National consultant for UNICEF Albania office to support MOES in the efforts of opening chapter 26 of EU accession plan

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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 for All

On 25 March 2020, the European Council decided to open the accession negotiations with the Republic of Albania, in light of the progress achieved on reforms and the fulfilment of the conditions set unanimously by the Council in June 2018. In order to accelerate the process of approximation of Albanian legislation, administrative reforms and institutional infrastructure with the acquis of the European Union, a series of processes should be undertaken by different sectors. The preparation for the accession and negotiation process poses an enormous management and administrative challenge for the Albanian government. To this end, to support the process of opening of the chapter 26, (Education culture Sports and youth) technical support will be provided to MOES for the chapter 26, namely preparation for the screening process subsequently, to indicate Albania level of alignment with EU acquis and outline plans for further alignment.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF Albania, as part of the efforts to support the advancement of quality and inclusive education in Albania will support the MOES with the preparation for the opening and screening of the chapter 26.

More in details the scope of the work will include:

Tasks of the Consultant:

• Review the documents that Albania has produced regarding chapter 26
• Improve documents produced in the framework of chapter 26
• Reviews and finalizes matching of the acquis in chapter 26 with the corresponding Albanian documents and makes recommendations for the future steps
• Provide coaching/briefing to responsible staff working for the chapter 26

Deliverable 1: Review the documents that Albania has produced with regard to chapter 26

Tasks:

• LGA (screening list Chapter 26)
• IAGA (screening Chapter 26)
• Provide comments to the Legal Gap Assessment (Screening List) and provide comments to the Institutional and Administrative Gap Assessment (IAGA) and provide comments aiming at completing/reviewing the information on the Albanian state of play in view of EU acquis requirements. The goal is to provide information on important aspects and elements for the presentation in the bilateral meeting

Timeline: August 2022, 8 working days

Deliverable 2: Reviews and finalizes matching of the acquis in chapter 26 with the corresponding Albanian documents and makes recommendations for the future steps

Tasks

• Highlights important aspect/requirements deriving from the acquis in education, youth and culture and prepares a short report with the next steps for the country
• Prepares a presentation with the Albanian advancements aligned with acquis to be used for the bilateral screening

Timeline: September-October 2022, 20 working days

Deliverable 3 : P****rovide coaching/briefing and continous inputs to responsible staff working for the chapter 26

Tasks:

• Provide three briefings online/ or in person based on the gaps identified to guide the work for the next steps of chapter screening
• Provide inputs as needed to the reporting and issue related to the chapter 26

Timeline: October 2022- March 2023, 25 working days

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

• Advanced degree or equivalent in relevant areas of studies such as law, economics, international and European relations & management, Education, Social Science, Psychology or related fields
• More than 10 years of professional experience related with EU education culture policy
• Experience related to EU accession negotiation in the area of education, Culture and youth
• Experience in at least one Western Balkan country in EU accession related matters (preferable in a candidate country)
• Language skills: business fluency in English

What to submit:

1. Previous work conducted in this area of expertise including links, samples of work.
2. A concept paper (not longer than 1-2 pages) providing the consultant’s methodology, references, plan for conducting this consultancy.
3. Fee per day in Albanian Lek (inclusive of all taxes)

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 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 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.