Accessibility Consultant: Built Environment, DFAM, New York HQ (Remote)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, hope 

UNICEF has been working for several years to commit to accessibility and ensure all UNICEF employees as well as children and communities we work for and with are included.

Accessibility initiatives have been put forth to promote inclusive hiring, development of accessible IT systems, development of accessible content and documents, access to UNICEF and UN facilities as well as programme related construction, and to the procurement of accessible and inclusive products and services. Yet, while much has been done, some gaps have persisted through the years.

UNICEF has been leading the work on accessibility of our premises and by the end of 2022 we reached the target of 68% UNICEF offices (excluding zone offices) reached level 1 of accessibility1. Several mechanisms are in place to improve physical accessibility, such as Greening and Accessibility Fund (GRAF) and EFAAT, a digital tool for reporting on greening and accessibility initiatives, 2017 Executive Directive on Accessibility in Programme-Related Construction Activities (CF/EXD/2017-004), launch of Accessibility Toolkit, launch of Toolkit on Accessibility: “Tools to apply universal design across premises and programs and promote access” in June 2022.

Yet much more must be done. To address the existing gaps UNICEF is establishing an Accessibility helpdesk with two branches of work: on physical and digital accessibility. With regards to physical accessibility, there is a need to improve Quality Assurance, increase the demand for GRAF opportunities, raise awareness as well as strengthen capacity of UNICEF staff.

How can you make a difference? 

Key deliverables include:

1. Physical Accessibility Helpdesk Case Management

– Design review and technical assistance on Accessibility to approx. 30-40 offices relocating or undergoing construction/renovation based on requests to Physical Accessibility Helpdesk

– Approx 30 Cyber audits or walkthrough including for validation of accessibility levels, and audit reports with recommendations provided

– 30-40 offices undertaking programme-related constructions via technical calls/design review through the responses to the Service Gateway Accessibility helpdesk requests

2. Capacity Building:

– Seven (7) Regional clinics provided (1 in each region) to operations and admin focal points on accessibility of UNICEF premises

– In collaboration with Supply Division conduct 2 global workshops about UNICEF’s updated policy on accessibility in Programme related construction activities

– Conduct three (3) global webinars on physical accessibility to

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher), with specialization in Universal or Accessible Design.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of implementing international and national standards on accessible construction and universal design (including ISO 21542:2021).
• Strategic skills and experience providing recommendations for projects at the concept stage on accessibility requirements and features.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience working on accessibility projects including reviewing construction drawings to provide design assistance and identify areas of code non- compliance in new construction or renovation projects.
• Proven experience working on accessible design in low resource settings.
• Consultant must be able to communicate effectively to larger audiences, including on technical concepts, to both technical and non-technical persons.
• Experience with managing projects, including tracking progress and liaising with multiple teams.
• Proven experience in writing official technical articles about international standards on accessible construction and universal design (including ISO 21542:2021).
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

 UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.