Individual Consultancy to support UNICEF in Addressing Children’s Exposure to and Poisoning by Lead, Mexico City, Mexico, 8 months (Remote)

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For every child, the right to health

Lead exposure in children poses a significant public health challenge in Mexico, affecting different regions and states in varying degrees. Mexico ranks second in Latin America and the Caribbean for Annual Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY) attributed to lead exposure and third in the number of children with blood lead levels (BLL) greater than 10 micrograms per decilitre (µg/dL). The impact of lead exposure is substantial, causing an estimated 20,138 annual deaths and accounting for 393,634 annual DALYs in the country. The main sources of lead contamination in Mexico include glazed pottery, which accounts for around 9% of exposure and 91% comes from other sources like certain foods, urban dust, soil, and rivers, often contaminated through mining processes, improper disposal of lead-acid batteries, and recycling of electronic equipment. Recent data from the 2022 National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) indicate that 16.8% of children aged 1-4 years nationwide have blood lead levels equal to or above 5 µg/dL, with the highest prevalence in regions like the South Pacific, Central Mexico, Mexico City and the State of Mexico. Regions such as San Luis Potosí, Mexico City, Morelos, the Lagunera Region, and Chiapas are particularly impacted. 

Mexico’s government and UNICEF have emphasized the critical importance of preventing environmental lead contamination. Therefore, UNICEF is carrying out analyses to support the design of strategies related to environmental issues and includes a specific focus on environmental health in the development of its new Country Program Document (CPD) 2026-2031. Specifically, a Climate Landscape Analysis for Children (CLAC) and a Children Environmental Health (CEH) Assessment are being developed, in coordination with UNICEF’s Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office (LACRO). This will include institutionalizing and training health professionals to be more sensitive to environmental issues, adapting UNICEF’s global strategies such as \"Put Lead on Bead\" to the Mexican context, and promoting behavioral changes to prevent lead exposure. The main government counterpart leading this initiative is the Subsecretaría de Prevención y Promoción de la Salud of the Ministry of Health, which coordinates environmental health policies and intersectoral collaboration for childhood lead exposure prevention. 

How can you make a difference? 

The consultancy will provide specialized technical support to UNICEF Mexico and its national partners to develop and implement strategies aimed at reducing childhood lead exposure. The consultancy will produce a series of technical outputs, including a collaborative CEH framework with actionable recommendations, an implementation plan for integrating environmental health into national strategies, a structured and validated Lead Risk Assessment Questionnaire, and scripts and key messages for the development of validated outreach materials and communication products for lead exposure prevention tailored to vulnerable populations. The work will generate a clear roadmap and policy proposals to institutionalize environmental health surveillance and lead exposure prevention protocols within Mexico’s primary health-care system, in alignment with national priorities such as the First 1,000 Days strategy.

Key Deliverables:

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  ToR - IC Addressing Children’s Exposure to and Poisoning.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Fluency in Spanish.

Proficient level of English (this includes the ability to comprehend scientific literature).

Desirables:

Experience in design or applying tools for environmental exposure assessment and working with health authorities or intersectoral teams.

Experience in design and analysis of epidemiological studies, questionnaire validation, management of digital platforms, production and validation of scientific communication materials, management of participatory processes and facilitation of intersectoral tables.

Experience in scientific communication and dissemination, including drafting policy briefs, technical reports, and public-facing materials that support evidence-based decision-making and advocacy efforts.

Working Conditions:

This consultancy is remote and involves regular meetings via Teams and phone calls as needed, along with planned travel within Mexico City, Mexico.

For detailed information regarding the working conditions and travel requirements during the consultancy, please refer to the relevant section of the Terms of Reference:    ToR - IC Addressing Children’s Exposure to and Poisoning.pdf

Technical and Financial Proposal Requirements

All documents must be written by the consultant and submitted independently through the designated upload links in the application system. Only individual proposals will be accepted; corporate or business proposals will not be considered.

Technical Proposal:

An updated curriculum vitae explicitly demonstrating the required qualifications for the consultancy.

Technical Proposal (maximum 5 pages): This document should detail the theoretical-conceptual framework, methodology, and work schedule. The technical proposal must have clear objectives identify, a list of sources to consult for the development of the products, and a general summary of how it proposes to comply with the terms of reference within a tentative timeline considering the total duration of the consultancy.

Portfolio of Relevant Previous Works: 3 or more documents (e.g., technical reports, peer-reviewed articles, communication materials, evaluations) that are relevant for the scope of this consultancy. Preferably, the documents should focus on environmental health, with particular attention to children, pregnant women, or breastfeeding women. While not mandatory, materials addressing these populations will be considered especially relevant and valuable.

Candidates who meet the threshold of 49% in the Technical Assessment will move forward to the Financial Evaluation. 

Financial Proposal:

Please consider the following: 

The intention is to have a cost breakdown as detailed as possible. 

The economic proposal must be presented by the consultant indicating the COST PER DELIVERABLE, as well as the breakdown and explanation of the proposal, signed and in a letterhead. 

Costs must be considered for all project expenses. 

The proposal should include VAT (IVA) costs as per the table below. ISR should not be included. 

Costs must be fixed for the entire project. 

Present your proposal in Mexican pesos.

For more information, please check the Terms and Conditions of Individual Consultants [ General Terms and Conditions Individual Consultants EN.pdf/ General Terms and Conditions Individual Consultants ES.pdf]

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation 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 appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

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.

UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer, general service category or individual consultancies.

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.