Professional Photographers on Long Term Arrangement – open to National Consultants only Individual Consultant Long-term contract Mid-level National Position

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 protection 

UNICEF Country Office is looking to establish a minimum of two and maximum of four long-term agreements with individual professional photographers and photojournalists to provide photographic services (visual documentation in digital original format) on a need’s basis. The selected photographs will be used for UNICEF advocacy and communication purposes and used to produce public campaigns, communication products and public advocacy materials to be used by UNICEF’s internal and external partners, including other UN agencies and across various platforms.

How can you make a difference?

Under this Long-Term Agreement, the consultant will be engaged on consumption-based contracts based on the programme needs. The details for the photo mission will be shared over email and confirmed between both parties.

Further, the consultant is expected to photograph UNICEF programmes, keeping in mind culture, gender, and other diverse sensitivities as per UNICEF guidelines and ethical standards. The photographs should be used for diverse audiences and have universal appeal.

In addition, the photographer needs to:

1. Attend briefings on the project and issues to be covered.

2. Demonstrate a client-oriented approach, tact, and ability to work with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

3. Ensure child rights are safeguarded during the photo documentation; Ensure UNICEF core values resonate through their conduct during their field visits especially when they interact with children and partners.

4. Ensure effective and efficient provision of services, full confidentiality in all aspects of assignment,

management of information flow and follow-up on deadlines and commitments made.

5. Ensure dignity of subjects.

6. All images/photos should be accompanied by succinct and well written captions for all high-quality images.

7. Caption to be embedded in the images and shared separately as a word document as well.

8. Ensure consent forms are signed by children and / or guardians as per UNICEF guidelines and a digital copy of the same is submitted.

9. Capture B-Roll when briefed on specific shoots.

10. Work closely in coordination with both the communication and programme focal point in the Country Office.

Responsibilities of the Consultant:

1. The consultants will use their own equipment, software and other accessories that may be required for this task.

2. The consultant will strictly follow UNICEF’s Imagery Policy and systematically apply the eight steps to ethical imagery

3. The consultant will not share any footage, photographs, etc. or any part thereof to any third party without UNICEF’s written permission. All components will be UNICEF’s property, and the consultant will not share the same with anyone else.

4. The consultant will not put their own name or logo/emblem on the final output. The only organization branding will be UNICEF, if required.

5. For photos taken at UNICEF supported events the Photographer will be responsible for sharing in real-time photos to be published on social media and will share all photos to UNICEF and all photos taken during the event within 2 hours of the event.

6. For photos taken on mission (i.e. not UNICEF events) the Photographer will be responsible for shortlisting best 35-40 photos with captions from each mission along with other photos and submitting them within a specific turnaround on specific missions as and when necessary, with all relevant accompanying documentation.

7. Photographer will arrange transmissions of rough edit selections of best images, with complete credit and caption information in English and were relevant personal quote in original language. On assignment completion, the broad edit will be transferred electronically to UNICEF with complete captions.

Responsibilities of UNICEF:

1. UNICEF will provide briefings and require detailed information pertaining to the activity and the requirements.

2. UNICEF will orient the photographer on UNICEF’s ethical imagery and branding guidelines, including UNICEF standards for child safeguarding in multimedia, and the brief for each assignment.

3. UNICEF has first selection rights to all originals taken on the assignment with non-exclusive concomitant world rights in all media in perpetuity

Note: Unless otherwise specified, photographic content gathered during assignments to be provided selected content in real-time for publishing on social media and final content in original format within 12 hours of return of the field visit together with written captions. UNICEF has first selection rights to all originals taken on assignment with non-exclusive concomitant world rights in all media in perpetuity.

Duration of the Long-Term Agreement: Minimum two years, with a possibility for extension for another year.

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

Minimum Qualifications required*:

– Degree in photography, communications, arts, media, or any related field and/or certificates in photography is an asset.

*Minimum requirements to consider candidates for competitive process.

Years of Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required*:

– Minimum 5 years of professional photography experience, nationally and/or internationally, including large-scale campaigns.

– Proven experience in photojournalism and development/humanitarian contexts, particularly related to child rights, human rights, and the SDGs.

– Experience photographing children and vulnerable populations, with the ability to engage sensitively and ethically.

– Contributions to reputable national or international media outlets (e.g. National Geographic, Getty Images, BBC, Reuters, etc.).

– Strong technical photography skills across indoor/outdoor settings, events, portraits, and group activities.

– Proficiency in image selection, editing, and post‑production, including use of Photoshop or similar software.

– Ability to protect subjects’ identities when required.

– Owns professional photographic equipment and image‑management software.

– Fluency in English and Macedonian or Albanian required.

*Listed requirements will be used for technical evaluation in the competitive process.

Evaluation Criteria

A) Technical Evaluation – maximum 75 Points

Technical Evaluation Criteria:

1. Relevant educational qualification – Degree and/or certificate (5 points)

2. Relevant work experience – min five years’ experience (nationally and/or internationally) delivering photographic services (10 points)

3. Experience photographing children and vulnerable populations, with the ability to engage sensitively and ethically – as outlined in 3 reference letters (20 points)

4. Minimum four Work Samples– Include portfolio and published works with minimum one shoot centered around children in their natural setting and one of major public events (30 points)

5. Confirmation of owing professional photographic equipment, image‑management software and ability to share in real-time photos from events indicated in cover letter (10 points)

Qualifying score in technical evaluation is 60 out of 75 points.

B) Financial Proposal – maximum of 25 Points

In order to apply please submit:

1. Most recent CV and letter of interest

2. Minimum four Work Samples– Include portfolio and published works with minimum one shoot centered around children in their natural setting and one of major public events

3. Financial proposal. Please use this table:  FINANCIAL PROPOSAL.docx

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.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

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 a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 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.

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 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 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.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.