International Consultant - Advocacy and Communication at United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: International Consultant - Advocacy and Communication

Job ID: 582787
Location: Abuja (FCT)
Contract type: Consultant (7 Months)
Duty Station: Abuja
Categories: Social Policy
Level: Consultancy

Purpose of Activity / Assignment

• To address these critical gaps and enhance the system’s responsiveness to shocks, a new project jointly implemented by UNICEF and the International Labour Organization (ILO) with funding from the European Union was launched in 2024.
• This EU-UN Joint Programme (EU-UN JP) titled "Supporting Sustainable Social Protection System in Nigeria (SUSI)” aims to strengthen Nigeria’s social protection system at both federal and state levels (Abia, Benue, Oyo, and Sokoto).
• The project aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Federal Government’s Eight-Point Agenda, and is anchored in Nigeria’s National Development Plan (2021–2025) and the revised National Social Protection Policy.

Specifically, the EU-UN JP will focus on:

• Expanding and strengthening the National Social Register (NSR) to include a greater number of poor and vulnerable populations.
• Building the capacity of government staff and policymakers at national and sub-national levels in social protection systems and delivery.
• Developing a robust policy and legal framework, including the drafting of a national social protection bill for legislative consideration.
• Enhancing the Social Protection Management Information System (SP-MIS) to ensure interoperability across key sectors such as health and education.
• Advocacy and communication are central to achieving the project’s objectives, including for upstream policy engagement and influencing government and key policy makers on development and enactment of policy and legal frameworks, better financing of social protection, enhanced awareness of key policy changes required for child sensitive and shock responsive social protection system, and improved engagement of stakeholders.

Scope of Work
The consultant will work in close coordination with UNICEF EU SUSI project team and implementing partners to implement the following key activities:
Advocacy and Communication Strategy:

• Develop an advocacy and communication plan targeting key stakeholders, including lawmakers, policymakers, civil society, and the public on advancing social protection and PFM reforms.
• Advise on branding, key messaging, and alignment with EU and UNICEF communication guidelines.
• Support the development of multimedia and evidence-based communication materials (infographics, policy briefs, videos, press releases).

Technical Support to Project Activities:

• Develop and coordinate strategic advocacy campaigns
• Develop design and formulation of advocacy tools and materials
• Support implementation of advocacy activities by a CSO implementing partner with tailored advocacy tools and briefings.

Capacity Building:

• Facilitate training sessions on evidence-based advocacy for UNICEF SP CO and FOs and selected implementing partners.
• Provide coaching and technical advice to UNICEF implementing partner on how to organize media briefings, dialogues, and storytelling platforms to amplify voices of beneficiaries and champions of social protection.

Work Assignment Overview
Tasks / Milestone:

• To map out key social protection and PFM evidence and interventions (CO, FOs) and key policy messages/asks
• Deliverables/Outputs: Mapping report.

Tasks/Milestone:

• To increase skills and knowledge of UNICEF Social Policy team on evidence-based advocacy and to support development of advocacy strategy
• Deliverables/Outputs: 2 days workshop (tbc on-site).

Tasks/Milestone: 

• Develop a comprehensive advocacy and communication strategy to advance social protection and PFM reforms supported by UNICEF 
• Deliverables/Outputs: Actionable advocacy strategy with advocacy objectives, key messages, tactics and activities (2025-2027), including Federal and state level.

Tasks/Milestone:

• Provide technical inputs into organization of a stakeholders' forum in Abuja and across Abia, Benue, Sokoto, and Oyo states to debate the first draft of a social protection bill.

Deliverables/Outputs:

• A concept note for a stakeholders' forum
• Technical check ins on preparation and implementation
• Communication package finalized with inputs on social media posts, emails, and invitations, press releases. 

Requirements
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Social Sciences, International Relations, Development Studies, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in advocacy, strategic communications, public policy engagement, preferably in development or humanitarian contexts.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing advocacy strategies and communication campaigns in support of child rights, social protection, PFM or related public policy issues.
• Familiarity with UNICEF’s communication and advocacy approaches.
• Experience of working within the EU supported program and projects is a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

• UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
• UNICEF is also proud of a diverse workforce who are profoundly committed to supporting the full realization of children’s rights, and in uplifting a rights-based approach in all that we do.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others.

Application Closing Date
13th August, 2025.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online