Retreat Facilitator, Individual Consultant, Beirut, Lebanon

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, opportunity

The purpose of this assignment is to design and facilitate a one-day, in-person team retreat for approximately 18–20 staff members, aimed at strengthening leadership capabilities, enhancing self-awareness, and fostering more effective collaboration within the team.

The facilitator will deliver an engaging and interactive programme that equips participants with practical leadership insights, explores different leadership styles through an appropriate personality or leadership assessment framework (e.g., MBTI or an equivalent tool), and strengthens public speaking and presentation skills to build confidence and communication effectiveness.

The retreat should provide a reflective and collaborative learning environment that supports individual growth while contributing to stronger team cohesion and overall performance.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Chief of Section, the consultant will be responsible for designing and facilitating a one-day, in-person team retreat for approximately 18–20 participants. The consultant/ coach will:
• Liaise with the Section Chief to understand the team's context, objectives, and expected outcomes of the retreat.
• Design a tailored, interactive one day or half day agenda that integrates leadership development, self-awareness, team effectiveness, and public speaking.
• Utilize an appropriate personality or leadership assessment framework (e.g., preferably MBTI or an equivalent evidence-based tool) to help participants understand different leadership styles, communication preferences, and ways of working.
• Design and facilitate practical exercises, group discussions, reflection activities, and experiential learning sessions that encourage active participation and application of key concepts.
• Deliver a dedicated session on public speaking, focusing on building participants' confidence, presentation skills, audience engagement, and effective communication techniques.
• Facilitate discussions that promote collaboration, trust, and mutual understanding among team members while creating a safe and inclusive learning environment.
• Adapt the facilitation approach throughout the day to respond to participants' needs and maximize engagement.
• Provide all training materials, facilitation resources, and participant handouts required for the successful delivery of the retreat.
• Conduct a short end-of-session evaluation to gather participant feedback and assess achievement of the learning objectives.
• Submit a brief post-retreat report summarizing the activities delivered, key observations, participant feedback, and recommendations for sustaining the team's development following the retreat.

Work Assignment Overview

Deliverables/ Outputs

Delivery deadline

Exact date to complete the deliverable

Input days

Inception and planning

Inception meeting with the Section Chief and People & Culture to understand team needs, objectives, participant profile, and expected retreat outcomes.

Within 5 working days of contract signature

0.5

Design of retreat programme

Submission of a customized one-day retreat agenda, facilitation methodology, leadership assessment approach (e.g., MBTI or equivalent), public speaking session design, participant materials, and facilitation plan.

At least 5 working days before the retreat

2.0

Facilitation of the retreat

Facilitation of one full-day in-person retreat for approximately 18–20 participants outside Beirut, including leadership development, leadership styles, personality assessment debrief, interactive exercises, and public speaking session.

8 or 9 September 2026 (TBC)

1.0

Final report

Submission of a brief report (summarizing activities delivered, participant feedback, key observations, recommendations, and copies of all training materials used.

Within 5 working days after the retreat

0.5

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced University Degree in Organizational psychology, human resources, leadership development, business or another relevant field. A university degree with additional 2 years of relevant experience may be accepted.

• Work Experience: At least 7 years of relevant work experience in designing and facilitating leadership development programmes, team retreats, workshops, or organizational development interventions.
• Demonstrated experience facilitating interactive workshops for diverse teams, preferably within the UN system, international organizations, NGOs, or the private sector.
• Proven experience delivering leadership development and public speaking training
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. (This criteria is essential as a desirable and should be included in all job postings.)

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 | 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF.

Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, in line with applicable organizational measures. Candidates selected for appointment are required to formally confirm their willingness to comply with any current or future vaccination requirements mandated by UNICEF, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, may result in the cancellation of the selection or other administrative measures including separation from service

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.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates from targeted underrepresented groups 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.

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.

Note: Only applications accompanied by detailed financial and technical proposals will be considered.