El Niño 2026 Research Consultancy at Save the Children: Bangladesh and Somalia | $120,000 Budget | Apply by 27 September 2026
Save the Children is seeking qualified consultants, consultancies, or consortia to conduct research on the impacts of the 2026 El Niño event on children and the effectiveness of anticipatory action in Bangladesh and Somalia. The consultancy will generate evidence to support child-centred preparedness, early action, climate adaptation and resilience.
The research will examine how El Niño and related climate shocks affect children’s health, education, protection, livelihoods and wellbeing. It will also investigate how anticipatory action can reduce risks, losses and damages through timely, adequately financed, inclusive and locally led interventions.
The total available research budget is USD 120,000, inclusive of applicable local and national taxes. The research must be completed by the end of December 2026. The application deadline is 27 September 2026 at 23:59 CET.
Consultancy Overview
The consultancy focuses on El Niño 2026 and its consequences for children in selected areas of Bangladesh and Somalia. These countries offer different geographic and climate contexts, including flooding, rainfall variability, drought, heat stress and impacts on livelihoods.
The research will use El Niño as an opportunity to understand how predictable climate risks can be addressed before they become major humanitarian emergencies. The study will assess what works, why it works, who benefits and how effective approaches can be delivered at scale.
The research is planned in phases. Phase I, which is covered by the current consultancy, will focus on immediate impacts during 2026 and assess anticipatory actions and early responses. A potential Phase II, subject to additional funding, could examine longer-term resilience, adaptation and vulnerability outcomes.
Key Research Questions
The successful consultant will investigate the immediate and emerging impacts of El Niño on children, including which children and locations face the greatest risks.
The study will also examine the losses and damages experienced by children and how climate impacts interact with economic, conflict-related and other climate stressors.
Another major focus will be anticipatory action. Researchers will assess which interventions are effective, which children benefit most and what factors influence their effectiveness. This includes examining early warning systems, risk analysis, trigger mechanisms, pre-agreed action plans, financing, targeting and delivery.
Proposed Research Methodology
Applicants are invited to propose a methodology capable of answering the research questions. However, several components should be prioritised.
The research should include a global and historical evidence review examining previous El Niño events and effective anticipatory approaches. It should also use a comparative research design covering different contexts within Bangladesh and Somalia.
A mixed-methods approach is expected, combining primary data from affected communities with secondary data. Participatory and child-centred research involving children, caregivers and local actors is desirable.
The methodology should also assess the effectiveness of anticipatory action, including timeliness, financing, targeting, adequacy, inclusiveness and the role of local actors. Systems and delivery analysis should examine how risk analysis, early warnings, triggers, financing and delivery mechanisms work in practice.
Research Outputs
The selected consultant will be expected to produce several important outputs. These include a literature review covering global and historical evidence on El Niño, an evidence report comparing impacts on children in Bangladesh and Somalia, and learning briefs providing actionable insights during implementation.
The consultancy will also produce practical guidance for policy, programme design and scaling. The guidance should identify promising approaches for different groups of children and contexts and explain the conditions that support or constrain effective anticipatory action.
Who Can Apply?
Applications are welcome from individual consultants, consultancies and consortia. Consortium applications should clearly explain the roles and responsibilities of each organisation and reporting arrangements.
Applicants should demonstrate experience in areas such as anticipatory action, disaster risk management, climate adaptation, resilience and humanitarian response. Experience researching the effects of climate and environmental shocks on children and communities is also important.
Strong knowledge of climate risk, climate science, forecasting and forecast-based approaches is expected. Applicants should also understand anticipatory action systems, including early warning, triggers, financing, targeting and delivery mechanisms.
Experience with climate-induced economic and non-economic loss and damage, programme effectiveness research and policy-oriented recommendations is also required. Experience with child-centred, locally led and community-based approaches is highly desirable. Knowledge and networks in Bangladesh and Somalia are also considered highly desirable.
Research Experience and Team Capacity
The selection process will also consider research methodology and analytical rigour. Applicants should demonstrate experience using qualitative and quantitative methods in fragile or complex settings, comparative analysis, multi-criteria decision analysis and cost-benefit assessments.
Experience accessing and analysing secondary data, developing primary data collection tools and using child-led or participatory approaches will be valuable.
The proposed team should have clearly defined roles, relevant qualifications and sufficient availability to complete the work within the required timeframe. Experience disseminating research findings through international policy and practice forums is also sought.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should submit their proposals by email to Nick Ockenden, Senior Trends and Research Advisor, at nioc@redbarnet.dk.
Applications should include:
- CV(s) and cover letter
- Suggested methodology and timeline
- A short explanation of how the research could be extended into Phase II
- Project management roles and reporting arrangements
- An explanation of whether and how AI would be used
- Detailed budget by activity and team member, including day rates
- Examples of similar work
Proposals should not exceed six pages, excluding CVs, cover letters and examples of previous work.
Deadline and Budget
Consultancy: El Niño 2026 Research on Anticipatory Action for Children
Locations: Bangladesh and Somalia
Type: Consultancy
Budget: USD 120,000, inclusive of taxes
Completion: December 2026
Deadline: 27 September 2026, 23:59 CET
Application Email: nioc@redbarnet.dk
This consultancy offers an opportunity for experienced researchers and research teams to contribute evidence on child-centred anticipatory action, climate-related risks and loss and damage. The findings are intended to support governments, NGOs, donors and other actors in improving preparedness and responses to predictable climate shocks affecting children.
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Disclaimer: Remote Job Opportunities (RJO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to RJO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding
