Deadline

UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund; Firenze; Remote; EUR 134,000 - 201,000; Part time

Job summary

UNICEF Florence is seeking a Quantitative Research Consultant to lead the Return on Investment analysis for two papers addressing climate change and water scarcity, and displacement and large-scale return in Afghanistan.

The role involves desk reviews, data gathering on costs and benefits, and developing robust RoI methodologies with sensitivity analyses, under supervision from UNICEF colleagues in Florence and international partners.

Qualifications

• PhD in Economics, Public Policy, Public Administration, Statistics or related field.
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in applied economic research.
• Experience in ROI / cost-benefit / cost-effectiveness analyses.
• Experience analysing social expenditures and public finance data.
• Experience with child-sensitive budgeting or budget analysis.
• Research experience on impact of programming in social protection, public health, WASH.
• Research experience in low- and middle-income countries.
• Ability to organise own work with limited supervision and to cooperate in a team.
• Experience coordinating with multiple stakeholders across regions and global teams.
• Fluent English (spoken and written).

Responsibilities

• Carry out desk reviews of relevant reports and analyses.
• Draft ROI methodology sections for two papers.
• Collaborate with UNICEF Afghanistan Office (ACO) and Innocenti to select priority programme packages.
• Gather data on costs and estimated benefits for selected packages.
• Compute benefit–cost ratios and document assumptions with sensitivity analyses.
• Describe RoI results in the papers and policy brief.
• Prepare a PowerPoint presentation of main findings and deliver at least one presentation.

Skills

English fluency

Stakeholder coordination

Public finance data analysis

LMIC research experience

WASH/health research

Education

PhD in Economics or related field

Job description

Quantitative research consultant – Return on Investment analysis in Afghanistan, 2.5 months, Office of Strategy & Evidence(OSE), UNICEF Florence, Italy (Remote) #596253

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 opportunity.

For every child, the right to opportunity

How can you make a difference?

The RoI analysis will focus on investments and programmes that address two main drivers of vulnerability for Afghan children, that are climate change and water scarcity, and displacement and large-scale return. Key sectors of interest include Water and Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), health, nutrition, education and skill development. The RoI analysis will identify alternative investment packages across these sectors and obtain their benefit-cost ratios (e.g., WASH in isolation, cash transfers in isolation, cash transfers plus WASH combined).

The main products from this research project will be two working papers, one for each of the two driversindicated above (climate change and water scarcity, and displacement and large-scale return). Each working paper will include two main parts: a first part including background analysis on the effects of each driver on child outcomes; a second part including the RoI analysis.

To conduct the Return on Investment (RoI) analysis and writing (component b) for both papers 1 and 2, as well writing the policy brief. A separate consultant is engaged in analysis and writing of component a) in each paper.

Major areas of work and responsibility:

• Desk review: relevant material for desk review includes recent situation analysis reports (e.g., Afghanistan humanitarian situation reports, climate-risk analyses), previous RoI analyses of child- or adolescent-focused programming, mapping of relevant programmes that are implemented in Afghanistan (as prepared by Innocenti and ACO), preliminary methodological note prepared by Innocenti.
• Preparation of draft RoI methodology section for each paper.
• In collaboration with ACO and Innocenti, confirm the subset of priority programme packages to be included in the RoI analysis, for each paper. Within each of the two papers, it is envisaged that multiple investment options/packages will be included.
• In collaboration with ACO and Innocenti, gather the necessary data on the costs and estimated benefits of the selected programme packages. Prepare the final methodology section for each paper, based on the data and information gathered.
• Based on the data and revised methodology for each driver, obtain the benefit-cost ratio of the selected programme packages, clearly documenting all assumptions and including sensitivity analysis / robustness tests to changing the main assumptions.
• Describe the results in the RoI sections of the papers.
• Write the policy brief, with focus on the RoI.
• Prepare a power point presentation of the main findings and deliver at least one presentation.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: TMC0006921 ToR.pdf

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

Minimum requirements: ( Qualifications/Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills)

• Education: PhD in Economics, Public policy, public administration, statistics, or related field.
• Work Experience: At least 7 years of professional experience in applied economic research, including demonstrated experience in conducting Return on Investment analysis, or cost-benefit analysis, cost- effectiveness analysis.
• Skills: Demonstrated experience in analysing social expenditures and public finance data.
• Skills: Demonstrated experience in child-sensitive budgeting or budget analysis.
• Skills: Research experience on the impact of programming in the sector of social protection, public health, WASH or related fields.
• Skills: Demonstrated research experience on low- and middle-income countries.
• Skills: Ability to organize own work with limited supervision and cooperate as part of a team
• Skills: Experience coordinating with multiple stakeholders across regions and global teams
• Language Requirements: Ability to speak and write fluently in English.

Desirables:

• Demonstrated experience in conducting Return-on-Investment analysis, or cost- benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, specifically in fragile contexts.
• Demonstrated experience with microsimulations modelling of Return on Investment.
• Research experience on migration and displacement.
• A track record of high-quality publications in peer review journals on relevant topics.

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.

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 .

Advertised: 12 Oct 2026 W. Europe Daylight Time
Deadline: 19 Oct 2026 W. Europe Daylight Time