Individual Consultancy: Results-Based Financing Manager, Education Outcomes Fund, London, UK [Remote/3 months w/possible extension up to 11.5 months] REQ#540733

There are few greater challenges faced by the global community than the twin crises of learning poverty and youth unemployment. In response, the Education Commission (chaired by Gordon Brown, former UK Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy for Global Education) and the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (chaired by Sir Ronald Cohen) came together to create EOF. We aim to improve the education and employment outcomes of 10 million children and youth by supporting governments to utilise a range of innovative finance instruments at scale, including outcomes funds and other results-based financing (RBF) instruments.

For every child, education...

*Previous applicants need not apply*

EOF is backed by a range of world leaders who support this objective, as well as leaders in education and impact investing. Our Executive Committee includes Sir Ronald Cohen, Sir Michael Barber, Dolika Banda, George Werner and Rob Jenkins. Our High Level Steering Group includes, amongst others, Aliko Dangote, Aicha Bah Diallo, Henrietta Fore, Jakaya Kikwete, Felipe Calderon and Christos Stylianides.

EOF supports improvements in the quality of education and skills programs, with a special focus on underserved populations, including the hardest to reach; rural populations, girls, children with disabilities, and refugees. It measures (and pays for) what matters – both core skills like literacy and numeracy, but also critical 21st Century skills such as socio-emotional skills, ICT skills, and other broader fundamentals of a quality education. It helps close the persistent gap between the skills needed by employers and those attained by today’s youth by paying for employment and retention outcomes. 

For all the above, EOF pays primarily on the basis of the results achieved, ensuring that taxpayer-funded domestic resources, aid, and philanthropic funds are only used to pay for what works. This is a game-changing way to finance results in education. It is more than just a fund – it is a powerful new set of partnerships and way of working. 

Together with our supporters, we believe this is the early stages of a much larger movement. Our approach is at the cutting edge of development finance, shifting risk to the private sector, crowding in private capital, and harnessing the capacity and capability of non-state actors, with huge potential to achieve better outcomes for children and youth around the world. 

Since our inception in 2018, EOF has:

• Partnered with governments in Ghana and Sierra Leone to establish what will be, once launched, the two largest outcomes funds to date in developing countries.
• Become established as a leading global player in RBF, and the only dedicated centre of expertise for RBF in education and skills.
• Become established as the first outcomes fund hosted by the United Nations.
• Built our institutional capacity to contract and implement large scale outcomes funds more efficiently and effectively than historic impact bonds.
• Established a strong culture of performance, and an active focus on ongoing professional development for all our team. 

How can you make a difference?

We are seeking to recruit a high-calibre Results-Based Financing Manager to kick-start our rapidly growing pipeline of work in the skills sector that will help transform the effectiveness of youth employment programs and address the crisis of youth unemployment.

The Manager will report to the EOF Director and the work produced will be functionally supervised by the program team.

The broad purpose of this consultancy is to:

• Play a leading role in the work of EOF’s Program Team to scope and design RBF programs, with a particular focus on the skills for employment sector;
• Engage governments, donors, investors, implementors, and other stakeholders; 
• Support EOF’s pipeline development and fundraising efforts by building strong relationships with potential funders, identifying and pursuing opportunities;
• Support the growth of the EOF team and culture;
• Participate in EOF’s communication and advocacy strategy. 

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

• A minimum of a Master’s degree in economics, political science, finance, education or a related field.
• A Bachelor’s degree may be considered with 2 additional years of experience.
• 5-8 years of professional experience
• Experience in innovative financing, in particular with Results-Based Financing instruments or incentive structures is preferred
• Experience in the skills or employment sector is preferred
• Experience working in Africa / the Middle East is preferred
• Experience in evaluation design and / or management is preferred
• Fluency in English is required
• Proficiency in French, Arabic or other languages in Africa or the MENA region is preferred
• Relevant experience includes, but is not limited to, the following sectors:
  • International development
  • Charity or public sectors
  • Strategy consulting
  • Think tanks / research institutes
  • Investment or development banking

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Key competencies

We expect you to bring the following skills / competencies:

• Build and maintain partnerships: you are able to build a network of external stakeholders and alliances with government counterparts, civil society, the media and the private sector, in order to promote and advance the work of the organization. You possess excellent communication skills and are able to engage existing and potential partners including Government, donors, investors and providers and build trust-based relationships in support of EOF’s vision.
• Think and act strategically: you understand the big picture and are able to identify potential opportunities for action and challenges that exist. You form sound evidence-based judgements in the delivery of results. Whether working on programs or contributing to the growth and development of the EOF team, you are able anticipate risks and identify strategic opportunities.
• Nurture, lead and manage people: You provide exemplary management and leadership, motivating and developing colleagues to perform at their best, while building diverse and inclusive teams. You have experience effectively supporting the development and growth of junior members of the team, either when working with them on programs or through line management responsibilities. You promote an environment of open and respectful communication and are comfortable providing and requesting feedback regularly and in a constructive manner.
• Drive to achieve results for impact: you commit to action and assume responsibility and ownership for your own performance and the associated outcomes.
• Innovate and embrace change: you are open to and propose new approaches and ideas. You adapt and respond positively to change. You have  an entrepreneurial mindset, you are a self-starter able to take initiative and ownership while seeking input when appropriate. You thrive in a nimble start-up environment, where everyone can and should take initiative beyond a narrow scope of work and respond to shifting priorities with agility.
• Work collaboratively with others: you establish and maintain mutually supportive working relationships, demonstrating sensitivity to people of diverse backgrounds, respecting differences and ensuring that all can contribute and succeed. You enjoy team work and remain mindful of the need to collaborate with people outside your immediate area of responsibility.
• Manage ambiguity and complexity. You demonstrate resilience and composure, get things done despite challenges and maintain performance levels in pressured, adverse and uncertain environments.
• Demonstrate self-awareness and ethical awareness: you are self-aware of your own strengths, limitations, working style and deeply held convictions and biases. You display ethical awareness through behaviours that are consistent and compliant with the standards of conduct for international civil servants, UNICEF’s values and relevant UNICEF policies and procedures.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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.

UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

This position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/ assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate.

Remarks:

Duration:

Three (3) months, to be extended based on satisfactory performance and availability of funding up to 12 months (renewable).

PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Select proposed methodology Monthly

Payments will be made monthly. The proposed rate should inclusive of all professional fees, daily allowances, living allowances, and other administrative costs and should assume a full-time commitment.

Applicants are invited to include a cover letter of interest, CV, and proposed fees (monthly in British Sterling), to undertake the above TOR.  Applications submitted without a proposed fee will not be accepted.

Duty Station

Home-based. Candidates are expected to be available during working hours in the Europe / Africa / Middle East time zones.  International travel to deliver project objectives is expected once the Covid-19 travel restrictions have been lifted.

Should “mission travel” be required, UNICEF will manage and pay for travel via Travel Authorization.  However, this will be subject to the following prerequisites:  Medical Clearance, Security Clearance through the Travel Request Information Process (TRIP) system, the Basic and Advanced Security in the Field Trainings, Travel Visa, and liability waiver. Trip prerequisites will be met at the expense of the consultant.

Travel cost shall be calculated based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel.  Costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC at http://icsc.un.org).  The consultant must travel on UNICEF approved airlines.

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

If selected for this consultancy, the resulting appointment will be limited to EOF, a UNICEF hosted fund.

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.