Education Sector Plan Working Group Coordinator Consultancy, Tarawa, Kiribati, 13.5 Months (open for nationals and internationals)

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, learning.

In the Pacific we work in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu: These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living on more than 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, an area comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria.

All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but only a third are on track with reporting obligations. Explore the different areas of our work in the link provided here www.unicef.org/pacificislands.

Background of Assignment:

The Kiribati Ministry of Education (MoE) plans to develop a National Education Framework (NEF) for the period 2024-31 and to align to government systems with two Education Strategic Plans for the periods 2024-27 and 2028-31. The framework and plans will reflect the priorities of Kiribati as articulated in the national document Kiribati Vision 2016-36 (KV20) and be informed by both an Education Sector Analysis and Joint Sector Review on progress toward the goals of the current Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) due to expire at the end of 2023. To this end, MoE has successfully applied for an Education Sector Capacity Grant (SCG) from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to support these processes.

In addition to the development of a National Education Framework, MoE is looking ahead to the implementation of priority programmes identified in collaboration with partners and defined through a Compact Arrangement. This work will be informed by self-assessment of the enabling factors for implementation of the priority areas namely, data & evidence, gender-responsive sector planning, policy and monitoring, sector coordination and coordinated financing and funding and the volume, equity and efficiency of domestic public expenditure on education.

This is a significant amount of work for an already over-stretched Ministry and in-place support to guide the process and provide technical inputs and drafting is required. This consultancy will provide both technical and logistical support to MoE in facilitating and ensuring the education sector planning process is evidence-based, participatory, and consultative process, and is able to guide enhancing coordination of partners for aligned support to the education sector in Kiribati.

How can you make a difference?

The consultancy will work under the guidance of the Sector Plan Working Group (SPWG) in MOE and, where relevant a contracted lead international consultant, in close collaboration with the UNICEF Education Team in the Kiribati Field Office and colleagues from the Suva based Pacific Education team as relevant. The consultant will also closely coordinate with the DFAT-funded Education Strategic Technical Adviser who also sits at MoE in the Planning, Policy and Research Division (PPRD) and provides day-to-day support to MoE on institutional, organizational and individual capacity development of MoE.

Please refer to the TOR for further information on the deliverables and the timelines

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

• A post graduate qualification in education or other social sector programme with some study/papers in policy or planning.
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant experience, preferably in the education or other social sector with knowledge of planning and consultation and increasing responsibility for both.
• Some knowledge of Kiribati government structures and mechanisms or proven experience in other Pacific settings and ability to quickly learn would be an asset.
• Knowledge of Kiribati education sector, policies and plans preferred but other Pacific experiences considered
• Good ability to support engagement with a range of stakeholders and build useful networks
• Must be familiar with GPE/IIEP guidelines and/or be willing to become fully familiar with the same
• Ability to quickly form relationships with a range of people and contribute to a team
• Understand issues of equity, inclusion and quality in the social sector
• Good written and oral communication skills and the ability to fit message to the audience.
• Highlight any previous relevant UNICEF consultancies or work activity in the application.

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.

Remarks:

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.

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.

This VA is open to both national and international applicants.

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