Consultancy-Education consultant: Safe, Resilient, Inclusive Schools and Learning, Abuja, Nigeria, 1 year

Contract

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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, Education

In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children's rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families. UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally - click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/

How can you make a difference?

With a population of 206 million, 43% of whom are below 14 years of age, Nigeria is considered young. At the current population growth rate of 2.5, Nigeria has the potential to reap a demographic dividend if young people are healthy, educated, connected to communities, and have opportunities for decent work and livelihoods. Over the last two decades, Nigeria has made great strides in improving access to education which has increased junior secondary school enrolment and closed gender gaps, namely in primary school.

Purpose of Assignment

The main objective of this consultancy is to support the UNICEF Nigeria Country Office to accelerate and scale-up its support to the FME and State Ministries of Education on strengthening education resilience through climate action in the education sector, the operationalization of safe school commitments and the strengthening of inclusive education, especially for children with disabilities.

Scope of Work:

(1) Conduct a mapping of early identification tools and processes for children with disabilities

• Literature review on best practices in early identification and how/steps to establish an early identification system based on ICF, Washington Module, global guidance, examples from other countries, existing policies, guidance, and practices in Nigeria. This will include criteria for assessing potential local partners.
• Develop a template for all the information needed from disability-focused actors (e.g., organization, type, location, function, technical expertise/interventions for CwD relevant to the above, target populations, approach, relationships/whether they partner with gov’t agencies, other sector, or other partners to support CwD, resources, etc.) and turn it into a partner mapping/landscape analysis survey.

2) Support the development of early warning systems for safety and climate risks in 7 states

• Provide technical input on the development of key deliverables, including feedback on the inception report and state and local consultation plans, meeting agendas and protocols for interviews and focus groups.
• Review the hazard mapping and indicator list outcomes, the methodological guidance, and the final guides for states, local actors and schools provided by the consultant against global guidance (e.g., GCPEA) and the Minimum Standards on Safe Schools to ensure alignment, compliance, and coverage.
• Review early warning system messages (e.g., for radio, SMS, etc.) and provide input to strengthen their child and developmental appropriateness and alignment with trauma-sensitive practices.

(3) Support the scaling of foundational literacy and numeracy interventions, the development of a scalable model on transition and retention, and alternate learning accreditation system

• Provide continued support to finalize the state-level validation and uptake of FLN teaching and learning material packages and procurement planning with FOs.
• Provide technical support and feedback to the retention, transition, and completion strategy.
• Support the development of alternate learning accreditation system.

(4) Proposal and strategy development

• Develop the background context, progress-to-date, outcomes, outputs, activities, ToCs and results frameworks for 4 proposals.
• Develop 2 strategies/concept notes for key thematic areas.

Task:

Support interventions across access and learning outputs, especially on school safety, climate change, foundational learning, and retention/transition.

Deliverables/Outputs:

• Support and technical input provided on early warning systems for safety and climate risks.
• Book and teachers’ guide for early environmental literacy and climate awareness among pre-primary aged learners finalized.
• State-level validation and uptake of FLN teaching and learning material packages finalized with FOs and procurement plans developed for TLMs.
• Feedback and inputs provided on the retention, transition, and completion strategy.

Early identification mapping

Deliverables/Outputs:

• Literature review on best practices in early identification drafted and revised according to feedback.
• Partner mapping survey conducted, and data set (Excel) developed.
• Mapping report drafted.

Minimum Standards for Safe Schools monitoring tool administration and data analysis, and alternate learning accreditation

Deliverables/Outputs:

• Results report updated with data from end-2024 and relevant recommendations based on new findings and trends, including progress, gaps and remaining needs.
• Accompanying presentation slides and results brief developed.
• Record of supporting the development of alternate learning accreditation system

2025 knowledge management, proposal, and strategy development

Deliverables/Outputs:

• Proposals (2); strategies, concept notes or related thematic product (1); and PowerPoint presentations or talking points for meetings including mid-year review (7); and key event planning (1) supported by mid-year.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here TOR Consultant Climate Safety Inclusion.docx

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

Education:

Advanced university degree in education, international development, social sciences or other relevant fields.

Skills:

At least 3 years of experience in research, evidence generation and knowledge management, including designing and implementing data collection tools and supporting data analysis.

Working experience in resilience education, namely environmental/climate change initiatives and/or safe school programming

Experiences:

A minimum of 5 years of experience in supporting large-scale education programmes

Experiences in working for UNICEF or UN agencies.

Experience in West Africa and ideally Nigeria context

Working experience in resilience education, namely environmental/climate change initiatives and/or safe school programming

Previous project management experience

Demonstrated success in the development of large-budget proposals and in designing and supporting the implementation of programme strategies.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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.

Remarks:

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

Applicants must submit their financial and technical proposals along with this application. Applications without these will not be considered. Use this form to provide your financial proposal All-Inclusive Financial Proposal Form (1).docx

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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.