Consultant - Senior Strategic Plan Development Advisor, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) - Remote Based

Consultant Teaching & Training Programme & Policy

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 . . .

ECW is the first global fund dedicated to education in emergencies and protracted crises. It was launched by international humanitarian and development aid actors, along with public and private donors, to address the urgent education needs of 75 million children and adolescents in conflict and crisis settings. ECW’s investment modalities are designed to usher in a more collaborative approach among actors on the ground, ensuring relief and development organizations join forces to achieve education outcomes. Education Cannot Wait is hosted by UNICEF. The Fund is administered under UNICEF’s financial, human resources, and administrative rules and regulations, while operations are run by the Fund’s own independent governance structure.

How can you make a difference?

ECW’s overarching goal is to support the delivery of quality education to the millions of children and youth – aged 3 to 18 years – in areas of the globe that are most affected by conflict and disaster. The Fund’s first Strategic Plan was endorsed in April 2018, covering the period 2018-2021. In 2021, in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, the plan was extended by one year – until the end of 2022. The Strategic Plan sets an overarching goal and strategic objectives in pursuit of that goal. These strategic objectives drive and give coherent direction to all of the Fund’s activities during the strategic planning period.

ECW is in the process of developing its next Strategic Plan and seeks the services of an experienced strategic planning advisor who can support ECW to facilitate stakeholder consultations and to develop its next Strategic Plan. Development of the next Strategic Plan will be led by ECW’s Director and Senior Management Team and undertaken through a participatory process, involving regular consultations via its diverse ExCom membership, which is comprised of representatives from donor countries, UN agencies, inter-governmental organisations, civil society organisations and networks, private sector, foundations and crisis-affected countries. Consultations will also be conducted through established reference groups. In addition, an online platform will be utilised to enable communication on dedicated topics and to facilitate sharing of detailed feedback.

Reflections will also be gathered from ECW staff through various methods, including a staff reflections workshop. The Strategic Plan will be finalised by August 2022, with a reflections paper to be developed by April 2022 followed by a substantive draft in June 2022.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The consultant will directly report to the Chief of Strategic Planning and Accountability and perform the following duties, but not limited to:

• consultation planning and mapping;
• support ECW to undertake senior-level in-person and virtual stakeholder consultations and focus group discussions through an ExCom forum and online platform to gather inputs and feedback;

• lead the design and facilitation of an ECW Secretariat staff reflections workshop;

• solicit, review and track technical inputs from ECW staff throughout the development process;

• support ECW to prepare for consultation sessions, including supporting on identifying priority areas for consultation and developing background documents and communication pieces;
• ensure ongoing synthesis reporting of consultation outcomes and areas in need of resolution and harmonisation;
• collect inputs through relevant meetings and discussions, including regular ExCom forum meetings and a Secretariat reflection workshop;
• contribute strategic inputs to a reflections paper capturing insights and feedback from consultations with stakeholders and the ECW Secretariat;
• support ECW to draft the first and final versions of the Strategic Plan, ensuring alignment with the updated Results Framework, Theory of Change and Gender Policy and Framework; and

• provide inputs as requested by the supervisor directly related to this assignment.

Expected Key Deliverables:

The specific timeline for each deliverable will be agreed upon between ECW and the consultant at the beginning stage of the assignment. The key deliverables include:

1. Develop a detailed stakeholder consultation plan and ensure integration of the consultation plan with the ECW work plan for the Strategic Plan development.
2. Design and facilitate an ECW Secretariat staff workshop; capture outcomes and develop an action plan.
3. Assist ECW to prepare for consultation sessions, including supporting in identifying priority areas for consultation and developing background documents and communication pieces.
4. Support ECW to prepare for in-person and virtual consultations with stakeholders by identifying areas in need of follow-up and clarification (based on previous consultation sessions or inputs received through the platform), co-ordinating technical inputs from ECW teams and preparing presentations and communication materials.
5. Support ECW to undertake senior-level in-person and virtual stakeholder consultations and focus group discussions through an ExCom forum and online platform to gather inputs and feedback.
6. Review and track technical inputs from ECW staff and external stakeholders throughout the development process and identify action points and areas in need of harmonisation.
7. Contribute inputs to a reflections paper for stakeholders and the first and final versions of the Strategic Plan.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

Estimate Budget

1

Stakeholder consultation plan developed and aligned with Strategic Plan work plan.

22 January 2022

1%

2

ECW Secretariat staff workshop designed and facilitated.

February 2022

4%

3

ECW assisted with preparations for consultation sessions

February-July 2022

15%

4

ECW supported to undertake senior-level in-person and virtual stakeholder consultations and focus group discussions.

February-July 2022

15%

5

Technical inputs from ECW staff and external stakeholders reviewed and tracked and action points and areas in need of harmonisation are identified.

Ongoing

15%

6

Strategic inputs provided and incorporated in a reflections paper for stakeholders.

March-April 2022

20%

7

ECW supported to draft the first and final versions of the Strategic Plan, ensuring alignment with the updated Results Framework, Theory of Change and Gender Policy and Framework.

April-August 2022

30%

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in one of the following fields: international development, international relations, social sciences, social work, business or public administration, government, public policy, or other related fields.
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in international development, international relations, social sciences, social work, business or public administration, government, public policy, or other related fields
• Strategic vision, strong analytical capabilities and sound judgement.
• Demonstrated track record of strategic planning and/or formulation of strategic plan document.
• Extensive knowledge of global EiEPC development and interventions.
• Demonstrated experience and technical knowledge on gender equality and women and empowerment of women and girls in emergencies and/or protracted crises.
• Proven high-level facilitation, networking, coordination, negotiation, consensus-building and organisational skills.
• Excellent inter-personal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relationships with internal and external parties in a multi-cultural environment.
• Demonstrated research, analytical planning, organisational and management skills.
• Advanced communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to convey concepts and recommendations to stakeholder representatives, both orally and in writing, in a clear, concise style.
• Demonstrated ability to draft/edit strategic planning documents, reports, presentations and communication products.
• Availability to travel to NYC or Geneva is required.
• Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of French, Spanish or Arabic is desirable. Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese or Russian) is an asset.

Duty Station

Remote Based

Duration:

190 days

Travel:

This is a home based consultancy. 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. The consultant/individual contractor is responsible for arranging his/her own travel and submit invoices to UNICEF for payment as part of the contract.

Insurance:

UNICEF will not be responsible for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during the consultant’s service. Therefore, the selected candidate must provide proof of enrollment in a health/accident plan prior to starting his/her work.

How to apply:

Please complete your profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system. Please provide (attach) a Personal History Form (P-11) highlighting previous engagements which meet the qualification criteria described above. Personal History Form (P11) can be downloaded from:https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_consultancy_assignments.html

Please indicate your ability, availability and financial proposal (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above.

Applications submitted without a financial proposal will not be considered.

Note: in order to strengthen its commitment to diversity, gender equality, and inclusion across its work, ECW strongly encourages female candidates to apply as well as candidates from the Global South, and candidates with disabilities.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.

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.

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.

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Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org