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, protection.

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How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF Afghanistan aims to design and pilot a positive and playful parenting program for children aged 7 and above. The parenting program will build on the existing positive parenting programme for children 0-6 years and will provide evidence-based parenting toolkit that promotes inclusive and gender-sensitive principles and practices.

The parenting program will help parents and caregivers to enhance their relationships with their children aged 7 and above and foster positive development. It will also assist parents to establish a caring and responsive relationship with their child, become aware of their child’s behaviour and respond in a positive, consistent, and non-violent manner, and support the child to develop social and emotional skills.

UNICEF Afghanistan country office invites applications from qualified international consultants to develop training syllabi and modules for the positive parenting program for children aged 7 and above and followed by building of the capacity of UNICEF staff and partners on parenting approaches and practices.

This will be a consultancy for 75 days in a period of 6 months, to support the Child Protection team in the efforts to scale up the positive parenting programme. The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Child Protection Specialist (VAC and GBV) and under the oversight of the Chief of Child Protection.

Scope of Work:

The incumbent is responsible for review existing resources, including the positive parenting for children 0-6 years and develop a new positive parenting programme for children 7 and above and adolescents, their parents and caregivers, aiming to improve caregivers’ parenting skills, knowledge, while preventing violence against children and children’s development and growth.

The scope of work is detailed below:

I. Development of an inception report:

• The consultant is expected to work remotely and submit an inception report outlining approaches and methodology for undertaking the assignment following consultation with UNICEF and Partner staff and review of available national and international evidence-based parenting program resources for children aged 7 and above.

II. Parenting program syllabi and modules

• A set of syllabi, modules and lesson plans for the parenting programme 7 and above. These are to be aligned with international standards and the existing positive parenting programme for children 0-6, contextualized, and outlining the objectives, content, methods, materials, and evaluation of the training sessions, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the trainers and trainees.

• A report from the meeting with UNICEF staff and partners to present the staff resources before the ToT to collect preliminary feedback.

III. Write a report from the 5 days ToT facilitated to UNICEF staff and partners.

• Develop training materials based on the new syllabi and modules.

• Report from the induction meeting held for UNICEF CP staff from all 5 regions

• Report from the trainings organized for UNICEF staff and partners

IV. Field testing report

• Develop a work plan for field testing to be implemented by UNICEF staff and partners at the field level

• A report from the field testing of the parenting program syllabi and lesson plans implemented by UNICEF staff and partners, summarizing the feedback from UNICEF staff and partners and the revisions made based on the feedback.

V. Final report and presentation of the outcome

• The final versions of the parenting program syllabi, modules and training material including the lesson plans, ready for the rollout of the parenting group sessions.

• Development and delivery of a PowerPoint Presentation to UNICEF staff to share key findings and recommendations.

Work Assignments Overview 

Deliverables/Outputs

Delivery Deadline

• consultation meetings with UNICEF staff and partners from each region to understand the ongoing efforts, capacity needs and priorities and develop a capacity building plan.
• Review global materials related to positive parenting programme age 7 and above and consult with UNICEF staff and partners, to gather information on areas to be prioritized as part of the positive parenting 7 and above guidelines.
• Write an inception report specifying how he/she intends to undertake the assignment and to include a work plan with a specific timeline for each deliverable.

 

Inception report including the following:

 

• The outcome from consultation meetings held with UNICEF staff and partners including a capacity building plan.
• Summary findings from a rapid review of existing syllabi and content related to positive and playful parenting programs age 7 and above

 

15 working days (remotely)

• Produce the first draft syllabi and modules. This will be informed by the existing materials for children 0-6, information gathered from UNICEF staff and partners and lessons recorded from ongoing initiatives in selected countries.
• Develop an easy-to-administer tool to be used in pre- and post- surveys to measure caregiver’s satisfaction and self-efficacy in their parenting role.
• Organize a meeting with UNICEF staff and partners to present the staff resources before the ToT to collect preliminary feedback.

 

Parenting program syllabi and modules

• A set of syllabi, modules and lesson plans for the parenting programme 7 and above. These are to be aligned with international standards and the existing positive parenting programme for children 0-6, contextualized, and outlining the objectives, content, methods, materials, and evaluation of the training sessions, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the trainers and trainees.
• A report from the meeting with UNICEF staff and partners to present the staff resources before the ToT to collect preliminary feedback.

30 working days (remotely)

 

• Develop all training materials (concept note, agenda, presentations, group work exercises, recommended reading resources, step-by-step guide to organize PPP activities, playing materials) based on the new syllabi and modules.
• Conduct a 2-day training with 15 child protection staff from the national and regional offices.
• Conduct a ToT 5-day training with 20 UNICEF partners (social workers, master trainers and extenders, frontliners) to equip participants with practical learner-centred approaches suitable for illiterate/low literate caregivers in low resourced contexts.

A report from the 5 days ToT facilitated to UNICEF staff and partners.

• Develop training materials based on the new syllabi and modules.
• Report from the induction meeting held for UNICEF CP staff from all 5 regions
• Report from the trainings organized for UNICEF staff and partners

 

15 working days (remotely)

• Develop a plan for field testing of the parenting program syllabi to be discussed with UNICEF staff and partners. Consider strategies for parallel field testing to expedite the process.
• Have regular online calls with UNICEF staff and partners, to support with the testing of the guidelines in 5 regions of Afghanistan.

Field testing report

• Work plan for field testing to be implemented by UNICEF staff and partners at the field level.
• A report on the field testing of the parenting program syllabi and lesson plans, summarizing the feedback from UNICEF staff and partners and the revisions made based on the feedback.

10 working days in Kabul

• Finalize the syllabi and modules with all comments incorporated.
• Produce a final report with information on the findings and recommendation for the rollout of the programme, including in coordination with the existing positive parenting 0-6 programme.

Final report and presentation of the outcome

• The final versions of the parenting program syllabi, modules and training material including the lesson plans, ready for the rollout of the parenting group sessions.
• Develop and deliver a PowerPoint Presentation to UNICEF staff to share key findings and recommendations.

5 working days (remotely)

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Applications must include:

• Cover letter.
• Resume.
• Samples of previous work.
• Financial offer in USD. (This should only be the day rate for working days. UNICEF will provide a daily subsistence allowance for calendar days spent in Afghanistan, including weekends, to cover out-of-pocket costs while in-country, including accommodation. Travel, international and local, will be reimbursed.)
• Applications submitted without financial and technical proposals will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advanced to the next stage of the selection process.
• Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract 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 and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors 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.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s) in Education, Development Studies, or Social Sciences or its equivalent, with a focus on Early Childhood Development, Parenting Education, or related fields.
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in humanitarian and development sector, with a track record of designing and implementing high-quality and evidence-based programs on Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Development, parental and community engagement, parenting education.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and leadership skills, with the ability to deliver clear and concise messages, facilitate interactive and participatory learning sessions, and manage complex and diverse teams.
• Ability to work effectively with multiple stakeholders, such as service providers, parents and community members, and to foster strong partnerships and networks to support the implementation and sustainability of the parenting program.
• Strong skills in conducting participatory consultations with diverse groups of people, mothers/parents/caregivers, especially on issues related to early childhood development, pre-primary education, nutrition/health for young children.
• Knowledge of early childhood development and early education and gender issues in Afghanistan regions and familiarity with UNICEF policies, practices, plans, and approaches is an added advantage.
• Excellent English, writing and verbal communication skills – required. Persian and Pashto language skills will be an asset.

How to apply:

• Interested applicants are required to submit a financial proposal with an all-inclusive fee.  Please see the financial proposal template here: Consultancy Financial Offer template.docx
• Applications without a financial proposal will not be considered.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF”s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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: 

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

Interested consultants are required to apply online, indicating availability and all-inclusive lump sum fee to undertake the terms of reference.

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract 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 and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors 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.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements