation governance initiatives, particularly within the COMPASS and SPARK programmes. Rather than leading these initiatives directly, the consultant will mentor country offices, improve governance consistency, support methodology alignment, contribute to institutional learning, and strengthen knowledge-sharing across UNICEF’s global innovation ecosystem.
Working closely with the Innovation Manager (Systems & Services), the consultant will collaborate with headquarters, regional offices, and country teams to enhance governance quality, develop strategic guidance, and support organizational learning while ensuring that innovation frameworks remain practical, coherent, and aligned with UNICEF’s institutional priorities.
Please note that this article is published solely for informational purposes. We are not affiliated with UNICEF and do not participate in its recruitment or selection process. Interested applicants should submit their applications through the official UNICEF Careers portal.
Tasks
The Innovation Strategy and Country Engagement Adviser will provide strategic advisory support across several innovation governance and systems-change initiatives.
Typical responsibilities include:
- Mentoring UNICEF country offices participating in COMPASS Cohorts.
- Advising on innovation governance and systems-change methodologies.
- Supporting alignment between COMPASS and SPARK innovation initiatives.
- Developing and improving governance frameworks and institutional guidance.
- Conducting quality assurance reviews of innovation guidance documents and knowledge products.
- Supporting institutional learning and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Contributing to innovation architecture and governance integration.
- Providing strategic advice to Centres of Excellence and Global Programme Division teams.
- Supporting partnerships and knowledge-sharing activities, including collaboration with OECD initiatives.
- Delivering responsive technical assistance to headquarters, regional, and country offices.
- Translating complex governance concepts into practical tools and actionable recommendations.
- Strengthening consistency across UNICEF’s global innovation portfolio.
The consultant will work with multiple stakeholder groups across headquarters, regional offices, and country programmes while promoting effective governance practices that support innovation at scale.
Qualifications
Education and Certification
Applicants are generally expected to possess advanced academic qualifications relevant to governance, innovation, and organizational development.
Preferred qualifications include:
- Master’s Degree in Governance.
- Organizational Development.
- Public Policy.
- Innovation Management.
- International Development.
- Public Administration.
- Related disciplines.
A Bachelor’s degree combined with two additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in place of a Master’s degree.
Additional certifications that may strengthen an application include:
- Project Management Professional (PMP).
- Change Management.
- Innovation Management.
- Organizational Development.
- Public Sector Governance.
- Strategic Planning.
- Systems Thinking.
- Agile Leadership.
Professional training in monitoring and evaluation, digital transformation, or policy development may also be advantageous.
Experience
UNICEF is seeking highly experienced professionals capable of working across complex international environments.
Preferred qualifications include:
- At least eight years of relevant professional experience.
- Extensive experience designing or reforming governance models within international organizations.
- Experience navigating senior stakeholder relationships in complex, multi-divisional organizations.
- Experience developing institutional policies, governance frameworks, or strategic guidance documents.
- Experience providing quality assurance for policy or programme guidance.
- Strong analytical, research, and synthesis capabilities.
- Ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams.
- Experience working across headquarters, regional, and country office structures.
- Excellent written communication skills in English.
- Working knowledge of another United Nations language is considered an advantage.
Experience with UNICEF’s innovation governance structures, including COMPASS, the 5D Innovation Framework, SPARK, Governance and Innovation Boards, or comparable UN innovation systems, would be particularly valuable.
Additional Information
This consultancy is offered as an 11.5-month remote contract, allowing the successful consultant to work from home while collaborating with UNICEF’s international innovation teams. Applicants should be comfortable working in multicultural environments and coordinating activities across multiple time zones.
As part of the application process, candidates are required to submit an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV), a cover letter, and a separate financial proposal through UNICEF’s Talent Management System. Because consultancy opportunities within UNICEF are highly competitive, applicants are encouraged to tailor their application materials carefully, highlighting measurable achievements in governance reform, innovation strategy, organizational transformation, and international development.
UNICEF is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and safeguarding. The organization welcomes applications from qualified professionals regardless of nationality, gender, disability, ethnic background, religion, or other protected characteristics. UNICEF also provides reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process for candidates who require accessibility support.
For professionals seeking a flexible international consultancy focused on innovation, governance, and systems transformation, the UNICEF Innovation Strategy and Country Engagement Adviser role offers an outstanding opportunity to contribute to one of the world’s leading organizations working to improve the lives of children while helping shape the future of innovation across the United Nations system.
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