Youth Engagement Consultant, Astana, Kazakhstan

Duration: from 01 April 2025 to 31 March 2026
Workplace: office-based
Modality: full-time

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.
And we never give up.
For every child, a fair chance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=E1xkXZs0cAQ

Purpose of the assignment
The Youth Engagement Consultant will be responsible for the operational execution of UNICEF Kazakhstan’s youth engagement initiatives, including the volunteering programme and U-Report Kazakhstan. Reporting to the Senior Youth Engagement Consultant and Communication Specialist, this role will focus on the day-to-day coordination, implementation, and monitoring of activities in line with UNICEF’s strategic goals. The consultant will work closely with regional volunteer coordinators, regional government agencies, NGOs, and private sector partners to ensure effective youth mobilization, training, and digital engagement.

Scope of Work:
Kazakhstan has a growing youth population, with young people aged 10-24 constituting a significant portion of the country’s demographics. Their participation in social, environmental, and digital initiatives is crucial for national development. UNICEF has been committed to strengthening youth engagement through volunteering programmes, U-Report Kazakhstan, and initiatives addressing climate action, education, and child online safety.
Since 2020, UNICEF Kazakhstan has launched various volunteering initiatives, including #PlasticFreeKazakhstan, #BeKind, #BeGreen, #BeSafe, Road Safety Volunteering, and Volunteering for Education. These initiatives have successfully mobilized around ten thousand youth across multiple regions, promoting skills development, climate action, and peer-to-peer education.
U-Report Kazakhstan (https://kazakhstan-ru.ureport.in/) was launched in August 2024 as a digital youth engagement platform that empowers young voices to influence policies and advocacy efforts. The platform has grown to include over 10,000 U-Reporters across 10 regions and has conducted three national polls on issues such as volunteering, health and SDGs. These insights have contributed to state youth consultations and programmatic interventions. The Country Office has launched and manages a dedicated U-Report Kazakhstan Instagram channel to promote initiative and engage U-Reporters.
To further expand and coordinate these initiatives, UNICEF Kazakhstan seeks a Youth Engagement Consultant who will implement the volunteering programme in five regions in 2025 and ten regions in 2026, ensure the execution of U-Report Kazakhstan’s expansion strategy, and support its integration into UNICEF’s youth engagement framework. The consultant will lead the operational coordination of volunteer recruitment, training, community-driven initiatives, and digital engagement activities, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s advocacy and programmatic efforts.

1. Implementation of the volunteering programme
• Implement and manage the volunteering programme in 5 regions in 2025 and 10 regions in 2026, including volunteer recruitment, training, and community-driven initiatives (e.g., tree planting, air quality monitoring, water education, waste recycling).
• Maintain the volunteer database, ensuring daily data management, accurate reporting, and effective communication.
• Build partnerships with local governments, NGOs, and the private sector to enhance volunteer impact.
• Monitor, evaluate, and report on programme outcomes, providing support to regional coordinators and insights for improvement.
• Manage volunteering website creation and ensure regular updates
• Organize training workshops for volunteer coordinators and U-Report ambassadors.
• Develop outreach materials and tailored youth engagement toolkits.

2. U-Report Kazakhstan implementation and expansion
• Support U-Report Kazakhstan expansion, integrating it into the volunteering programme and completing RapidPro & U-Report training.
• Coordinate youth-led campaigns and manage U-Report Kazakhstan’s Instagram account and website, ensuring timely and relevant content.
• Localize and manage U-Report polls, including translation, scheduling, chatbot management, and alignment with global advocacy dates.
• Develop and maintain communication flows for polls on RapidPro and manage the U-Report Poll Calendar.
• Monitor and analyze U-Report initiatives, reviewing messages, collecting feedback, and preparing data for publication in the national press.

3. Monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the volunteering programme
• Support the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework for youth engagement, tracking and analyzing data from volunteering initiatives and U-Report.
• Prepare monthly progress reports and provide input into donor and government reports.
• Prepare regular analysis of U-report polls results and briefs upon needs on volunteers and U-report activities
• Identify best practices and document case studies and success stories.

 Work Assignment Youth Engagement Consultant.docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in communication, marketing, management, development, sociology, international relations, or a related technical field.
• Experience:
– At least 3 years of professional experience in youth engagement, volunteer management, or programme coordination.
– Experience in building partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector.
– Experience in digital youth engagement platforms and website management is an asset.
– Experience in data collection, impact measurement, and programme evaluation.
– Strong organizational and coordination skills.
– Ability to engage and mobilize youth, understanding their motivations and interests.
– Experience in content creation for social media and digital platforms.
– Ability to work proactively in a fast-paced environment.
– Fluency in English, Kazakh, and Russian (both written and spoken) is required
• Competencies:
– Competency in Youth Engagement and Volunteering
– Competency in Programme Management

Evaluation Criteria (This will be used for the Selection Report)
A) Technical Evaluation (maximum 75 Points)
– Relevant Experience and Qualifications (20%)
– Technical Skills and Knowledge (15%)
– Competency in Youth Engagement and Volunteering (25%)
– Competency in Programme Management (15%)
B) Financial Proposal (maximum of 25 Points)

For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (https://www.unicef.org/about/unicef-culture)

Remarks:
Completion of the UN/UNICEF mandatory trainings is obligatory upon commencement of the contract.

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

All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and that UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. Consultants will be asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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.