Consultancy: Skill development, including in science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) & Jobs for Girls, Gender & Rights Section, PD, NYHQ, Requisition #513977

UNICEF is seeking a consultant to help the Gender Section to better identify the state of the art in this area and to prioritize the most promising strategies, partners, locations, and solutions for further engagement.

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.

Background & Rationale

UNICEF is undertaking efforts to build a coalition to advance solutions and investments in young people, helping to prepare them for the economies and working world of the 21^st century. A focus on girls and the disadvantages they face—and the opportunities they present—is a key part of this effort. Skill development, including in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), is also a targeted priority in UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan (GAP) 2018 – 2021. UNICEF is interested in supporting the STEM skills development of girls at secondary level and beyond through at-scale models, developing capabilities for both personal and social advancement as well as for employment. This includes developing or improving existing out of school curricula and teaching methodologies in STEM skills’ programming to facilitate girls’ learning and skills for employability; improving financing and partnerships to expand pilot programming successes; greater focus on innovative platforms to learn and access meaningful work.

Purpose

UNICEF is seeking a consultant to help the Gender Section to better identify the state of the art in this area and to prioritize the most promising strategies, partners, locations, and solutions for further engagement. The consultant will support three deliverables:

1. A landscape analysis of existing out-of-school STEM skill programmes, understanding what is working for girls
2. A compilation of stakeholders and partners with a shared interest in advancing girls’ STEM skills and employability, with a specific focus on technology skills and tech jobs
3. Documentation and technical support to existing UNICEF out-of-school STEM programming for girls and employment connection platforms, and support to development of communication materials for key advocacy events such as International Day of the Girl 2018.

The consultant will work directly with the Senior Gender team at UNICEF NYHQ. The consultant will also consult with Regional and Country Offices and other internal and external colleagues as appropriate.

Expected results and activities

UNICEF’s efforts to shape a Young People’s Initiative have a strong gender dimension that requires a strategic and evidence based approach to investing in and empowering adolescent girls. Under the supervision of the Senior Gender Advisor, the consultant will work to identify and map key information on select gender dimensions of the Young People’s Initiative to support the shaping of sound next steps in moving forward with key initiatives and partnerships.

(S)he will be responsible for the following activities:

1. The consultant will compile and analyse information on key out-of-school initiatives supporting youth skills in STEM and what is working for girls in particular. The information will be organized within meaningful analytical frameworks and establish some criteria for prioritization (e.g. experience/expertise, size/scale, geographic focus, etc.). This landscape exercise should provide a strong (although not necessarily comprehensive) picture of the range of initiatives in this space with a meaningful gender analysis of this ecosystem.
2. The consultant will build on this information by supporting a consolidated mapping of stakeholders and partners who have a shared interest in supporting STEM skills development and jobs for girls via at-scale out-of-school platforms. A particular focus of the mapping will be on tech skills for girls and access to tech employment. This exercise will identify critical partnership opportunities to advance quality, at-scale approaches with and for girls.
3. The consultant will support global data, programming and communication efforts to advance evidence and learnings in girls’ STEM skills for success, including realizing their professional and economic potential. These include assets for International Day of the Girl in October 2018.

Duty Station : NY based preferred

Timeframe

Start date: 23 July 2018
End date:  21 January 2019

Deliverables 

Key competences, technical background, and experience required  

• An advanced university degree (Master's) in the social sciences (i.e. international development, education, sociology) or directly related technical fields, in combination with an academic background/ research experience in gender;
• Significant experience of 2+ years in conducting research or programming at national and international level in training and skills, employability and livelihoods, and gender equality.
• Strong analytical research skills and demonstrated experience in organizing complex programmatic information into meaningful categories and synthesizing data across fields of practice;
• Experience with and understanding of private sector and innovative partnerships and philanthropy highly preferred;
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks within agreed deadlines and with attention to details;
• Experience working in the UN or other international development organizations an asset.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills.

Application Material

Applications must include:

• Detailed curriculum vitae including a description of main achievements;
• Submission of at least 2 products and/or writing samples related to this TOR scope;
• Minimum of three references that include the name of the contact person, title and contact information.

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable). Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

Remarks

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.  

At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

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

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.