Youth Engagement Consultant, Astana, Kazakhstan

Please apply via the following link: https://jobs.unicef.org/en-us/job/580569/youth-engagement-consultant-astana-kazakhstan

Deadline for submission of application: March 31st, 2025, 23:55, Astana time-zone.

Purpose of the assignment
The Youth Engagement Consultant will be responsible for the operational execution of UNICEF Kazakhstan’s youth engagement initiatives, including the volunteering programme and U-Report Kazakhstan. Reporting to the Senior Youth Engagement Consultant and Communication Specialist, this role will focus on the day-to-day coordination, implementation, and monitoring of activities in line with UNICEF’s strategic goals. The consultant will work closely with regional volunteer coordinators, regional government agencies, NGOs, and private sector partners to ensure effective youth mobilization, training, and digital engagement.

Scope of Work:
Kazakhstan has a growing youth population, with young people aged 10-24 constituting a significant portion of the country's demographics. Their participation in social, environmental, and digital initiatives is crucial for national development. UNICEF has been committed to strengthening youth engagement through volunteering programmes, U-Report Kazakhstan, and initiatives addressing climate action, education, and child online safety.
Since 2020, UNICEF Kazakhstan has launched various volunteering initiatives, including #PlasticFreeKazakhstan, #BeKind, #BeGreen, #BeSafe, Road Safety Volunteering, and Volunteering for Education. These initiatives have successfully mobilized around ten thousand youth across multiple regions, promoting skills development, climate action, and peer-to-peer education.
U-Report Kazakhstan was launched in August 2024 as a digital youth engagement platform that empowers young voices to influence policies and advocacy efforts. The platform has grown to include over 10,000 U-Reporters across 10 regions and has conducted three national polls on issues such as volunteering, health and SDGs. These insights have contributed to state youth consultations and programmatic interventions. The Country Office has launched and manages a dedicated U-Report Kazakhstan Instagram channel to promote initiative and engage U-Reporters.
To further expand and coordinate these initiatives, UNICEF Kazakhstan seeks a Youth Engagement Consultant who will implement the volunteering programme in five regions in 2025 and ten regions in 2026, ensure the execution of U-Report Kazakhstan’s expansion strategy, and support its integration into UNICEF’s youth engagement framework. The consultant will lead the operational coordination of volunteer recruitment, training, community-driven initiatives, and digital engagement activities, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s advocacy and programmatic efforts.

1. Implementation of the volunteering programme
• Implement and manage the volunteering programme in 5 regions in 2025 and 10 regions in 2026, including volunteer recruitment, training, and community-driven initiatives (e.g., tree planting, air quality monitoring, water education, waste recycling).
• Maintain the volunteer database, ensuring daily data management, accurate reporting, and effective communication.
• Build partnerships with local governments, NGOs, and the private sector to enhance volunteer impact.
• Monitor, evaluate, and report on programme outcomes, providing support to regional coordinators and insights for improvement.
• Manage volunteering website creation and ensure regular updates
• Organize training workshops for volunteer coordinators and U-Report ambassadors.
• Develop outreach materials and tailored youth engagement toolkits.
2. U-Report Kazakhstan implementation and expansion
• Support U-Report Kazakhstan expansion, integrating it into the volunteering programme and completing RapidPro & U-Report training.
• Coordinate youth-led campaigns and manage U-Report Kazakhstan’s Instagram account and website, ensuring timely and relevant content.
• Localize and manage U-Report polls, including translation, scheduling, chatbot management, and alignment with global advocacy dates.
• Develop and maintain communication flows for polls on RapidPro and manage the U-Report Poll Calendar.
• Monitor and analyze U-Report initiatives, reviewing messages, collecting feedback, and preparing data for publication in the national press.
3. Monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the volunteering programme
• Support the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework for youth engagement, tracking and analyzing data from volunteering initiatives and U-Report.
• Prepare monthly progress reports and provide input into donor and government reports.
• Prepare regular analysis of U-report polls results and briefs upon needs on volunteers and U-report activities
• Identify best practices and document case studies and success stories.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in communication, marketing, management, development, sociology, international relations, or a related technical field.
• Experience:
- At least 3 years of professional experience in youth engagement, volunteer management, or programme coordination.
- Experience in building partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector.
- Experience in digital youth engagement platforms and website management is an asset.
- Experience in data collection, impact measurement, and programme evaluation.
- Strong organizational and coordination skills.
- Ability to engage and mobilize youth, understanding their motivations and interests.
- Experience in content creation for social media and digital platforms.
- Ability to work proactively in a fast-paced environment.
- Fluency in English, Kazakh, and Russian (both written and spoken) is required
• Competencies:
- Competency in Youth Engagement and Volunteering
- Competency in Programme Management

For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability