Contract Duration – 6 months
Working arrangement: remote
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.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
This consultancy adapts UNICEF’s AI Risk Assessment Framework into an operational approach that supports early, expert-led assessment of the PHIT AI Diagnostic and Treatment App, while evolving into a tool for national health officials. The assignment facilitates timely, risk-informed decisions to accelerate the application's design, procurement, and implementation, while strengthening government capacity through tool development and training. By separating framework application from tool creation, the consultancy balances time sensitive programme needs with long-term goals of institutionalization, sustainability, and alignment with international AI governance standards.
The consultancy will be delivered over approximately 20 weeks and structured across four phases. It combines framework adaptation, application to the PHIT priority use case, and capacity building with government stakeholders. The assignment will follow a dual-track (two-stream) implementation approach, with two complementary workstreams running in parallel:
• Workstream 1 (Priority application): Focuses on the early application of an adapted AI Risk Assessment Framework to assess the PHIT AI Diagnostic and Treatment App, generating immediate risk insights to inform design, procurement, and development decisions.
• Workstream 2 (System development): Focuses on developing, validating, and institutionalising a user-friendly AI Risk Assessment Tool and governance framework for long-term government use.
These workstreams run concurrently and are closely coordinated, with defined points of convergence across four phases:
• Phase 1: Establishes a shared interim framework through co-design, regulatory review, and gap analysis
• Phase 2: Prioritises initial risk assessment of the PHIT application (Workstream 1), while initiating testing and validation of the framework and tool with government users (Workstream 2)
• Phase 3: Integrates findings from both workstreams into comprehensive risk mitigation and governance guidance
• Phase 4: Finalises the unified framework, tool, and implementation package, and support capacity building and institutionalisation.
If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: AI Framework Consultancy.pdf
Minimum requirements:
- Education: Masters in artificial intelligence, data science, computer science, public health, health informatics, or a related field.
- Additional qualifications or demonstrated expertise in digital governance, risk management, or regulatory frameworks for health technologies is highly desirable.
- Work Experience:
- A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in AI governance, digital health governance, technology risk assessment or related fields
- Experience working in the health sector, preferably in public health or health systems contexts
- Experience engaging with senior government counterparts and facilitating co-designing processes, including capacity building and systems strengthening
- Language Requirements: Fluency in English
- Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
- Strong understanding of international AI governance frameworks and standards (NIST, WHO, ISO)
- Ability to translate risk assessment findings into practical mitigation and governance actions
- Strong stakeholder engagement and facilitation skills, including co-design with government counterparts
- Proven ability in capacity building and systems strengthening, including training and knowledge transfer
- Ability to work across technical, policy, and operational domains
- Desirables: 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 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, TMS (Talent Management System): 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.
- Experience in health systems strengthening, particularly in primary health care or digital health contexts.
- Experience working with governments or international organisations on digital governance or technology policy will be an advantage.
- Experience in multi-country programmes, preferably in low and middle income (LMIC) or small island developing states (SIDS) contexts.
- Familiarity with Pacific Island countries and their health system, governance, and digital health contexts will be an advantage.
- An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
- Cover letter
- A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template) Financial proposal for AI Framework Consultancy.docx
- A detailed technical proposal outlining a consultant’s proposed methodology and work plan for delivering the assignment. The proposal should be concise and clearly demonstrate the consultant’s understanding of the assignment and approach to delivery.
