Consultancy for English editing services for programmatic, communication and advocacy documents and materials on Education and Early Childhood Development

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.

The current COVID-19 Pandemic has affected more than 150 million learners in Latin America and the Caribbean region, where most countries have closed schools to prevent the further transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Decisions about school closures during public health emergencies are complex and highly context-specific, especially when dealing with new viruses, about which much remains unknown. As governments and health authorities are deciding whether and when to close schools and other public institutions in response to a public health crisis, prolonged school closures are having major adverse consequences on children and adolescents, particularly of the most vulnerable populations. The longer children are out of school, the higher the risks that vulnerable children will not return. Children and adolescents from the poorest households are already almost five times more likely to be out of primary school than those from the richest. Being out of schools puts children and adolescents, especially girls, at increased risk of teenaged pregnancy, sexual abuse, child marriage and other dangers. These negative impacts will be significantly higher for children and adolescents living in the poorest countries and those affected by conflict, increasing inequality.

School closures should not negate a child’s or adolescent’s right to education. Solid plans and flexible measures should be implemented to ensure the continuity of education and support learning opportunities. These efforts must aspire to reach all children and adolescents through appropriate mechanisms, tools and platforms, with due consideration for the most vulnerable groups such as girls, children and adolescents on the move and refugees, with disabilities, living in the most remote communities, from poor and low-income families and indigenous populations. In this context, advocacy and external communication efforts are essential for UNICEF LACRO to share information and exchange knowledge so that all children and adolescents in the region can fulfill their right to an inclusive and equitable quality education, in line with the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2018-2021 and the SDG4: “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

For more information about UNICEF and its work. (www.unicef.org/lac).

For every child, education

Purpose of the Job

The purpose of this consultancy is to undertake the English editing of various communication and advocacy materials, as well as documents and tools for programmatic support of the Education Section in LACRO, related to education, skills development, early childhood development, inclusion and disabilities, among others.

How can you make a difference?

Specific Tasks

Submit the English edited documents in MS® Word, including boxes, graphs, charts, tables, footnotes, endnotes and bibliography/references (according to the Organisation’s guidelines and formats as described in the UNICEF Style Book).

Expected Results 

The consultant must:

• Provide high-quality, accurate and timely editing of documents, publications reports, brochures, leaflets, infographics, among others, following UNICEF’s style and brand guidelines.
• Deliver technically clear and fluent documents that do not require subsequent proofreading.
• Maintain confidentiality and refrain from sharing any information about the content of the document. No documents should not be shared with third parties.

Deliverables

• Literature-based systematization of experiences and tools and guidelines to monitor students’ progress and formative assessment of learning outcomes in distance learning contexts. September 2020
• Diagnostic study on alternative education opportunities for Venezuelan migrant and refugee adolescents and out-of-school adolescents from receiving communities in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. October 2020
• Systematization report on regional task-force-team for disability-inclusion. October 2020
• Systematization report on “A house with many windows” program. October 2020
• Recommendations of the Education in Emergencies (EiE) Interventions to Support the Most Vulnerable Communities for Continuous Learning in Latin America and the Caribbean (ECW Report). September 2020
• Belize CCD Case Study November 2020 ECD Covid-19 mapping. December 2020

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

• Education: University degree in literature, languages, education, social sciences or related.
• Work Experience: More than 5 years of proven professional experience in editing technical documents, reports, publications, articles, books and materials in English.
• Languages: Fluency in English and Spanish. Excellent written communication skills in English.

Technical knowledge: 

• Knowledge about the Convention on the Rights of the Child and familiarity with UNICEF and the United Nations Agencies type of language and terminology.
• Experience working with educational resources of UNICEF or other United Nations agencies will be an asset.

Other skills and attributes 

• Ability to develop and adapt materials respecting the guidelines, branding and editorial policies of UNICEF.
• Ability to work efficiently under tight deadlines. Must be detail oriented and creative and possess strong communication skills.
• Capacity to work in stressful conditions.
• Flexibility and adaptability to shifting conditions and work demands.
• Capacity to communicate effectively and work collaboratively.
• High level of Integrity and commitment to UNICEF mission and professional values.
• Good judgment, initiative, high sense of responsibility, tact and discretion.
• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and ability to establish harmonious working relations in a multicultural environment.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF core values of care, respect, integrity, trust, and accountability.

UNICEF competencies: building and maintains partnerships, demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, drive to achieve results for impact, innovates and embraces change, manages ambiguity and complexity, thinks and acts strategically, works collaboratively with others and nurtures, and, leads and manages people.

View our competency framework at: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Remarks:

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.

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.

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.