Senior Researcher Consultant

ABOUT ICMC

 The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) is an international non-governmental organization, whose mission is to protect and serve children as well as uprooted people, including refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people, victims of human trafficking, and migrants - regardless of faith, race, ethnicity, or nationality. 

ICMC started a partnership with UNICEF in Greece in order to deploy a highly qualified affiliated workforce to assist UNICEF Greece Country Office. 

SCOPE OF WORK

UNICEF is the world’s leading organization working for the rights of children. In Greece, UNICEF works to uphold the rights of all children, including the most vulnerable, to ensure they grow up healthy, educated, and protected.  

UNICEF became operational in Greece in early 2016 as an outposted team from the Regional Office of Europe and Central Asia (ECARO) to respond to the significant influx of refugee and migrant children and their families at that time. Following several years of engagement with national stakeholders, UNICEF and the Government of Greece made a decision in January 2020 to formalize the agency’s presence in the country as a full-fledged Country Office. The office falls under the auspices of the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia located in Geneva, which supports the work of 22 Country Offices within its geographical scope, reporting in turn to global headquarters in New York. These offices carry out UNICEF's mission through a unique set of programs that focus on practical ways to realize the rights of all children. Within the framework of a mandate for all children in Greece, UNICEF and Greece are now working to address the needs of all vulnerable, marginalized and left-behind children in the country.

In the context of the Country Program for Greece (2022-2026) approved by the UNICEF Executive Board in February 2020, UNICEF and the Government of Greece have agreed on national priorities for children, concerning health, education, social protection, child protection, justice and youth employability.

Recognizing the urgent need to focus on the mental health of children and their caregivers as part of promoting their health, the Ministry of Health and UNICEF Greece Country Office have prioritized, and launched the ‘National Action for the Promotion of Family and Child Health in Greece 2024 – 2025’, which was officially signed in August 2024. 

The National Action entails three key intervention pillars which include: 

(I) Promotion of family and child health through the strengthening of the pediatric framework, and through parenting support programs,

(II) Promotion of adolescent health and menstrual hygiene, and 

(III) Promotion of youth mental health, with a focus on addressing youth self-harm.

Under this framework, UNICEF and the Ministry of Health aim to enhance family mental health by raising awareness about positive parenting, providing parents with broadly focused universal parenting support and targeted interventions, and building the capacity of professionals in health, social services and other professionals with expertise in child and adolescent development, and family support practices. 

Based on the results of a comprehensive review of evidence-based and impactful parenting interventions and in line with the objectives of the “National Action for the Promotion of Family and Child Health in Greece’’, UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Health will adapt and test the internationally acclaimed Triple P-Positive Parenting Program for the first time in Greece. 

Triple P is an evidence-based, multi-tiered parenting intervention system developed by Matt Sanders and colleagues at the University of Queensland nearly 35 years ago (1999). The program aims to promote the wellbeing of both parents and children and prevents the onset of emotional and behavioral problems in children through the promotion of positive parenting strategies and the enhancement of knowledge, skills, and confidence in parents. Triple P is organized into five levels of intervention, ranging from universal, awareness raising information provision (Level 1) to intensive individualized family therapy (Level 5), allowing family support tailored to each family’s needs, risks and protective factors.  

Triple P adopts a comprehensive approach that promotes positive parent-child relationships, effective discipline strategies, and parental self-efficacy. It aims to reduce the incidence of child maltreatment and child psychopathology and to enhance family wellbeing across diverse populations and cultural contexts. Triple P has been implemented in over 30 countries and has demonstrated effectiveness across diverse cultures, socio-economic groups, and family structures. Triple P currently includes 20 sub-programs, each designed to address specific populations, developmental stages, and/or outcomes. 

The Triple P sub-programs that will be adapted and piloted in the Greek context are the following:  

The Triple P sub-programs that will be adapted and piloted in the Greek context are the following:  

1. One program (Individual and Group parenting counselling) that promotes positive parenting during the perinatal period, aiming to prepare parents for a positive transition to parenthood and the first year with the baby, promoting sensitive and responsive care.
2. Two sub-programs (seminars and group/individual parental counselling) with broad-based parenting interventions, for parents with children from 0 to 12 years old; Parents participate in a range of exercises to learn about the causes of child behaviour problems, using strategies to promote child development etc. 
3. Two sub-programs (seminars and Group parenting counselling) for parents of teenagers up to 16 years of age. Parents learn about the influences on adolescent behaviour, set goals, promote skills development, teach emotional self-regulation, and manage inappropriate behaviour.
4. Two sub-programs (Seminars and Group/Individual parenting counselling) for parents of neurodivergent children (up to 12 years) with a range of disability (e.g. intellectual, autism spectrum disorders cerebral palsy) and increased levels of challenging behaviour.

Scope of work

Under the guidance of the UNICEF Child Protection Officer, the Consultant will conduct an impact assessment of the Triple P pilot program in Greece to generate evidence-based insights on its effectiveness, relevance, and impact, with a particular focus on outcomes for participating parents, children (indirectly), and professionals involved in the program.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

This evaluation will assess the relevance, coherence, effectiveness and impact of the Triple P pilot parenting support program in Greece, jointly supported by UNICEF and the Ministry of Health, and generate lessons from its implementation. Through systematic data collection and analysis, it will examine whether the program achieves its intended outcomes for parents and children and evaluate its fit for the Greek context. Findings will identify opportunities for adaptation, inform program design and delivery, and support the potential scale-up of evidence-based parenting support within the national system.

Scope of Work:

The evaluation will be carried out under the guidance of the UNICEF Program Team and in close collaboration with practitioners implementing the pilot parenting program. It will build on Triple P’s built-in assessment measures and tools and review progress from inception to completion, monitoring outcomes before and after the intervention. A range of questionnaires will capture different domains of family functioning and behavior to provide a comprehensive assessment of the program’s impact.  The evaluation will identify successful elements of the program, highlight areas for improvement, and generate actionable insights to guide adaptation and future planning within the Greek context.

The pilot implementation of the program aims to support targeted group parenting counselling for over 600 families between five months of program implementation. UNICEF is partnering with five implementing partners across the country to deliver the Triple P parenting program and covers multiple locations, including Athens, Central Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaloniki, Patras, Ioannina, Alexandroupolis, Lesvos, Kalamata, Heraklion, Fokida, Evros and Rodopi.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Consultant will be responsible for:

Ensuring the overall quality, rigor, and ethical integrity of the impact assessment of the Triple P–Positive Parenting Program pilot in Greece. Under the supervision of the UNICEF Child Protection Officer and in close collaboration with the UNICEF Programme Team, the researcher(s) will:

• Lead the design, implementation, and completion of the impact assessment in accordance with UNICEF’s standards and ethical guidelines.
• Ensure adherence to confidentiality, data protection, and informed consent principles in all research processes.
• Coordinate with implementing partners and practitioners delivering the Triple P program to ensure seamless data collection, monitoring, and communication.
• Maintain methodological rigor and objectivity in data analysis and interpretation.
• Produce high-quality deliverables that provide actionable insights and evidence to inform program adaptation, policy dialogue, and potential scale-up.
• Producing reports and recommendations documenting progress, challenges, and corrective actions throughout the assignment.

Objectives 

The primary objectives of the impact assessment are to:

1. Evaluate the effectiveness of the Triple P pilot program in improving parenting practices, parental confidence, and child wellbeing outcomes in the Greek context.
2. Assess the relevance and coherence of the Triple P model within the framework of Greece’s “National Action for the Promotion of Family and Child Health 2024–2025.”
3. Identify facilitators and barriers to implementation and adaptation of the program across diverse settings and populations in Greece.
4. Generate evidence-based recommendations to inform the refinement, scale-up, and institutionalization of evidence-based parenting support within the national health and social protection systems.
5. Strengthen national capacity by building a shared understanding among UNICEF, the Ministry of Health, and implementing partners on effective parenting interventions and monitoring approaches.

Μajor tasks to be accomplished 

To achieve these objectives, the researchers will undertake the following key tasks:

Phase 1: Inception and Research Design

• Review relevant background materials, program documentation, and existing data related to Triple P implementation.
• Develop an Inception Report outlining the evaluation’s objectives, scope, methodology, work plan, and ethical considerations.
• Design a robust mixed-methods research framework, integrating quantitative and qualitative data collection tools.
• Develop qualitative instruments (e.g., interview guides, focus group protocols) to complement existing Triple P quantitative assessment tools.
• Lead coordination meetings with UNICEF and partners to refine the research design and ensure stakeholder alignment.

Phase 2: Data Collection and Analysis

• Oversee and monitor the data collection process, ensuring data integrity, completeness, and compliance with ethical standards.
• Manage and clean datasets received from implementing partners, ensuring reliability and accuracy.
• Conduct quantitative data analysis using Triple P’s standardized assessment measures (e.g., parental mental health, child behavior, parenting practices).
• Conduct qualitative research, including Key Informant Interviews (approx. 8–10) and Focus Group Discussions (2–3), to capture stakeholder perspectives and contextual insights.
• Integrate and interpret findings from both data streams to provide a comprehensive understanding of program performance and impact.

Phase 3: Reporting and Dissemination

• Prepare a Final Impact Assessment Report (maximum 35 pages, in Greek) summarizing findings, conclusions, and actionable recommendations for program adaptation and policy uptake.
• Produce an Executive Summary (maximum 4 pages, in Greek) highlighting key insights for high-level stakeholders.
• Present findings to UNICEF, the Ministry of Health, and implementing partners through a validation workshop or briefing session.
• Ensure that all documentation, datasets, and instruments are properly archived and shared in line with UNICEF data management protocols.

REQUIREMENTS

1. Education

• PhD in Psychology, Social Sciences, Public Health, Education, Child Development, Evaluation Studies, or a related field.
• Specialized training or certification in program evaluation, research methodology, or data analysis will be considered an asset.
• Familiarity with evidence-based parenting interventions, mental health, or child protection frameworks is highly desirable.

2. Experience

• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in designing and conducting program evaluations, impact assessments, or applied social research, preferably within the fields of child protection, family support, parenting, or mental health.
• Proven experience in mixed-methods research, including both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to design theory-based evaluations and apply international evaluation criteria (relevance, coherence, effectiveness, impact, sustainability).
• Experience in data management and statistical analysis, including familiarity with tools such as SPSS, Stata, R, or similar statistical software.
• Previous work experience with UN agencies, international organizations, NGOs, or government bodies will be an advantage.
• Experience in adapting and assessing international programs within national or local contexts will be highly valued.
• Strong ability to synthesize complex data into actionable findings and policy-relevant recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Greek and English for preparing reports, training materials, and presenting findings.
• Strong analytical skills to review, synthesize, and quality-assure content.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders (academia, practitioners).
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a multidisciplinary team.

3. Language Requirements

• Fluency in English and Greek is required. Strong written and verbal communication skills for preparing reports, conducting presentations, and engaging with various audiences. 

4. Evaluation Criteria

A) Technical Evaluation (75 Points)

• Education Credentials (25 points)
• Relevant Work Experience (50 points)

B) Financial Proposal (25 Points)

Selected candidates will also undergo a final interview before the selection outcome.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates should submit a detailed CV of maximum four pages in English, a motivation letter and two professional references with full and up to date contact details via email, to:

Mr. Akis Papakonstantinou, ICMC HR Officer 

The closing date for receipt of applications is November 30, 2025.

Applications will be evaluated upon reception.

DATA PROTECTION
By submitting an application, you agree that ICMC collects and manages the information that you provide. You also agree that your data may be shared with UNICEF. Your personal information will be used for recruitment purposes only. Your application will be treated with strict confidentiality.

Owing to the volume of applications, ICMC regrets that only applicants short-listed for an interview will be notified.

ICMC is committed to equal employment opportunities for all applicants. ICMC does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, national origin, religion, physical or mental ability, marital status and age. Applications will be treated with strict confidentiality.

ICMC is committed to a Zero-Tolerance Policy toward sexual exploitation, abuses and all forms of unlawful harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment. Screening of applications includes the vetting for records of prior misconduct and reference checking. By submitting your application, you declare your consent for your former employer to disclose any details concerning criminal convictions or misconduct.  ICMC can take other necessary measures to ensure that people involved in substantiated cases of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment are not recruited.