Individual National Consultant – Private Sector Engagement consultant (Home Based)

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.

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

For every child, right. 

The purpose of this consultancy is to support UNICEF Nepal in developing a strategic, context-specific Private Sector Engagement (PSE) Strategy that aligns with its dual objectives: (1) to mobilize and leverage financial and non-financial resources from the private sector, including the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds, for support for children in Nepal, and (2) to actively promote and embed the Child Rights and Business Principles (CRBP) across the private sector to ensure that businesses respect and support children’s rights through their operations, products, services, and influence. Through this consultancy, UNICEF aims to identify and prioritize potential private sector partners; map opportunities for strategic collaboration, CSR investment and shared value partnerships; and define clear, actionable pathways for engaging the private sector in programme delivery, advocacy, policy dialogue, and sustainable business practices. The strategy will serve as a roadmap for UNICEF Nepal to build structured, long-term, and value-aligned partnerships that amplify impact for children, particularly the most vulnerable—while also providing operational guidance on how UNICEF can effectively leverage private sector CSR funds for child-focused outcomes.

How can you make a difference? 

Scope of Work:

Inception and Planning

• Review UNICEF’s global and regional private sector engagement strategies and guidance (including CRBP).
• Review relevant UNICEF Nepal programme documents, strategic plans, fundraising reports, and past/private sector partnerships.
• Conduct initial consultations with UNICEF Nepal teams and key stakeholders.
• Finalize a detailed work plan and methodology.

Mapping of the Private Sector in Nepal

• Conduct a comprehensive mapping of private sector actors across industries (e.g., banking, telecommunications, manufacturing, agribusiness, energy, tourism, tech, FMCG).
• Identify major companies, business associations, foundations, and SMEs that:
  • Align with UNICEF’s values and programme priorities
  • Have capacity and willingness to engage in child rights, CSR, or shared value initiatives and
  • Do not present reputational, ethical, or operational risks.
• Analyse prevailing CSR practices in Nepal, including regulatory frameworks, voluntary or mandatory CSR provisions, corporate giving trends, ESG performance, sustainability goals, and philanthropic patterns.
• Identify opportunities to align private sector CSR investments with UNICEF Nepal’s programme priorities, national development plans, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a specific focus on children’s rights and well-being.

Stakeholder Analysis and Partnership Criteria

• Develop a framework for identifying “strategic partners” based on potential for financial/in-kind contribution, willingness and capacity to champion child rights, alignment with CRBP, ESG standards, and UNICEF’s ethical guidelines.
• Identify partners not recommended for engagement due to risk or misalignment.

Strategic Engagement Models and Activities

• Propose clear, actionable engagement models for different types of private sector actors, including:
  • Resource mobilization mechanisms: e.g., corporate giving and CSR partnerships, cause-related marketing, corporate giving, employee fundraising, sponsorships, shared value partnerships, in-kind contributions.
  • CRBP promotion models: e.g., business training on CRBP, policy advocacy, child-focused impact assessments, sector-specific guidance.
  • Joint programme initiatives: e.g., youth skills development, child-friendly supply chains, digital inclusion, climate-smart solutions.
  • Establishment of a UNICEF Business Council composed of influential business leaders to act as a strategic sounding board and advocacy platform for child rights, responsible business practices and policy engagement.

Leveraging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for Children

• Provide practical, context-specific guidance on how UNICEF Nepal can strategically leverage private sector CSR funds to advance child-focused outcomes.
• Identify priority programme areas where CSR investments can generate high impact for children.
• Recommend approaches for positioning UNICEF programmes as credible, transparent, and value-adding CSR investment opportunities for companies.
• Develop guidance on engaging CSR decision-makers, including proposal development, partnership structuring, co-branding, reporting, and impact measurement.
• Identify good practices, risks, safeguards, and compliance considerations to ensure accountability, transparency, and protection of UNICEF’s mandate and reputation.

Final Private Sector Engagement Strategy

• Produce a comprehensive strategy document that includes:
  • Vision, goals, and guiding principles.
  • Typology of partners and engagement pathways.
  • CRBP integration plan.
  • Resource mobilization and CSR engagement approaches.
  • Operational and governance structures.
  • Key performance indicators (KPIs) and monitoring framework.
  • The strategy should include a dedicated section or annex providing practical guidance on leveraging CSR funds for children, to support operational use by UNICEF Nepal teams.

Implementation Roadmap and Capacity Building Plan

• Develop an implementation roadmap with short, medium, and long-term milestones.
• Identify internal capacity needs (staffing, systems, partnerships, tools) required for effective implementation.
• Recommend tools or trainings for UNICEF staff on private sector engagement and CRBP advocacy.

First Deliverable:

• Inception Report including methodology, stakeholder engagement plan, and timeline.

Second Deliverable:

• Private Sector Mapping Report with company profiles, alignment matrix, and opportunity/risk indicators.

Third Deliverable:

• Stakeholder Analysis Report with selection criteria, risk matrix, and recommended list of high potential and high-risk partners.

Fourth Deliverable:

• Strategy Draft: Proposed engagement models, activity matrix by partner type/sector, roles and responsibilities, and pilot project ideas.

Fifth Deliverable:

• Final Private Sector Engagement Strategy for UNICEF Nepal, including CSR engagement approach

Final Deliverable

• Implementation Roadmap + Capacity Development Plan.

Please Click here for detail Terms of Reference-TOR_Private Sector Engagement Consultant.pdf

Duration:

The consultancy is for the period of 5 months, tentatively starting from 1 March 2026

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

Education:

Master’s degree in human resources, sociology, business or related fields

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• 5 years of proven experience in designing and implementing private sector engagement or partnership strategies, preferably in development, humanitarian, or social impact contexts, including private sector mapping and engagement.
• Strong knowledge of corporate engagement and partnership models—including Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), shared value partnerships, employee giving, and in-kind contributions—and demonstrated experience integrating Child Rights and Business Principles (CRBP), human rights, or social sustainability considerations into corporate policies, value chains, or business operations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated experience producing high-quality reports, strategies, briefing notes, and presentations for technical and senior audiences.
• The below skills will be an asset:
• Ability to identify, assess, and mitigate reputational and operational risks associated with private sector partnerships, in line with UN standards, ethical guidelines, and due-diligence requirements.
• Experience engaging with a range of private sector entities, including SMEs, multinational corporations, business associations, and chambers of commerce.
• Prior experience with UNICEF or the UN system, and/or familiarity with Nepal’s development priorities, private sector landscape, and regulatory environment.

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.

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.

Remarks:  

Female candidates and candidates from the under-represented ethnic groups are strongly encouraged to apply. 

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 health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract.