National Consultant to Support the Implementation of ECD Policy and Programmes

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

Find out how UNICEF programmes drives change for children in Timor-Leste by visiting https://www.unicef.org/timorleste.

How can you make a difference?

Under supervision of Chief of Education, support the office of the Vice Prime Minister in finalizing the multi sectoral ECD policy and help coordinate the work of the National ECD Steering Committee and the Technical Working Group.

WORK ASSIGNMENT:

1. Support the National ECD Steering Committee to organize meetings including preparation of agenda, drafting of letters and maintaining close communication with members of the Steering Committee (Total of 24 working days with at least one meeting every two months initially and subsequently, based on need between November 2023 to December 2024);

2. Support to organize regular meetings of the multisectoral ECD technical working group including preparation of agenda, drafting of letters and maintaining close communication with all ECD technical working group members (24 working days with a least one meeting per month between November 2023 to December 2024, based on need);

3. Support the ECD technical Working Group to seek feedback on the draft ECD policy document from all relevant ministries, collate and revise the document based on feedback provided by members of multisectoral ECD technical working group (25 working days between November 2023 and March 2024)

4. Work with the UNICEF Education section to get the Policy document translated into Portuguese and submit for review from legal teams across Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion and other relevant ministries and follow up and obtain feedback from respective legal teams (20 working days between March 2024 and May 2024);

5.1. Liaise with the legal team in the Office of the Vice Prime Minister to collate feedback acquired from legal team across Ministry of Health and MSSI and to prepare and submit a summary to the concerned ministries. Follow up and collate the revision from Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Solidarity and Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and liaise with legal team in MoEYS for next steps.

5.2. Submit the final ECD Policy to concerned ministries prior to presentation to Council of Ministers (40 working days between May 2024 and July 20024);

6. Provide assistance to the Office of the Vice Prime Minister in the planning and preparation for presentation of the Policy to Council of Ministers (5 working days in August 2024);

7. Support the ECD TWG to develop feasible action plans and coordinate with line ministries for adoption and enaction of the multisectoral ECD policy once the policy document is endorsed by the council of ministers (20 days between August – September 2024);

8. Work collaboratively with the ECD Steering Committee and TWG to plan and conduct ECD advocacy events such as ECD week (30 days between November 2023 and December 2024};

9. Support to UNICEF Education team in ECD and Preschool Education on a regular basis. This will involve preparing of training materials, documenting human interest stories, supporting the parenting programme (72 days between November 2023 and December 2024);

10. Prepare and submit a final report of the consultancy with lessons learned, good practices observed and recommendations for carrying forward the work of ECD Policy implementation (5 working days in December 2024).

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

• A Master’s Degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Early Childhood Development, Preschool Education, School Readiness, Child Development or related field in social development.

• A minimum of five years of professional work experience in ECD or preschool education, particularly with government or international development organization.

  Experience working in the UN or other international development organization is an asset.

  Proven experience in coordination and liaising effectively on a key issue among multiple stakeholders with successful track record in initiating, cultivating, and securing support from these stakeholders.

  Experience of working with high level government officials.

• Fluency in English and Tetum language required. Proficiency in Portuguese is an asset.

TOR

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.

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.