Consultancy: Country Roll-Out Support Specialist for Digital Learning and Skills - Education Section, PD, NYHQ/Home based - Req # 538532

The consultant will be responsible for supporting UNICEF programming on skills development is strengthened through technical support, tools and guidance as well as knowledge management and advocacy products leading to stronger skills development programming, contributing to knowledge sharing within UNICEF.

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.

For every child, hope.

Consultancy Title: Country Roll-Out Support Specialist for Digital Learning and Skills.

Section/Division/Duty Station: Education Section/ PD/ NYHQ (Home Based).

Duration: April 1^st, 2021 to March 15^th, 2022 (250 days - including Public Holidays and Paid Time Off).

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates the commitment of children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

In line with Every Child Learns, the 2020-2030 education strategy, UNICEF is investing more improved learning and skills development for boys and girls from early childhood to adolescence, in particular for the most marginalized and those affected by humanitarian situations. UNICEF is doing more to promote equity and inclusion through specific efforts to reach the most vulnerable and via support to children in humanitarian and fragile contexts to access quality education opportunities.

Within this framework, UNICEF is committed to inter-agency cooperation and strengthening global goods that contribute to evidence-based programming.

Investing in children and adolescents’ learning and skills is a priority for UNICEF set out under Goal 2 of the Strategic Plan (2018-2021) and ‘Every Child Learns’ UNICEF Education Strategy (2019–2030). This priority links directly to the achievement of SDG targets, including those related to ending poverty in all its forms, enhancing education and life learning opportunities and promoting employment and decent work for all. UNICEF is working globally towards strengthening education systems that enable children and adolescents to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need for life and work. 

UNICEF’s has a focus on the most disadvantaged adolescents, including those who have dropped out of school or are at risk of dropping out, and older adolescents who are not in employment, education or training.  All programming aims to be multi-sectoral, address issues of exclusion, tackle gender inequities and negative social norms, and provide high quality and relevant learning opportunities.

Under Result 3, Goal 2 UNICEF aims to enable children and adolescents to develop skills for personal empowerment, active citizenship, non-violence, gender equality and employability, both in and out of schools, including in humanitarian situations through the following solutions:

1. Flexible and certified multiple learning pathways 
2. Cash transfer and/or fee reduction
3. School-based skills development programmes
4. Community based skills programmes 
5. Private sector collaboration in skills policy and programming

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a new openness in many countries throughout the world to take a fresh look at learning and education presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for public and private sector leaders to support the ‘re-imagining of education’ and leapfrog into the future. A key element of this transformation is scaling up world-class digital learning solutions to reach all children, including the most marginalized. Enabling every child in the world to access the best learning available facilitated by technology and providing the support for them to be successful, could be the great equalizer in education. With ambitious vision, commitment, and investment, digital learning solutions can be rapidly developed, adapted and deployed at scale, even in low-resource contexts, and reach the most marginalized learners. 

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

In close collaboration and working with the Education Specialist, Education Section NYHQ, the incumbent will lead on, Digital Learning and Skills developments.

The consultant will provide support in the following areas:

Digital Learning: Reimagine Education is UNICEF’s flagship initiative to support digital learning. The consultant will be responsible for coordination, data capture and analysis, advocacy and communications as part of UNICEF Education Section’s digital learning “Country Roll Out” team. The team is responsible for supporting UNICEF country offices to implement world-class digital learning solutions to reach all children, enabling every child to access the best learning available facilitated by technology, and rapidly developing, adapting, and deploying at scale digital learning solutions, ensuring that solutions reach the most marginalized learners, even in low-resource contexts. The consultant will contribute to this work program by utilizing skills in coordination, communication, data management, monitoring and analysis to support the development of reports, templates, dashboards, proposals, and other key program documents to support country roll-out. The consultant will also utilize strong writing skills to develop advocacy documents for the initiative and to draft talking points and briefing notes for senior management.

Skills Development: The consultant will be responsible for supporting UNICEF programming on skills development is strengthened through technical support, tools and guidance as well as knowledge management and advocacy products leading to stronger skills development programming, contributing to knowledge sharing within UNICEF;

The following results are expected by the end of the consultancy:

Digital Learning:

1. Prepare communication, information, and reporting materials for programme updates and advocacy both internally and externally at UNICEF.
2. Support country roll-out activities of digital learning.
3. Support the regular capture and update of country implementation status and next steps.
4. Write talking points and briefing notes to support senior management
5. Support the development and updates of country dashboards

Skills Development:

1. Advise on the implementation of guidance and tools to underpin the implementation of Result 2 of the UNICEF Strategic Plan including collaboration with Harvard University on Learning Kernels Project and the PROSPECTS Dutch Partnership
2. Provide technical assistance and guidance to regional and country level, supporting results reporting, evidence generation and shared learning on skills including work through the Technical Team on adolescent learning and skills.
3. Support UNICEF country offices and regional offices to strengthen education programming based on global and national best practices, with a focus on transferable and digital skills.
4. Provide concept papers, guidance and technical notes to strengthen the evidence base and strategic considerations leading to stronger skills development programming, contributing to knowledge sharing within UNICEF;
5. Contribute to Second Decade initiatives, identifying, informing and sharing good practice in adopting a multi-sectoral approach to education programming that responds to the skills development needs of marginalized adolescent boys and girls.
6. Support UNICEF’s engagement in global advocacy and partnership opportunities on skills, including the development of funding proposals where necessary

Support the overall Education Section through regular participation in relevant meetings, development of briefing material, technical reviews, input to section reports and other documents and processes as needed.

Work Assignment Overview

• Tasks/Milestone: Monthly report on key outputs related to Digital Learning and Skills Development as indicated in the TORS Duration/Estimated # of Days 22.

Duration: April 1st, 2021 to March 15th, 2022 (250 days - including Public Holidays and Paid Time Off).

Qualifications

1) Education

• Master’s degree is required.

2) Work experience: 5-7 years of strong knowledge in the areas of improving learning outcomes, especially for adolescents, including skills development.

• Experience or understanding of EdTech.
• Experience in programme coordination, reporting, and communication.
• Good programme management in education, including programme design, costing, monitoring and evaluation and reporting.
• Experience developing advocacy documents, talking points and briefing notes
• PowerPoint skills and visual design skills are desirable.

3) Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communications skills to work effectively with a team that is geographically dispersed
• Self-directed/self-motivating personality, with proven ability to manage demands from multiple stakeholders while adhering to program deadlines and priorities
• Quick to learn, motivated to self-teach and capable of independently translating new knowledge into practice
• Fluency and strong writing skills in English are required.

Requirements:

• Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include: your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

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.  

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, culture, appearance, socio-economic status, ability, age, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply to become a part of the organization.

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.