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Consultancy Title: Learning to Earning Report Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Generation Unlimited (YPA) Secretariat, Programme Group – NYHQ

Duration: 1 July, 2024, to 31 December 2024

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ – REMOTE 

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

The consultant will lead the development of a Learning to Earning report (Connecting Youth to Livelihoods: Delivering Cost-Effective and Sustainable Impact at Scale), under the direct supervision of the Global Solutions Hub Senior Advisor, overseen by the GenU Programmes Deputy Director, and in collaboration with the Project Team comprising GenU, ILO and JPAL staff and representatives. Following GenU’s Global Leadership Council (GLC), the executive report will analyze the potential opportunities and challenges related to connecting youth to livelihoods, with a particular focus on how public, private and youth partners can collaborate to develop and scale up programmes that support young people’s transition from learning to earning. The report may cover the following key elements

•      Challenges and opportunities for youth in low- and middle-income countries as they transition to work.

•      Effective (and ineffective) strategies and interventions for supporting youth in accessing employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

•      Factors contributing to programmes success, primary beneficiaries, cost-effectiveness and maximizing return on investment.

•      Involvement and impact of young people in programme planning.

•      Case studies and success stories from various regions to illustrate best practices.

•      Policy recommendations for governments and international organizations.

•      Opportunities for collaboration and partnership among stakeholders.

The report aims to serve as a pivotal resource utilized by a diverse array of stakeholders including policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and organizations operating in the learning to earning space, ensuring that complex insights are conveyed in a comprehensible manner. By synthesizing empirical evidence and best practices, the report will inform strategic decision-making processes and guide investments aimed at enhancing youth skills and employability and empowering stakeholders to develop targeted interventions that effectively address the multifaceted needs of young people entering the workforce.

Scope of Work:

•      Synthesize data from the GenU GLC meeting and a subsequent follow up survey to identify key trends/themes.

•      Undertake an analysis of School to Work pathways research and literature (including but not limited to existing evidence from Project Team’s Organizations, such as the soon to be released ILO meta-analysis on transition to earning interventions), to identify opportunities and challenges

•      Develop and roll-out a survey to collect feedback on this topic from the GenU GLC.

•      Develop an outline of the Learning to Earning report and update based on feedback from the project team.

•      Develop the first draft of the report.

•      Conduct consultation with the Project Team to gather feedback on the first draft.

•      Develop a second draft of the report.

•      Conduct consultation with the Project Team and additional stakeholders as identified by the Project Team to gather feedback on the second draft.

•      Finalize the report in line with the feedback received on the second draft.

•      Advise on stakeholder engagement and communications plans to support the dissemination of the report.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

1. Develop overall structure, flow and outline for the report

• An outline of the report is developed.

15 July 2024

2. Data from the GenU Global Leadership Council (GLC) and survey is synthesized and reported on, providing foundational insights for the report

• A synthesis and reporting on data from the GLC and survey is developed.

15 August 2024

3. Develop a first draft of the report based on feedback received on the thesis, outline, and synthesis

• A first draft of the report is developed.

30 September 2024

4. Develop a second draft of the report based on feedback received on the first draft

• A second draft of the report is developed.

31 October 2024

5. Develop a final version of the report based on feedback received on the first draft. A presentation slide deck and a draft dissemination plan outlining strategies for sharing the report with relevant stakeholders are developed.

• The final version of the report and the dissemination plan are developed.

30 November 2024

6. Finalize and refine the presentation slide deck and the dissemination plan based on feedback.

• The final dissemination plan is developed.

31 December 2024

Qualifications

Education:

• A Masters degree from a recognized university in any of the following: Economics, Business Administration, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, or similar fields.
• Language Proficiency:

Fluency in English is required, strong written and verbal competency is necessary

Working knowledge of another UN language an asset

Work experience:

• At least 7 years of work experience in Young People’s Learning, Skilling and/or Education opportunities or relevant areas.
• Experience analyzing existing data and evidence and developing innovative and provocative think pieces that can inspire action on emerging concepts.
• Ability to distill complex research findings into clear, concise, and understandable language suitable for diverse audiences, including policymakers, practitioners, and the general public.
• Demonstrated experience of crafting executive-style reports tailored to senior decision-makers and stakeholders. Experience in structuring reports that highlight key insights, recommendations, and actionable strategies, while maintaining a high level of professionalism and clarity.

Requirements: 

Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and

• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :
  • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants. Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.