Deadline

Unicef Nl; New York (NY); Remote; USD 129,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

UNICEF in New York seeks a Senior Expert II to lead an evaluation of risk governance in humanitarian action. Remote with possible travel, the role will trace decision-making processes and measure how risk-taking affected service delivery to children.

The consultant will design and analyze studies, translate findings into organizational design guidance for UNICEF staff worldwide, and collaborate with the Evaluation Office team.

Qualifications

• Education: PhD in Behavioural science, decision science, organizational psychology, social sciences or related field.
• Work Experience: 12+ years studying decision making under uncertainty; design survey experiments; apply findings in humanitarian/public sectors.
• Language: English required; other UN languages are assets.
• Knowledge/Skills: knowledge of risk culture, cognitive biases, and organizational design recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Lead evaluation of UNICEF risk governance in humanitarian action.
• Trace decision-making processes and assess actions versus outcomes.
• Translate behavioural findings into actionable organizational design recommendations.

Skills

Decision making under uncertainty

Survey design

Factorial design studies

Analytical writing

Communication skills

Education

PhD in Behavioural science/decision science/organizational psychology

Job description

Senior Expert II - Organizational Decision Making/ Evaluation of risk-taking, risk-sharing and risk management in humanitarian action (remote with possible travel)

Job no: 596829
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: New York
Level: Consultancy
Location: United States
Categories: Research, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

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 safety

How can you make a difference?

The UNICEF Evaluation Office (EO) is commissioning a global evaluation of UNICEF’s risk governance frameworks and practices in humanitarian action. Building on a set of case studies conducted across different emergency contexts, the evaluation will allow tracing the decision-making processes that led to either action or no action during past emergency responses and will attempt to measure their repercussion on the delivery of services and good to children, especially those in hard-to-reach areas. The evaluation aims to put forward recommendations that will equip UNICEF staff across a variety of emergency contexts to manage, prevent and share risks more responsibly and effectively in the future.

The EO is seeking a Senior Expert in Organizational Decision-making for this evaluation.

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

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

• Education: PhD in Behavioural science, decision science, organizational psychology, social sciences or a related field.
• Work Experience:
  • At least 12 years of applied experience studying how people and organizations make decisions under uncertainty.
  • Proven experience designing survey experiments or vignette studies, including factorial designs, and analyzing the results
  • Applied work in humanitarian, security or public-sector settings
  • Experience translating behavioural findings into organizational design recommendations
• Language Requirements: English required; other UN languages considered an asset
• Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
  • Knowledge of the risk culture literature, including calculative cultures, and of cognitive biases relevant to evaluation such as hindsight and outcome bias
  • Knowledge of the UN system and the global humanitarian system as a whole;
  • Excellent analytical, communication and writing skills

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 offerreasonable 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):

• An up-to‑date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)

Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not downloadable on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers.

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: 05 Nov 2026 Eastern Standard Time
Deadline: 19 Nov 2026 Eastern Standard Time