UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a chance. 

Vacancy Announcement: Consultant 

Consultancy Title: Education and ADAP Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Education and Adolescent Development Section, Programme Group, NYHQ

Duration: 1 November 2024 to 14 February 2025

Home/ Office Based: 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 fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries.

In support of UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, the Education and Adolescent Development Section of Programme Group (PG) in UNICEF Headquarters works to advance access, participation and learning outcomes for marginalised children through policy leadership and support to countries for excellence in programming. Improving learning is the overarching programme priority, particularly in light of UNICEF’s current Education Strategy, which seeks to accelerate progress towards addressing the learning crisis and towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

UNICEF requires the services of a consultant to support the development of an Education Goal Area paper. This paper will serve as an annex to the current Education Strategy 2019-2030 and contribute to the Goal Area chapters of the new UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026-2030.

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Senior Adviser (Management, Advocacy and Partnerships) and in close consultation with the Director for Education and Adolescent Development, as well as numerous other colleagues across the section and organization. Furthermore, the consultant is expected to facilitate engagement with external stakeholders and partners.

Scope of Work:

The consultant will:

1. Plan for and facilitate stakeholder consultations; ensure contributions from stakeholders are captured and synthesised informing the Goal Area Paper and Strategic Plan.
2. Draft the Goal Area Paper based on corporate guidance, organizational vision, consultations, and agreed upon format etc.
3. Support presentation of Goal Area paper.
4. Provide a brief summary of anticipated human and financial resource needs to support implementation of the Goal Area in the new Strategic Plan period.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

1. Develop inception report, following inception meeting with Supervisor, Director and Planning Team.
   1. 2–3-page inception report with detailed work plan, including milestones to be achieved by 1 November 2024.
2. Plan for and facilitate stakeholder consultations; ensure contributions from stakeholders are captured and synthesized to inform the Goal Area Paper and Strategic Plan.
   1. Schedule for stakeholder meetings, grouping stakeholders by typology to ensure efficiency by 8 November 2024.
   2. Facilitate 10-12 stakeholder meetings by 29 November 2024.
   3. Synthesize feedback from 10-12 stakeholder meetings by 6 December 2024.
3. Develop and support presentation of the Goal Area paper based on corporate guidance, organizational vision, consultations, etc.
   1. Draft 15-20 page Goal Area Paper focusing on UNICEF’s vision for Education+, programme priorities, justifications, programme logic, expected results, budget, etc. Format to be agreed upon as part of inception meeting by 31 December 2024.
   2. Revise and finalise paper based on two rounds of comments by 31 January 2025.
   3. Develop a slide deck (10-15 slides) to present the Goal Area paper by 31 January 2025.
4. Provide a brief summary paper of anticipated human and financial resource needs to support implementation of the Goal Area from a headquarters perspective in the new Strategic Plan period.
   1. Hold/facilitate 3-5 meetings with relevant colleagues to discuss headquarters’ mandate and role to support Goal Area implementation by 15 December 2024.
   2. Draft 2-3 page summary paper on headquarters’ fit-for-purpose to support implementation of the Goal Area, including recommendations for adjustments, taking into account current organogram and budget by 31 January 2025.
5. Travel (Up to/Estimated 5 days in NY):
   1. The consultant may need to travel to New York once, if not based in New York already.

Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s Degree
• Disciplines: Advanced university degree in social sciences, international relations, public policy, international development, public relations, communication, or a related field.

Work experience:

• Minimum 15 years of relevant senior level and strategic work experience in international development, education and emergencies.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:

• Demonstrated expertise and experience in Strategy Development in the development sector.
• Good understanding of UNICEF and/or UN system, and of current events as they relate to international development issues.
• Education policy and sector analysis capacity and demonstrated results with education policy dialogue preferred.
• Ability to quickly and easily liaise with multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and to meet tight deadlines.
• Strong verbal communication skills, interpreting and condensing technical language or complicated global issues for different audiences.
• Demonstrated strong presentation and writing skills are essential – a clear, concise, compelling writing style.
• Language: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) is considered as an asset.

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.

Remarks: 

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.