JOB DESCRIPTION

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Multiple

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Duty Station Time) : 1-NOV-2025

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

I. BACKGROUND

UNESCO’s Section for Teacher Development is dedicated to ensuring every learner benefits from qualified, motivated, and empowered teachers. The Section aims to enhance teachers” status, professionalization, and working conditions while contributing to the education targets of the 2030 Agenda, particularly target 4.c, which focuses on increasing the supply of qualified teachers.

The Section also hosts the Secretariat of the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 (Teacher Task Force, TTF) which is a voluntary, multistakeholder partnership committed to promoting sufficient, qualified, supported, and motivated teachers as essential to achieving the teacher target of the Education 2030 Framework for Action and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The TTF focuses on SDG indicator 4.c – as aligned with the Incheon Declaration – and works to ensure teachers and educators are empowered, adequately recruited, well trained, professionally qualified, motivated, and supported within well-resourced, efficient, and effectively governed education systems (UNESCO, 2016).

The Global Report on Teachers is a flagship activity of UNESCO and the Teacher Task Force, supporting the international community in advancing its commitment to the Education 2030 Agenda and Target 4.c. It is published every two years with a new theme; each addressing a critical aspect of teacher-related issues. The Report features a monitoring section every four years.

The theme of the 2026 Edition, the lifelong learning of teachers, is grounded in UNESCO’s longstanding advocacy for lifelong learning – from the Faure (1972) and Delors (1996) reports to the Incheon Declaration (2016) and the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession (2024), which argues that supporting educators” continuous professional development is essential for achieving SDG 4 and addressing global teacher shortages. The theme is further grounded in the principles outlined in the Reimagining our futures together report (International Commission on the Futures of Education, 2021), which proposes to collectively reimagine and transform education systems into inclusive, adaptive lifelong learning ecosystems.

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II. DUTIES AND REQUIREMENTS

Under the authority of the Director of the Division for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems (ED/PLS), and the direct supervision of the Chief of the Teacher Development Section and Head of the Teacher Task Force Secretariat (ED/PLS/TED), the individual consultant shall:

• Synthesize information and evidence from a wide range of sources, including but not limited to government policies, academic publications, grey literature and organizational reports, national case studies, and other types of outputs;
• Conduct secondary data analysis of empirical data (qualitative and/or quantitative) to support report drafting;
• Draft, edit, and revise the original text for the 2026 Global Report on Teachers based on the results of ongoing information and evidence synthesis; submitting first, second, third and fourth full drafts of the report that include all sections of the proposed structure as indicated in section III, including a Power Point presentation of its key findings;
• Refine each draft based on feedback from UNESCO and the Report’s Editorial Board, and prepare subsequent versions ensuring all references are formatted according to the UNESCO Style Manual.
• Liaise with key stakeholders involved in the 2026 Global Report on Teachers to gather evidence, obtain feedback, build consensus, and maximize dissemination potential, including but not limited to preparing draft materials for Editorial Board and attending its meetings.

The individual will work both independently and collaboratively. Some tasks – in particular the evidence synthesis, data analysis, and drafting and revising of the Report – will involve considerable periods of independent work, but the entire consultancy will be conducted in collaboration with and support from a small team, and under the supervision of the responsible officer.

The main internal contacts will be the supervisor and Chief of Section. The main external contacts will be consultants, academic researchers, members of 2026 Global Report on Teachers Editorial Board, the Teacher Task Force, and representatives of Member States.

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III. ORGANIZATION OF THE WORK

The drafting, editing, and revising of the original text for the 2026 Global Report on Teachers will follow this proposed structure:

1. Executive Summary (summary of the key findings, conclusions and policy recommendations). (1 500 words)
2. Introduction (purpose and scope of the paper and global context; centrality of teachers, teaching, and teachers’ professional development; transformation of education systems through lifelong learning for educators; conceptualization of lifelong learning and the teacher workforce). (10 000 words)
3. Lifelong and life-entangled journeys of teaching practice (teaching practice, initial teacher education, continuous teacher professional development, and bodies of professional and pedagogical knowledge). (14 000 words)
4. Educators learning from, in and with communities (including collaboration, peer exchange, and professional communities, among others). (10 000 words)
5. Holistic teacher development: learning for joy and inspiration (beyond instrumental training to embrace personal, professional, and ethical growth). (10 000 words)
6. Leadership, agency, and social justice: learning to lead and learning to influence for collective transformation (beyond outcomes; focus on knowledge production and dissemination by teachers; capacity building for teachers’ professional agency and political action) (10 000 words)
7. Conclusion and policy recommendations (4 500 words)
9. References
10. Annexes

• The manuscript should be written in English at an excellent level and consistent with the genre.
• Equity and inclusion in accessing LLL (considering gender, socio-economic inequalities, etc.) should be a cross-cutting theme throughout the drafts.
• The full manuscript will be approximately 60,000 words (Times New Roman font, double-spaced, excluding references and annexes).
• The bibliography must include references in at least two languages and reflect a solid academic reference base as well as policy documents and policy briefs. All documents should be correctly referenced as per the UNESCO Manual Style.
• Case studies or examples should cover different regions of the world – Africa, Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and North America, Latin America and the Caribbean – and seek to balance regional representation.
• Teachers of ECCE, TVET, higher education, and ALE all together should represent at least 50% of the focus of the analysis, case studies and examples, alongside considerations of primary and secondary educators. The content of each sub-section of chapters should be well-connected, with a clear structure and coherent arguments throughout the document.

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IV. TIMELINE and DELIVERABLES

• Research and writing materials to be presented and discussed at the December Editorial Board meeting of the Global Report on Teachers – 21/11/2025
• Production of an updated and detailed annotated outline of the Global Report on Teachers – 19/12/2025
• Consolidate research and writing to produce a full first draft of the Global Report on Teachers – 30/01/2026
• Based on internal and external feedback, produce a revised second full draft of the Global Report on Teachers – 27/03/2026
• Following further reviews, a third full draft of the Global Report on Teachers – 15/05/2026
• Based on reviews and edition work, a fourth full draft of the Global Report on Teachers – 30/06/2026
• An Executive Summary of the report, based on the latest draft, and a Power Point presentation of its key findings – 15/07/2026

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V. TERMS AND APPLICATION PROCESS

Duration of Contract: 9 months, may be extended to 11 months.

Submission of Application: interested individuals are invited to submit their applications to the UNESCO Careers website.

Interested candidates DO NOT need to complete the Employment History form, instead, please upload the following documents (all in English) and submit them as a single combined PDF file in ‘Employment History Form / My Documents’.

1. A cover letter (1 page maximum) indicating how your qualifications and experience make you well positioned for the assignment.
2. An updated Curriculum Vitae (CV; 5 pages maximum), indicating three references.
3. Three key works or reports/publications written or coordinated by the candidate. Access to such publications should be granted through hyperlinks or PDF/print versions provided in a consolidated document (if they are only available offline).
4. Written technical and financial proposals, including:

4.1 Technical: an approach and methodology for carrying out the assignment (maximum 2 pages), including a workplan/timeline and comments and/or questions on the Terms of Reference, if any, and

4.2 Financial: the proposed consultancy fee for the assignment, quoted in USD, inclusive of all costs. Please indicate both a monthly and total rate. In addition, provide a breakdown of the total fee per expected deliverable/output (from the table in Section V), in line with the terms of reference.

In assessing the proposals for the assignment, attention will focus first on the technical elements. From those proposals deemed suitable in terms of the criteria in the Terms of Reference, UNESCO shall select the proposal that offers the Organisation the best value for money.

Only applications providing all requested information in the application procedure will be considered. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.

Evaluation of qualified applicants will include the review of the curriculum vitae, cover letter, report/publications, and technical and financial proposals, and proposed consultancy fee.

Evaluation of qualified applicants may include an assessment exercise and/or a competency-based interview.

Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidate(s) about the outcome or status of the selection process.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

Accountability (C)

Communication (C)

Innovation (C)

Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)

Planning and organizing (C)

Results focus (C)

Teamwork (C)

Professionalism (C)

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For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education of expert(s)
Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in the field of Education, Lifelong learning, Adult Education, Comparative and International Education, Education Leadership, Education Policy, Sociology of Education, Teacher Education, or a related field.

Work experience

• Minimum five (5) years in the fields of education, education policy, or international development, of which preferably one (1) year acquired at international level.
• Proven experience producing research and international reports for publication.
• Proven experience analyzing and synthesizing data and research evidence.
• Proven experience engaging with diverse stakeholders, including engagement with governments, funding agencies, non-governmental organizations and/or international organizations.

Required skills/Competencies

• Extensive knowledge of the work, lives, and education of teachers, including their initial training, continuous professional development, engagement with communities, and involvement in leadership and political processes.
• Excellent writing skills, including the ability to write clear and concise texts, reports, and policy-oriented publications for specialist and non-specialist audiences, and to ensure the accuracy of outputs through careful research, referencing, peer review, and consultations.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to conceptualize and produce research on complex social and education issues from a global and national perspective.
• Demonstrated skills in managing complex projects, including coordination with internal colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Proven ability to work effectively under pressure, manage high workloads and tight deadlines, and act flexibly to adjust work schedules and priorities.
• Excellent computer skills (MS Office), including knowledge and experience of using data analysis software (e.g., NVivo, MaxQDA, R, Stata).

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DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Desirable skills/Competencies

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to interact with a variety of actors and work effectively and respectfully in a multicultural environment.

Languages
• Excellent English language skills, and good knowledge of another UN language (Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese or Russian).

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SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.

The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as an interview.

UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.

Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.

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UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity. UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment. UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States (last update here) are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply. Individuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality. Worldwide mobility is required for staff members appointed to international posts.

UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.

Please note that UNESCO is a non-smoking Organization.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements