UNICEF Senior Expert I – Corporate Risk and Benchmarking 2026 – Remote Consultancy
UNICEF is inviting applications for a Senior Expert I – Corporate Risk and Benchmarking consultancy with its Evaluation Office. The position supports a global evaluation of UNICEF’s risk governance frameworks and practices in humanitarian action.
The consultancy is home-based and open to international candidates, with the duty station listed as New York, United States. The assignment has a contract duration of 9.40 months and is particularly suited to senior professionals with extensive experience in enterprise risk management, internal controls, audit and humanitarian systems.
The application deadline is 16 November 2026.
UNICEF Senior Risk and Benchmarking Consultant
The consultant will support UNICEF’s Humanitarian Effectiveness Portfolio (HEP) within the Evaluation Office.
The global evaluation will examine how UNICEF’s risk governance frameworks and practices function during humanitarian responses. It will build on case studies from different emergency contexts and examine the decision-making processes that led to action or inaction during past emergencies.
The evaluation will also consider the consequences of those decisions for the delivery of services and goods to children, particularly children living in hard-to-reach areas.
The ultimate objective is to develop recommendations that can help UNICEF staff manage, prevent and share risks more responsibly and effectively across different emergency contexts.
Position Details
Job Title: Senior Expert I – Corporate Risk and Benchmarking
Job Number: 596756
Organisation: UNICEF
Contract Type: Consultant
Duty Station: New York, United States
Working Arrangement: Home Based / Remote
Level: Consultancy
Category: Operations
Contract Duration: 9.40 months
Advertised: 3 November 2026
Application Deadline: 16 November 2026
The consultancy is explicitly stated to be open to international candidates, making it potentially suitable for qualified professionals based outside the United States.
Key Responsibilities
The consultant will provide specialist support to the Humanitarian Effectiveness Portfolio within UNICEF’s Evaluation Office.
Key responsibilities include leading risk benchmarking with other organisations, both within and outside the United Nations system.
The consultant will also lead the D1/D2 analysis and take responsibility for at least two pilot cases as part of the evaluation.
In addition, the consultant will contribute to refining the revised Theory of Change (ToC) and normative framework developed during the evaluation process.
The role therefore requires a senior risk professional capable of analysing institutional risk frameworks while also applying that knowledge to humanitarian and organisational contexts.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants are expected to hold a master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as:
- Economics
- Organisational Management
- Audit
- A related field
Candidates must have at least 10 years of professional experience in enterprise risk management, internal control or audit.
At least five years of this experience must have been gained within a UN agency, international financial institution (IFI) or large humanitarian organisation.
Applicants should also have detailed knowledge of major risk management frameworks, including:
- ISO 31000
- COSO Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)
- Three Lines Model
- Risk appetite frameworks
Experience analysing risk registers, control frameworks and assurance data is also required.
Candidates should have direct experience with HACT or similar partner assurance systems and experience comparing risk frameworks across different agencies.
Previous experience contributing to humanitarian evaluations is another important requirement.
Skills and Expertise
The successful consultant should have strong knowledge of the United Nations system and the wider global humanitarian system.
Excellent analytical, communication and writing skills are required, with English proficiency essential. Knowledge of other UN languages would be an advantage.
The role also requires experience facilitating workshops with senior managers, meaning applicants should be comfortable communicating complex risk issues to high-level stakeholders.
Previous benchmarking work within the UN system is desirable, as is professional experience working in fragile settings or humanitarian contexts.
Application Requirements
Qualified candidates are required to apply through UNICEF’s Talent Management System (TMS).
Applicants must submit:
- An up-to-date TMS profile and CV.
- A cover letter.
- A separate financial proposal using the specific UNICEF financial proposal template provided for the consultancy.
Candidates should carefully review the full Terms of Reference before preparing their application because the consultancy requires specialised experience in corporate risk, benchmarking and humanitarian evaluation.
Why Consider This UNICEF Consultancy?
This consultancy offers an opportunity for an experienced risk professional to contribute to a global evaluation of UNICEF’s risk governance in humanitarian action.
The assignment is particularly relevant to professionals with backgrounds in enterprise risk management, internal audit, organisational governance, assurance, humanitarian operations and evaluation.
Because the role is home-based and open to international candidates, qualified professionals can undertake the consultancy remotely while contributing to work within UNICEF’s Evaluation Office.
The position may also be attractive to senior consultants who have worked across multiple international organisations and have experience comparing institutional risk frameworks and translating risk analysis into practical organisational recommendations.
Important Dates
Job Posted: 3 November 2026
Application Deadline: 16 November 2026
Contract Duration: 9.40 months
Working Arrangement: Home Based
Duty Station: New York, United States
International Candidates: Open
How to Apply
Interested candidates should apply online through the official UNICEF recruitment system using Job Number 596756.
The deadline is 16 November 2026.
UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment or hiring process. Applicants should never provide payment or bank account information to anyone claiming to guarantee a UNICEF position.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process.
For senior professionals with substantial experience in risk management, audit, internal controls, humanitarian operations and organisational benchmarking, this UNICEF consultancy provides an opportunity to contribute expertise to a major global evaluation while working remotely.
