JOB DESCRIPTION

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 education 

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.

BACKGROUND

Enhancing the national capacities in inclusive education has been one of the key priorities of UNICEF programming in Belarus. UNICEF is looking for an international consultant to conduct a Summative Evaluation of the IE project. The purpose of the Summative Evaluation is to assess the overall effectiveness of the IE project. It aims to determine the extent to which the intended goals and objectives of the IE project were achieved and contributed to improving the quality and accessibility of inclusive education for children with special educational needs, including children with disabilities. The findings, lessons learned and recommendations from the Summative Evaluation are intended to guide and inform all stakeholders, including UNICEF, the MoE, other implementing partners, pilot educational establishments, teachers, other educational professionals, and parents. The recommendations of the evaluation will be used to identify and shape the follow-on UNICEF programming in inclusive education to achieve goals and objectives of the new Country Programme for 2026-2030.

The Summative Evaluation has the following major objectives:

1. Assess the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, equity, coherence, sustainability, and, to the extent possible, the impact of the IE project;
2. Assess the efficiency and effectiveness of designing, implementing, and coordinating the IE project with the MoE and other implementing partners,
3. Identify good practices and gaps in the implementation process including challenges resulting from internal and external factors,
4. Assess the IE project design, implementation, and results with regards to child rights-based approach and gender equality,
5. Identify and document successes, challenges, lessons learned, and innovations introduced by the IE project,
6. Provide recommendations to design and shape follow on UNICEF programming in inclusive education in the next programming cycle.

The Summative Evaluation will be guided by the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) Norms and Standards for Evaluation in the UN System, Ethical Guidelines for UN Evaluations, UNICEF Ethical Guidelines and standards for research and evaluation, UNICEF Guidance on Gender Integration in Evaluation, UNEG guidance on integrating human rights and gender equality and UN System-Wide Action Plan (UN-SWAP) on gender equality.

The quality of the Summative Evaluation reports (inception report and final report) will undergo an external quality assessment by an organization external to UNICEF. The assessment will be facilitated by UNICEF. The selected international consultant will be responsible for ensuring that recommendations for quality improvements of the report(s) are fully addressed so that the reports are rated at least “satisfactory” by the external provider.

The detailed TOR providing more information on the Summative Evaluation (15 pages), including background, programme details, indicative questions, and other relevant details, is attached to this TOR and is mandatory for consideration by a bidder as an integral part of this contracting process.TOR_summative_evaluation_IE_detailed.pdf

Scope of Work:

The Summative Evaluation will cover the entire IE project through most of its implementation period from its launch in March 2022 through September 2025. The geographical scope will be nationwide with specific project locations (pilot preschool and secondary school establishments) for the evaluation visits to be identified in the process of preparing the inception report. Different interventions/activities undertaken under each key result of the IE project will be examined as part of the Summative Evaluation. The evaluation will focus on the criteria of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, equity, sustainability, coherence and, to the extent possible, impact. The evaluation will also assess how child rights-based approach, gender and equity focus were implemented in the IE project.

Management Arrangements:

The Summative Evaluation will be implemented by the team of an international and a national consultant. The international consultant will lead the Summative Evaluation and provide guidance to the national consultant while the national consultant will provide all necessary support including essential local expertise. The Summative Evaluation will be managed by the Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist in close coordination with the Early Childhood Development Specialist, the Education Officer and the UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) Evaluation Specialist. The UNICEF Belarus Country Office will provide the selected international consultant with necessary support in coordinating the evaluation with the MoE, other implementing partners, pilot educational establishments and other stakeholders.

Work Assignment Overview

Deliverables/ Outputs

Delivery deadline

Deliverable 1

1 September – 15 October, 2025

total 16 working days

Contract signing; initial briefings with the CO

Contract signed

Briefings with the CO held

2 working days

Initial desk review

Desk review conducted

14 working days

Discussion of the initial methodology with UNICEF

Initial methodology discussed and agreed

Producing a draft Inception Report including evaluation matrix, suggested approach, methods, data collection and analysis tools for the Summative Evaluation

Draft Inception Report is submitted to the Evaluation Manager for review

Consolidating comments and recommendations of the quality assessment and finalizing the Inception Report

The Inception Report is finalized and approved by the Evaluation Manager

Deliverable 2

October 15 – December 5, 2025

total 20 working days

Hybrid data collection conducted in line with approved methodology

Hybrid data collection conducted

20 working days

Data collection from beneficiaries and stakeholders conducted in line with approved methodology

Necessary steps to collect data from beneficiaries, implementing partners and stakeholders completed in line with the approved methodology and schedule including filed visits to Minsk and the regions

First draft of the final Summative Evaluation Report

Draft final report submitted to the Evaluation Manager for review

Deliverable 3

December 6-31, 2025

total 8 working days

Consolidating comments and recommendations of the quality assessment and finalizing the Summative Evaluation report to incorporate feedback

Provided feedback incorporated in the Summative Evaluation report

8 working days

Final Summative Evaluation report and PowerPoint presentation of the key results

The Summative Evaluation report is finalized and submitted to the Supervisor for approval. A PowerPoint presentation of the major conclusions, findings and results is submitted to the Supervisor

Presentation of the evaluation results

An online presentation of evaluation results conducted for the CO and stakeholders as relevant

Travel (if required as per TOR):

Assignment is Remote/Home-based (Minsk, Belarus). Limited travel to Minsk and the regions of Belarus are required.

Qualifications 

Education:

• An advanced university (Masters) degree, preferably in evaluation, social studies, or related field.
• A combination of relevant academic background and relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work experience/Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• At least seven years’ experience in evaluation and familiarity with UNICEF and the UN system (CV required). Experience of evaluating/assessing programmes in education, inclusive education, promoting rights of children with disabilities will be an asset.
• Previous experience of evaluations/assessments conducted in Europe and Central Asia region, and Belarus in particular.
• Previous experience of evaluating and/or assessing complex assistance programmes engaging partners from different sectors including governmental and non-governmental organizations and vulnerable populations.
• Previous work experience with UNICEF will be an asset.
• Strong analytical and facilitation skills.
• Ability to produce content for high standard deliverables in English.
• Sensitivity towards ethics with regards to human and child rights issues, vulnerable populations, different cultures, local customs, religious beliefs and practices, personal interaction and gender roles, disability, age, and ethnicity.
• A strong development background with a profound understanding of gender equality and human rights, including child rights, equity/inclusion. Understanding of the current regional and Belarus context will be an asset.
• Oral and written fluency in English and Russian.
• Ability to travel to Belarus.

Competencies:

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Maintains impartiality and neutrality when performing an assignment (4) Manages ambiguity and complexity (5) Identifies risks and takes necessary steps to mitigate them in the process of implementing an assignment (6) Work collaboratively and maintains integrity when working with all stakeholders.

Evaluation Criteria:

A) Technical Evaluation (e.g., maximum 75 Points)

• Demonstrated professional experience of at least five years in leading and conducting evaluations and/or assessments and producing high quality reports (40)
• Previous work experience with UNICEF to conduct evaluations and/or assessments (10)
• Demonstrated experience of evaluating/assessing programmes in education, inclusive education, promoting rights of children with disabilities (5)
• Experience of evaluating/assessing programmes in ECA region, and Belarus in particular (5)
• Experience of evaluating and/or assessing complex assistance programmes engaging partners from different sectors including governmental and non-governmental organizations and vulnerable populations (10)

B) Financial Proposal (e.g., maximum of 25 Points)

• The financial proposal will be evaluated based on the best value for money principle
• Bidders are requested to provide an all-inclusive cost in the financial proposal. In all cost implications bidders should factor the cost of the required service/assignment and provide the breakdown of these costs. Estimated cost for travel should be included in the financial proposal. Travel costs shall be calculated based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel. Costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC). Unexpected trips shall also be treated as above.

Proposals are to be submitted through the UNICEF application system.

A proposal should include:

1. The most recent CV is to be submitted to confirm meeting the specific qualification requirements for the Summative Evaluation of the IE project. The CV should also cover any additional experience that may be considered an asset in line with the TOR requirements for knowledge/skills and expertise.
2. Financial proposal.  Financial Offer template_IE evaluation international 2025.docx Bidders are requested to provide an all-inclusive cost in the financial proposal. In all cost implications bidders should factor the cost of the required service and provide the breakdown of these costs.
3. Estimated costs for travel should be included in the financial proposal separately based on an estimate of 12 travel days including tentative three days in Minsk and nine days of travel in the regions to visit project sights (pilot educational establishments). Travel costs shall be calculated based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel. Costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC). Unexpected trips shall also be treated as above. The financial proposal will be evaluated based on the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.

Each proposal will be reviewed for 1) meeting the qualifications requirements (section O) and 2) the “best value for money” principle. Applications will be evaluated as follows: technical evaluation maximum 75 points; financial proposal maximum 25 points.

Requirements:

Completed profile in UNICEF”s e-Recruitment system and

• Interested consultants should provide a letter of interest (Cover Letter) describing how they can contribute to the interventions listed under roles and responsibilities and why they should be selected for this position. In addition, they should share their latest CV/Resume and financial proposal to undertake this job.
• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal: all-inclusive lump-sum cost (including travel and accommodation cost for this assignment as per work assignment) 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.

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 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

[add the 8th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role].

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. 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 reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements