Consultant (7 months, home-based, remotely) Policy Writing (Audit and Risk Management), Governance, PFP, Geneva

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to peace

PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT:

UNICEF Private Fundraising and Partnerships Division (PFP) is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and is responsible for managing UNICEF’s relationship with the National Committees for UNICEF.

National Committees for UNICEF are independent nongovernmental organizations who act in their countries to advance child rights and wellbeing domestically, regionally, and globally through fundraising, advocacy, and other activities in support of UNICEF’s global mission and universal mandate for children.

PFP’s Governance Team is tasked with developing nonprofit governance guidance and providing technical support to National Committees. The objective is to promote good governance practices through effective structures, policies and processes, thereby enhancing board effectiveness, ensuring clear accountabilities, fostering an ethical atmosphere, maintaining transparency, and upholding a robust control environment.

The Policy-Writing Consultant (Audit and Risk) will support updating and writing guidance documents specific to the technical nonprofit governance area of Audit and Risk, as part of the organization’s control environment, and conduct related research and consultations with stakeholders as needed.

How can you make a difference?

SCOPE OF WORK:

Under the general guidance of the Chief Governance and supervision of a NatCom & Governance Specialist, the individual consultant will:

• Review, research and update existing guidance documents on nonprofit governance topics related to;

- Audit, (covering audit processes, internal and external, audit and risk subcommittee of the board, etc.),

- Enterprise risk management (ERM),

• Consult with relevant stakeholders as needed.
• Contribute to technical advisory and training resources on nonprofit governance as needed.
• Review or develop other guidance documents as agreed.

A. Review, research latest trends and governance good practices in a nonprofit/NGO context, and update of the Audit Guidance, which encompasses topics of internal audit, external audit, risk and audit subcommittee of the board, and linkages with anti-fraud framework and risk management processes, etc.

1. Review, research, and update the guidance and supporting annexes and a policy and/or committee terms of reference template.

2. Align, in language and format, all relevant documents (including information notes, templates and samples) on control environment.

3. Incorporate feedback from stakeholder consultations.

4. Prepare a list of references and materials referred to or consulted on as part of research and update.

Deliverable 1: Inception Report is finalized and submitted.

Deliverable 2: First Audit Guidance document is submitted.

Deliverable 3: Second Audit Guidance document is submitted.

Deliverable 4: Updated Audit Guidance document is finalized and submitted.

Deliverable 5: Reference list (Audit) is developed and finalized.

Deliverable 1 by 31 December 2025

Deliverable 2 by 28 February 2026

Deliverable 3 by 30 April 2026

Deliverable 4 and 5 by 30 June 2026

Review, research latest trends and governance good practices in a nonprofit/NGO context, and update of the Risk Management Guidance, that encompasses topics of enterprise risk management, risk definition, risk appetite, etc. and including annexes with a sample risk management policy, risk register template, sample risk appetite statement, glossary of terms, linkages with internal audit processes, etc.

1. Review, research, and update the guidance and supporting annexes.

2. Align, in language and format, all relevant documents (including information notes, templates and samples) on control environment.

3. Incorporate feedback from stakeholder consultations.

4. Prepare a list of references and materials referred to or consulted on as part of research and update

Deliverable 6: First Draft Risk Management Guidance document is submitted.

Deliverable 7: Second Draft Risk Management Guidance document is submitted.

Deliverable 8: Updated Risk Management Guidance document is finalized and submitted.

Deliverable 9: Reference list (Risk management) is finalized and submitted.

Deliverable 6 by 31 March 2026

Deliverable 7 by 31 May 2026

Deliverable 8 and 9 by 30 June 2026

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

Education:

• An Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in one of the following fields is required: Finance, Risk, Audit, (corporate/non-profit) Law, Business Administration, Public Administration or Policy, or other disciplines relevant to nonprofit governance.
• Alternatively, a first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree or higher), in combination with two (2) additional years of relevant work experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in policy or guidance development including research and writing is required.
• Demonstrated experience in developing corporate or nonprofit governance policy and guidance documents, and capacity building materials is required.
• Experience and knowledge of concepts related to organizational (nonprofit/NGO) governance structures, processes and requirements is required, with a specific focus on internal controls (audit (internal/external/committees), enterprise risk management, and anti-fraud frameworks.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required spoken and written. Knowledge of an additional UN language is desirable.

Other:

• Proven experience in (policy) writing is required.
• Proficiency with standard MS Office applications (Excel, Power Point, Word, etc.) is required.
• Experience and excellent research skills and strong organizational / strategic / analytical skills are essential.
• Ability to work independently and consultatively within a team, as well as in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, and follow established policies and procedures, is essential.
• Familiarity with UNICEF and National Committees is an asset.

Remarks:

The application should include a short cover letter and a sample of writing work. Sample work can include a previous document, a publication, etc. and may be uploaded online or shared electronically (please do not submit any documents with proprietary requirements or confidential elements). All copyrights should be noted.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here .

Remarks:

Please indicate your all-inclusive (lump sum) fees against the deliverables listed above, including all associated administrative and travel costs (if applicable), in the cover letter. The office selects the individual based on best value for money.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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 (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). 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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone , irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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.