Part-time home-based consultancy for UNICEF ECARO: Coordinator, Expert Network on Implementation of Digital Mental Health solutions for Children, Adolescents and Youth

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For every child, the right to health

Globally, one in seven 10-19 year olds is experiencing a mental health disorder. Most of the adult MH disorders have their onset in adolescence and MH conditions are a major cause of illness and disability in young people. The repercussions of mental health conditions expand beyond health and affect a child’s ability to learn, develop and engage with family, peers and communities. Responding to the mental health crisis affecting children, adolescents and youth is a strategic priority for UNICEF. Across Regions there is a strong need to improve access to quality mental health and psychosocial support services for children, adolescents and their caregivers. Even in the richest countries, the gap between needs and access to prevention, care and support services is huge. Increasingly, young people are turning online to seek information, care and support. At the same time, many governments are facing pressures to adapt and introduce digitalization into existing health care systems.

Technology, including AI, continues to advance rapidly, often more quickly than policies and governance mechanisms in countries. UNICEF’s Policy on AI for Children (UNICEF-Global-Insight-policy-guidance-AI-children-2.0-2021.pdf ) raises questions around key areas related to AI such as privacy and data protection, information security, and ethics in evidence generation. The opportunities that technologies and AI bring for advancing the global mental health agenda are enormous, yet there are also critical dilemmas and risks that need to be addressed. Safe and effective digital mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) solutions will only be built through thorough incremental learning and exchanges of practical experiences among users and practitioners implementing and consuming digital and AI-powered mental health solutions.

There is a strong case for UNICEF to take the lead on supporting countries in policy development and implementation of safe and effective digital MHPSS solutions for children, adolescents and youth. This is why the UNICEF ECARO office established the Network of Experts on the Implementation of Digital Mental Health Solutions for Children, Adolescents and Youth. The Network was established in October 2023 with the aim of bringing together experts and MH practitioners from governments, academia, private sector, professional and youth organizations (including youth with lived experiences), to discuss, exchange experiences, build consensus, problem-solve and help provide policy guidance and technical support for the implementation of digital and AI-powered solutions designed to enhance the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of children, adolescents and youth, and of their caregivers.

The Network is tasked with providing advice to key partners, including UNICEF supported programs, on various issues such as legal and policy frameworks, design, development, regulation, management, oversight, governance, implementation, rollout and monitoring & evaluation of digital mental health solutions for children and young people. The Network brings together experts from across countries and works in close cooperation with e-MHIC, the Mental Health International Collaborative (eMHIC), WHO, the Brain Health Institute as well as youth networks supporting MH and psychosocial wellbeing of children and youth. Since its inception, there has been a yearly meeting in 2024 and 2025 as well as a number of virtual “deep dives” where experts from the Network discussed and provided key recommendations around various practical implementation issues affecting digital MH programming serving children, adolescents and youth. The Network has also fielded experts to provide advice and support to countries when needed.

In addition, the Expert Network has served as a “sounding board” and a source of technical advice for UNICEF ECARO for the development of uSupport. The ECARO team has been investing in the development of uSupport, a youth-centered, on-line, on-demand mental health platform designed with and for young people. The uSupport initiative is not some simple “app” – it is a platform supporting direct service provision and it provides a broader framework that helps governments integrate eMH solutions within existing systems of MHPSS care in a country, including through health, education and protection systems. As an increasing number of countries begin to rollout uSupport, it will be important for countries to continue to have access to advice, support and expertise of eMH Expert Network members. It will also be critical to document and share the advances, challenges and learnings from the implementation of uSupport.

How can you make a difference?

• Support the Secretariat function for the UNICEF eMH Expert Network. Tasks & deliverables: adaptation and fine-tuning of TORs for sharing/approval; finalization of key reports, supporting a roster of experts; supporting the organization of additional deep-dive webinar style expert discussions on selected e-MH implementation topics; drafting of invitations, agenda for the deep dives, communication with partners – including eMHIC, Brain Health Institute, WHO and experts.
• Support the coordination function including coordination among experts from the Network, segmenting of expertise, coordination with other key UNICEF and partners’ initiatives related to child & youth mental health and development of digital solutions.
• Support Knowledge management generated through deep dives, webinars, from the deep-dive expert discussions. This will be delivered through drafting and/or reviewing of expert deep dive summary reports on selected aspects of supporting e-MH solutions for children, adolescents and youth.
• Support Analysis and Drafting of summary documentation around lessons learnt from the implementation and rollout of specific digital MH solutions (including uSupport) in countries: undertake analysis of key intervention, in collaboration with Expert Network, and support preparation of documentation and PPT slides around implementation of selected digital MH solutions, including uSupport; preparation of case-study and/or manuscripts for submission into scientific and other publications. Participation in discussions around implementation challenges in implementing uSupport and other digital MH solutions for children, adolescents, youth and caregivers.

Support the UNICEF team on additional tasks as required

Work modality:

Home-Based with possible travel to countries or international meetings, if needed. Duration: 34 working days over the 6 months period (April to September).

Work Assignment Overview Deliverables/Outputs Delivery deadline (in weeks/months) and input days to complete deliverable 1.Support the Secretariat function for the UNICEF Expert Network on the Implementation of e-MH Solutions for children, adolescents and young people. Tasks & deliverables: adaptation and fine-tuning of TORs for sharing/approval; finalization of key reports, supporting a roster of experts; supporting the organization of additional deep-dive webinar style expert discussions on selected e-MH implementation topics; drafting of invitations, agenda for the deep dives, communication with partners – including eMHIC, Brain Health Institute, WHO and experts. Terms of Reference for the Expert Network revised, discussed, updated, shared and agreed

Key reports from previous meetings and deep dives finalized & shared.

List of Network Experts completed with bios and contacts.

Two expert deep dives agreed with partners, organized and held to discuss critical issues.

4 days

September 2026

2.Support the coordination function including coordination among experts from the Network, segmenting of expertise, coordination with other key UNICEF and partners’ initiatives related to child & youth mental health and development of digital solutions. Tasks & deliverables: identify modalities of cooperation with other potential digital MH networks; identify visibility opportunities and opportunities for strengthening partnerships around digital MH with WHO, eMHIC, various EU initiatives. Proposal developed for segmenting of Network by roles/expertise/contributions. Communication with Network members drafted.

Opportunities/modalities of collaboration with other potential networks focussing on digital MH and AI-powered solutions identified and summarized.

Discussions organized around defining the potential role and contributions of experts into other UNICEF initiatives; summary recommendations provided.

6 days

September 2026

3.Support Knowledge management generated through deep dives, webinars, from the deep-dive expert discussions. Tasks & deliverables: drafting of expert deep dive summary reports on selected aspects of supporting e-MH solutions for children, adolescents and youth.

Two summary reports from the two deep dives developed and shared for comments.

Reports reviewed and shared for submission to UNICEF MHPSS team in Centers of Excellence.

7 days

September 2026

4. Contribute to analysis and drafting of summary documentation around lessons learnt from the implementation and rollout of specific digital MH solutions (including uSupport) in countries Summary review paper for the eMH Expert Network around lessons learnt from uSupport implementation prepared; PPT slides

Case-study / manuscripts on implementation challenges of digital MH solutions, including uSupport drafted for submission into scientific and other publications and documents as required.

10 days

August 2026

5. Support UNICEF uSupport team on additional tasks As required.

Documents and other deliverables prepared as needed.

7 days

September 2026

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

Minimum requirements:

[Include the vacancy requirements aligned to the category and level of the position. You can see examples in the branded VA example.]

• Education: A Master’s degree in the social sciences, international development, health or related fields is required. A PhD would be an asset, especially as tasks involve writing for academic journals and other publications
• At least 7 years’ experience in international development work is required, including work with governments, civil society and youth organizations.
• Experience and familiarity with concepts, frameworks, and best practices related to working on adolescent health, with specific focus on e-MH including, implementation of digital MH solutions as well as overall adolescent development and resilience-building are required.
• Demonstrable previous working experience in coordinating expert networks and implementation support networks is highly desirable
• Excellent inter-personal and written communication skills in the English language are required.
• Fluency in other UN languages 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

[add the 8th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role].

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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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 | 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.

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Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

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