International - Education Program Consultant based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (For non-Ethiopian nationals only)

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

Ethiopia is situated in the Horn of Africa and is the second most populous country on the continent with an estimated population of 115 million. It borders six African countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan, and covers 1,104,300 square kilometers. Approximately 85 percent of the population lives in rural areas. Ethiopia represents a melting pot of ancient cultures with Middle Eastern and African cultures evident in the religious, ethnic, and language composition of its people.

Over the past two years, children and their families across Ethiopia faced multiple and complex emergencies, such as the conflict in the northern Ethiopia and the drought, which resulted in millions of people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. UNICEF has programmes in Child Protection, WASH, Health, Nutrition, Social Policy, and Education and serves over 15 million children in Ethiopia. Join UNICEF Ethiopia to contribute to improving the lives of children and women.

Watch our Year in Review.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose:

The Education Program Consultant is placed within the UNICEF AU Office under the supervision and guidance of the UNICEF Representative to the African Union and UNECA. The incumbent main function is to provide technical support and oversight towards the successful implementation of continental education strategy for Africa (CESA 2016-2025) and especially the joint AU-UNICEF continental advocacy campaign Ending Learning Poverty for all in Africa (ELPAf). Working closely with the Senior Education Consultant placed at the AUC, the incumbent will engage members of the Global Coalition for FLN to ensure that their concerns and message are well reflected in the policy discussions at the AUC. He/she will also liaise with the 3 Education Regional Advisors of Africa (UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR), Western, and Central Africa Region and Middle East and North Africa Region) to mobilize countries for the project.

Key functions, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks:

1. Advocate for the creation of the CESA cluster on FLN and represent UNICEF in policy discussions on education to advance FLN agenda
2. Perform quality reviews on guidance notes and tools drafted by the Senior Education Consultant at AUC Education Department for AU member states regarding planning and budgeting for FLN in education sector plans.
3. Organize in collaboration with the AU, the Global Coalition on FLN and other partners policy advocacy events to raise awareness and generate actions to advance FLN in AU member States. This includes mobilizing AU Member States to sign up the FLN global commitments
4. Mobilize and coordinate UNICEF inputs and feedback to AU continental strategies, projects and programs in the sector of education with focus on FLN
5. Ensure effective representation and contribution of UNICEF, the Global Coalition on FLN in Education continental organized by the AU or other major Education partners. This includes meeting of the Specialized Technical Committees (STC), Experts meetings, workshops, or Symposium. As such, the incumbent is expected to gather intelligence and disseminate information to the relevant internal networks regarding such upcoming events.
6. Work with UNICEF Regional Office towards maintaining data on key education indicators in line with AU education priorities (Statistics dashboard, case studies, research papers etc…)
7. Under the Leadership of the Department of Education, provide technical assistance for capacity building of AU Member States on Education planning and budgeting including webinars, workshops, exchange visits etc...
8. Serve as UNICEF technical focal point in the AU steering committee on the implementation of the AU Year of Education 2024 annual roadmap
9. Build and maintain partnerships with FLN stakeholders including the Global Coalition, UNESCO GEMR, PAL, ADEA and other key partners to the AUC.

Del. #

Output #

Deliverable

Timeframe

Overall coordination and liaison deliverables

1

Regular engagement with AUC-ESTI and Education partners on FLN and education matters

1. Monthly reports on engagement with AUC ESTI and other education partners in AU activities

2. Attend/organize project planning and review meetings

   Monthly

2

Coordination of UNICEF (Regional and HQ) inputs to AUC Education agenda

3. Monthly touch-base calls held with Regional and HQ advisors on AU education agenda
4. Participation in UNICEF education network meetings on FLN

Monthly

3

Celebration of the AU year of education 2024

5. Policy dialogue, spotlight and advocacy events dragonized during and after AU Year of Education, side and main events organized to promote the Commitment to Action on Foundational learning.

By December 2024

4

Reporting on project implementation

6. Progress reports (financial and narrative) prepared and submitted to the regional office for review

By December 2024

The Education manager will provide technical assistance to the AUC through the Senior Education Consultant towards the following deliverables:

1

2-day FLN conference

1. Development of the conference concept note with inputs from the Global Coalition for Foundational Learning
2. Delivery of the 2-day FLN conference attended by at least 75 participants from AU member states
3. Production and dissemination of the conference outcome document

Until 30th November 2024

2

FLN advocacy side events at the margins of AU events

1. Side-events or briefing sessions on FLN organized during the following AU events:
   1. the 37th AU Summit,
   2. STC on ESTI,
   3. Mid-year Coordination Meeting,
   4. Africa Day of School feeding and
   5. PRC meetings.
2. Call to action produced after each meeting asking Member states to take concrete commitments for FLN like increased funding, teachers, recruitment, and training.
3. Situation analysis on FLN in AU Member States, advocacy efforts and follow up action intensified in synergy with Learning Coalition.

Until 30th November 2024

3

Partner networking meeting for synergy in FLN approaches

1. ToR for the CESA Cluster on FLN and advocate for its institutionalization with the CESA cluster framework
2. Mapping of FLN partners across the 5 regions of the AU
3. Hold 1 partner network meeting to promote synergy in FLN approaches to showcase impactful practices, sharing knowledge and know-how

October 2024

Notice for consultancy advert:-

Please note that applications submitted without a fee rate will note be considered.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Education, Economics, Social Sciences, or another relevant technical field
• A minimum of 8 [Eight] years of relevant professional experience in Education Policy and Program planning at a continental context.
• Prior experience working with the African Union or any other African continental organization in a considerable advantage,
• Track records in scientific research in Education sector or another social science field especially in foundational learning in a great asset
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• 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 Core Values of

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability

• Sustainability

  UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Builds and maintains Partnerships (Level 1)

• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (Level 1)
• Drive to achieve results for impact (Level 1)
• Innovates and embraces change (Level 1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (Level 1)
• Thinks and acts strategically (Level 1)
• Works collaboratively with others (Level 1)

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. For this position, eligible and suitable qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.

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.

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.