Consultant for Innovation Contracting

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 has a strong focus on innovation, particularly through its Sustainable WASH Innovation Hub based in Copenhagen, which aims to identify and scale climate-resilient water and sanitation solutions for children and young people.

Job Overview:
The consultant will play a crucial role in reviewing and assessing current contracting procedures and procurement pathways utilized by UNICEF and other UN agencies to support innovation and co-creation. The consultant will identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities within these procedures, focusing on their applicability to innovation use cases. The role involves providing evidence-based recommendations for selecting suitable contracting modalities, translating findings into operational tools, and developing a draft procurement strategy to facilitate contractual arrangements with innovators. The consultant will also support the Hub with advisory assistance on real or emerging innovation contracting cases, ensuring practical value during the consultancy.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct a desk review of policy documents, SOPs, templates, and procedural guidance related to procurement and innovation contracting.
• Identify legal thresholds, contracting modalities, timelines, and approval workflows relevant to innovation.
• Conduct stakeholder interviews with procurement, legal, and innovation teams across various UN agencies.
• Analyze strengths, bottlenecks, risks, and suitability for innovation and co-creation contracting.
• Provide clear, evidence-based recommendations for the Hub's contracting modalities.
• Develop practical operational tools, including decision trees, SOPs, templates, and quick reference guides for Hub staff and Country Offices.
• Draft a procurement strategy to establish pathways for UNICEF to engage with innovators.
• Offer advisory support on real-time contracting issues, including risk management and due diligence.

Required Qualifications:

• An advanced university degree in Public Procurement, Business Administration, International Development, Innovation Management, Law, or a related field relevant to procurement and innovation contracting within the UN system.
• A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• 5–8 years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, legal advisory, contracting, or innovation management, preferably within the UN system or large international organizations.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting innovation or co-creation contracting, including agile procurement approaches and partnership-based agreements.
• Proven track record in conducting comparative assessments of procurement frameworks and advising on contracting pathways for innovative use cases.
• Experience in developing operational guidance tools such as decision trees and SOPs.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree in a relevant field such as Public Procurement, Business Administration, International Development, Innovation Management, or Law is required. A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with additional professional experience may also be acceptable.

Experience:
The position requires 5–8 years of progressively responsible experience in areas such as procurement, legal advisory, contracting, or innovation management. Experience should preferably be within the UN system or other large international organizations, with a focus on supporting innovation or co-creation contracting.

Languages:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy position does not require travel. Payment will be based on the submission of agreed deliverables, and UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment if deliverables do not meet required standards. Interested applicants must submit a technical and financial proposal, including travel costs if applicable. UNICEF promotes a diverse and inclusive workforce and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of background.