International - Senior Education Consultant, Foundational Learning based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Job no: 568151
Position type: Consultant
Location: Ethiopia
Division/Equivalent: Nairobi Regn'l(ESARO)
School/Unit: Ethiopia
Department/Office: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Categories: Education

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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 Senior Education Consultant, Foundational Learning will work under the Operational Supervision of the Head of Education Division ESTI, African Union Commission, and guidance of the UNICEF Representative to the African Union and UNECA. His/her function is to provide advice and technical assistance to Department of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (ESTI) towards integration of FLN in CESA 16-25, and effective investment of AU Member States in foundational learning and numeracy, leading to increase acquisition of good learning outcomes, and reduction of learning poverty.

Key functions, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks

1. In coordination with Global Coalition, UNESCO GEMR, PAL, ADEA and other key partners to the AUC, lead the design of an FLN strategy as part of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2016-2025) currently under review and an accompanying roadmap and advocacy campaign strategy
2. Design tangible programs in FLN to address the literacy and numeracy outcomes and demonstrate them in at least each region in Africa
3. Work with the Education Division, ESTI to develop a Policy Guideline and tools for AU Member States on foundational Learning. Organize AU policy advocacy events to raise awareness and generate actions to advance FLN in AU member States, and work with the AUC to mobilize AU Member States to translate FLN commitments into action
4. Advise on effective mainstreaming of FLN across all AU education portfolio, Girls Education, TVET, and early learning
5. Be part of the delegation to represent the AU in various FLN platforms and events on the continent and beyond, draft relevant report for implementation and undertake any other assignment related to the education portfolio as deemed appropriate by the Head of Education Division, Department of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, AUC.
6. Facilitate FLN Advocacy Hub and other partners to ensure an aligned approach to FLN during the AU Year of Education and promote countries with promising FNL practices for profiling and cross learning  
7. Generate, maintain, and disseminate data and knowledge on implementation of FLN in AU Member States (Statistics dashboard, case studies, research papers and facilitate in convening data driven decision making
8. Organize capacity building events for AU Member States on FLN including webinars, workshops, exchange visits and track impact brought by the capacity building

Output # (3 budgeted outputs and 1 output not budgeted)

Deliverables

Indicative timeframe (details in the AWP)

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 30^th November 2024

FLN advocacy side events at the margins of AU events

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

Until 30^th November 2024

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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

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Knowledge products on FLN (Not directly linked to the grant budget)

1. Detailed annual workplan endorsed by the ESTI Department
2. Review of FLN in CESA and other AU policy document including key recommendations for ESTI Department

3. AU Strategy on FLN as a subset of the Continental Education Strategy 2016-2025 is produced and endorsed by the STC on ESTI
4. A compendium of impactful and functional approaches on FLN in Africa is produced and disseminated to AU member states
5. A monitoring dashboard on AU member states commitments to FLN produced

15 days after taking office, 30^th Nov 2024

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Notice for consultancy advert:-

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

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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.

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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.