UNICEF Pacific International Consultancy: Individual Consultant for assistive technology project quality assurance and monitoring for Pacific Island Countries (PICs), Remote, 50 working days over 12 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, the right to care. 

In the Pacific we work in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu: These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living on more than 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, an area comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria.

All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but only a third are on track with reporting obligations. Explore the different areas of our work here: UNICEF Pacific Islands and in the short video: Work for UNICEF in the Pacific.mp4

The WHO-UNICEF Global Report on Assistive Technology (AT) (2022) revealed that one in three people or more than 2.5 billion people globally need one or more assistive products, such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, or apps that support communication and cognition. As the global population ages and the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) increases, this figure will rise to 3.5 billion in 2050. Yet nearly one billion of them are denied access, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where access can be as low as 3% of the need for these life-changing products. People reported the most common barriers to accessing assistive products as being high costs, low availability and lack of support. Many countries have large gaps in their assistive technology service provision and trained workforce.

In the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), despite signing and ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and general commitments to inclusive education, health, nutrition and wellbeing of school-aged children, there are considerable gaps in levels of awareness and information about AT among general population as well as professionals such as health workers and teachers, availability and access to affordable AT solutions, and service providers’ capacity. Further attention and improvements are required to make AT affordable and accessible for everyone in need.

In response, UNICEF Pacific’s Multi‑country Office is implementing the ATscale‑supported programme “Unlock Healthy Learning in the Pacific: Improving access to assistive technology and related rehabilitation services for school-aged children” in Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, and Vanuatu. The programme aims to increase access to vision, hearing, and mobility assistive products for school‑aged children—both in and out of school—through integrated screening and provision of eyeglasses, hearing aids, and mobility devices. At the same time, the programme strengthens national AT systems, including financing, policies, workforce development, service delivery pathways, supply chains, advocacy, and data systems. Multi‑country activities support harmonised procurement, research, and workforce training across the Pacific.

Given the programme’s technical complexity and multi‑country coordination requirements, UNICEF seeks to recruit a part‑time individual consultant to provide specialised technical guidance, quality assurance, and support for programme planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.

How can you make a difference? 

The objective of this consultancy is to provide specialised technical guidance, quality assurance and support for programme planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting across the “Unlock Healthy Learning in the Pacific: Improving access to assistive technology and related rehabilitation services for school-aged children” in FSM, Kiribati, and Vanuatu. The consultant will strengthen programme quality through the development and refinement of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools, processes, and reporting systems; support country-level implementation; and build the capacity of UNICEF and government counterparts to ensure high-quality, harmonised, and evidence-driven programme delivery.

To achieve this objective, a consultant is expected to perform the following for 3 programme countries:

1. Country-level programme guidance, M&E system set-up/strengthening, and quality assurance

• Provide ongoing technical guidance to country teams on M&E design, implementation, and adaptation for AT screening, referral, service provision, and device dispensing
• Develop, refine, and finalize M&E tools and processes (e.g., screening and referral forms, service delivery tracking tools, data flow processes, standard operating procedures (SOPs))
• Build capacity of government and UNICEF counterparts through remote training, coaching and support
• Support quality assurance of programme implementation through documentation review, technical feedback, problem-solving support, and regular consultations with each country teams.
• Assist with country-specific needs (Vanuatu – technical guidance to amend the existing Medical Disability Registry; FSM – finalisation of the communication plan, M&E capacity strengthening, technical inputs on integrating AT into public financing schemes; Kiribati – M&E tool strengthening and routine QA support)

2. Reporting support (first progress report and annual report)

• Provide technical review and inputs to the First Progress Report (July 2026) and the Annual Report (February 2027)
• Support country teams to validate data and narrative content with government and partners
• Document lessons learned to inform programme adaptation and donor reporting

3. Support to Year 2 planning

• Gather and synthesize insights from country teams and government partners on Year 1 progress, challenges, and lessons learned
• Provide technical inputs to Year 2 workplans, budgets, targets, and M&E approaches
• Prepare a brief synthesis for use in planning sessions at country and regional levels

4. Coordination support

• Coordinate with UNICEF HQ personnel and other technical experts as needed to support country team’s M&E and reporting needs
• Ensure country-level M&E work aligns with the regional harmonisation framework and global ATscale requirements

Please refer to the ToR ( Individual CST_AT_Quality Assurance_ToR.pdf) for further information on the deliverables and the timelines. 

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:  

Please submit a separate financial offer along with your application and technical proposal on how the assignment will be conducted. The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount for all the deliverables but should show a break down for the following:

• Daily fees– based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference
• Miscellaneous- to cover health insurance, communications, and other costs

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• University degree in health, rehabilitation, inclusive or special education, social science, and other related disciplines is required.

 Work Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the field of disability, rehabilitation, and assistive technology is required.
• Experience with project monitoring, evaluation and reporting is required. Experience in ATscale-supported programme M&E is a significant advantage.
• Experience in working with multiple stakeholders is required.
• Work experience in the Oceania / Asian region, particularly in the Pacific is an asset.

Skills:

• Ability to work effectively with people is required.
• Clear and concise communication with excellent writing skills is required.
• Excellent analytical and conceptual skills are required.
• Proven ability to work independently and achieve results under the time pressure is critical.
• Flexibility to work in the evolving situation is required.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Good knowledge of disability programming, assistive technology, and related rehabilitation services is required.
• Good knowledge of ATscale is desirable.
• Good knowledge of programme monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning is required.
• Understanding of Pacific Island Countries and Territories is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org 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.

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.

Remarks:  

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.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable male and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

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.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.