AHEAD Project Management Consultant – Office of Strategy and Evidence (OSE), Florence, Italy (Remote/Home-based) #591353

Contract Duration: 15 months

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, education

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The Office of Strategy and Evidence (OSE) at UNICEF drives evidence-informed decision-making, strategic planning, and performance monitoring to improve outcomes for children worldwide. Within OSE, Data & Analytics Section of OSE (DAT) is the global authority on data related to children, generating high-quality, internationally comparable data through innovative methods, including household surveys, administrative data, geospatial analysis, and machine learning. DAT supports countries in strengthening statistical systems, advancing data governance, and fostering a data-driven culture within UNICEF and among partners. The Country Support Integrated Analytics Unit within OSE focuses on leveraging data and analytics to strengthen health systems, improve programmatic decisions, and enhance outcomes in areas such as immunization, HIV, and maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health. The unit works closely with the Demography, Migration and Health Unit, central to tracking progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring data-driven program improvements, and promoting UNICEF’s role as a global leader in health and HIV data for children.

The MNCAH data team has been implementing the Actionable Health Analytics for Decision-making (AHEAD) initiative supporting four select countries (Mali, Sierra Leone, Kenya, and Somalia) to strengthen the use of health data for better decision-making. AHEAD empowers ministries of health and UNICEF country offices with data-driven insights to improve health system performance and advance outcomes for children, women, and adolescents. The initiative bridges critical data gaps by supporting and building national capacity in data analysis, visualization, and evidence-based planning. Through technical assistance, analytical tools, and strong partnerships, AHEAD helps countries monitor key health indicators, inform policy, and allocate resources more effectively and promoting sustainable data use for health planning and decision-making.

Under the general guidance of the Statistics & Monitoring Specialist (MNCAH), the Project Management Consultancy will provide technical and operational support to key MNCAH data related projects, especially the AHEAD initiative. This includes facilitating project implementation tracking, preparing project updates and reports, and supporting staff in communication with UNICEF country and regional offices. The Consultant will assist the MNCAH team in organizing technical working groups, coordinating project-related meetings, and ensuring effective information-sharing among stakeholders to promote alignment and progress toward defined project goals.

Scope of Work:

• Define project scope, objectives, milestones and deliverables; develop detailed project plans with task assignments, resource management, and timeline tracking using project management tools.
• Strengthen engagement strategies and maintain coordination with country offices, regional offices, and external partners to support AHEAD project implementation.
• Track progress using performance management methods, ensure deliverables meet quality standards, and prepare status reports summarizing progress, risks, and challenges.
• Identify and manage project risks and issues, implement mitigation strategies, and oversee a structured change management process with proper documentation and approvals.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive communication plan, facilitate project meetings, document key decisions and follow-ups, and support platforms like EWENE and CSA with secretariat and project management services.
• Conduct of advanced data analytics on country health administrative data to generate actionable insights for health system improvement.
• Support the completion and verification of deliverables, maintain thorough project documentation, and ensure effective knowledge transfer through training and final reports.
• Conduct formal project closure activities, including reconciliation, final reporting, and post-project evaluations to assess outcomes, gather feedback, and improve future practices.

How can you make a difference? 

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the Terms of Reference here:   ToR AHEAD Project Management Consultant TMS.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Project Management, Business Administration, Public Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, International Development, or a related field is required. Certification in Project Management Professional (PMP) or equivalent is highly desirable. A first-level university degree in a relevant field combined with an additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Work Experience: 

• A minimum of 3 years of professional experience managing complex projects focusing on promoting data availability, data analysis and data use of health administrative data (HMIS/DHIS), preferably within international organizations or development agencies with strong experience in coordinating multi-stakeholder initiatives across diverse geographical and cultural contexts is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience in producing high-quality project reports tailored for diverse audiences, including donors, program stakeholders, and country-level partners.

Skills:

• Skills in creating and disseminating project knowledge materials, such as case studies and best-practice documentation, as well as presenting findings to various stakeholders.
• Proficient in statistical software (R, Python, Stata) Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and familiar with project management software (e.g., MS Project, Trello, Asana).

Language Requirements: Fluency in English and French is required.  

For every Child, you demonstrate Care

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter 
• A separate financial proposal   Financial Proposal AHEAD Project Management Consultant TMS.docx

Remarks:  

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.