Consultant for Child Rights Monitoring

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, operates in over 190 countries and territories with a mission to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. The organization is committed to promoting the rights of every child and offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development. UNICEF emphasizes a culture of belonging and growth, providing an attractive compensation and benefits package to its staff.

Job Overview:
The consultant will focus on Child Rights Monitoring (CRM), which is essential for assessing the realization of children's rights as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The role involves working closely with UNICEF Romania’s Deputy Representative and collaborating with state authorities and civil society organizations (CSOs). The consultant will be responsible for evidence generation, data analysis, and capacity building related to child rights monitoring. This position requires specialized expertise to ensure the effective implementation of CRM in Romania, particularly in light of the limited institutional readiness and technical capacity to sustain comprehensive child-sensitive monitoring systems. The consultant will contribute to embedding monitoring approaches within broader child rights governance structures and ensuring that evidence informs policymaking and accountability.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Evidence Generation, Data Analysis, and Knowledge Products: Provide technical assistance for harmonizing sectoral Management Information Systems and interconnectivity of databases; develop integrated data dashboards; update the situation analysis of children and adolescents in Romania; conduct data gap assessments; monitor the implementation of the SDG and track progress towards national targets; draft knowledge products such as data analyses, factsheets, and policy briefs; assist in annual TransMonEE and UN IGME exercises.
• Child Rights Monitoring: Develop monitoring and evaluation frameworks for policies and strategies; assist in the CRC reporting process; systematically monitor CRC implementation; track progress on CRC Concluding Observations; mainstream child participation in reporting processes.
• Capacity Building on Child Rights: Provide technical assistance and capacity building programs for government counterparts, ombudsperson institutions, CSOs, and children; organize participatory sessions to enhance capacities on child rights.

Required Qualifications:
Minimum requirements include an advanced university degree (master's) in child rights, social sciences, political science, public policy, statistics, education, or related fields. Candidates should have advanced knowledge and experience in child rights monitoring and data generation. Additionally, a minimum of 3 years of professional experience in international development, child rights programming, planning, monitoring, and evaluation is required. Candidates should demonstrate expertise in providing technical assistance in child rights monitoring, managing research and data collection, and engaging with government and civil society.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (master's) in relevant fields such as child rights, social sciences, political science, public policy, statistics, or education. This educational background should be complemented by advanced knowledge and experience in child rights monitoring and data analytics.

Experience:
A minimum of 3 years of professional experience in international development, specifically in child rights, programming, planning, monitoring, and evaluation is required. Candidates should have a good understanding of child rights monitoring, including national data ecosystems and the policy-evidence interface. Experience in engaging with government entities and civil society organizations in Romania is also essential.

Languages:
Fluency in Romanian and proficiency in English are mandatory. Candidates must possess strong report writing and presentation skills in both languages.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy may require travel across Romania, and consultants are expected to make their own arrangements for travel and accommodation. The specific deliverables will be outlined in a separate Terms of Reference (ToR) at the time of contracting. Consultants should specify their area of work preference and availability in their applications. UNICEF promotes a diverse and inclusive workforce and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of background.