The objective of this consultancy is to work under the supervision of the ADAP Officer and in close cooperation with national partners to design, plan, and ensure the effective implementation of skills development programmes that reach the most disadvantaged youth. The consultant will coordinate and monitor programme delivery, while systematically tracking results and impact on participants.

Contract Duration- 11,5 months

Working arrangement: Office Based            

 

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.

                                                         TERMS OF REFERENCE

Uzbekistan is a young country where more than half of the population is under 30 years old. By 2048, this demographic will constitute the largest labour force Uzbekistan has ever had. Harnessing this potential is critical for the country’s economic growth, social stability, and sustainable development.

At present, however, the school-to-work transition remains highly challenging for youth. According to UNICEF’s latest statistics, 56% of young people aged 19–24 are not in education, employment, or training (NEET). The situation is particularly acute for young women, with NEET rates rising sharply after age 18 (from 1.7% to 69.0%) and reaching 74.0% among women aged 25–30. Young people with disabilities face even greater exclusion, with NEET rates of 77% among those with severe disabilities and 91% among those with profound disabilities.

The Government of Uzbekistan has consistently highlighted youth employment as a national priority, allocating considerable resources to skilling and development initiatives. Yet existing labour activation programmes frequently remain inaccessible to disadvantaged young people due to knowledge, skills, and resource gaps. Additionally, current skilling programmes often fail to align with labour market needs, perpetuating gender stereotypes (e.g., sewing for girls, plumbing for boys) and limiting girls’ participation in STEM. Pathways to employment—such as internships and on-the-job training—are scarce, and opportunities for youth with disabilities are even more restricted.

In this context, within the framework of new country program 2026-2030 UNICEF is modeling, scaling, and institutionalizing high-quality gender-responsive and inclusive skills development programmes—focusing on transferable, employability, entrepreneurship, and STEM skills—to facilitate school-to-work transition among youth, with particular attention to girls, young people with disabilities, and other disadvantaged groups.

To ensure effective coordination, monitoring, and further strengthening of these interventions, UNICEF seeks to engage a national consultant. The consultant will provide urgently needed technical and coordination support to UNICEF staff, ensuring the timely and high-quality execution of multiple initiatives. This includes identification of gaps related to skills development among youth and advancing the institutionalization of the social entrepreneurship programme UPSHIFT in inclusive TVET schools. Additional support is also expected within the implementation of EU-funded joint programme on Women Economic Empowerment.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Download File External ToR TMC0001726.pdf

Minimum requirements:

  • Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree in education, social science, public policy or other related field
  • Work Experience:
  • At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in programme design, coordination, and monitoring in the fields of youth development, skills building, education, or employment
  • Language Requirements:
  • Uzbek, English, Russian
  • Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
  • Knowledge of student-centered approach and design-thinking and experiential-learning methodologies in skills development
  • Excellent coordination and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work effectively with government counterparts, implementing partners, and youth groups.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously under tight deadlines.
  • Commitment to promoting gender equality disability inclusion, and youth empowerment.
  • Desirables:
  • Experience working with educational institutions, youth organizations, or social entrepreneurship initiatives, especially in IT sphere, is highly desirable.
  • Prior experience with UN agencies, international organizations, or donor-funded programmes is an asset.

 

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

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

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 reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 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.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

Remarks:  

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.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

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