Home-based: Education and Climate Change Regional Technical Consultant (113 working days; with travel as needed) – Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO)

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, a future.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

To support UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) in providing technical assistance and guidance to countries for prioritizing climate change in education programming.

Background

UNICEF has adopted a global Sustainability and Climate Change Action Plan that marks a transformation of how we embed sustainability and climate change in our programing and advocacy work. A key objective of the plan is to empower every child through their life course with the developmental opportunities, education and skills to be a champion for the environment. In line with the global action plan, Education for Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation and Resilience has become a priority area for UNICEF Europe and Central Asia (ECA). Education systems need to be able to prevent and mitigate the risks of climate related disasters to protect the right of every child to education.

In 2022, the ECARO Education Section prepared a Programme Brief on Harnessing the Transformative Potential of Education for Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation and Resilience Building in ECA, which articulates the approach of UNICEF in ECA Region in supporting education systems, education stakeholders and children and adolescents in ECA to develop the policies, structures and skills to mitigate and adapt to climate change and become more resilient to the environmental challenges and natural hazards ahead. The UNICEF ECARO’s approach is based around four programmatic pillars that support: a. green skills for green transition; b. climate resilient education systems; c. greener and safer facilities and d. youth-led climate action.

Scope of Work

UNICEF ECARO is now seeking a consultant for the period of 7 months, to provide technical assistance to RO and COs for integrating the programming pillars into their CPDs and supporting governments in the mainstreaming of climate change considerations into the education system.

The consultant will be working under the supervision of the Regional Education Adviser and in close collaboration with the Regional Senior Programme Specialist to support ECAR Country Offices to develop scalable approaches to mainstreaming climate change into education systems based on the regional framework. The consultant will also support knowledge generation and information exchange, as well as resource mobilisation efforts for climate change and education programming at regional and country level. As education will feature on the COP29 Agenda, the consultant will also support required preparations for the event.

Key Activities/Tasks

• Provide technical assistance and oversight to country offices to deepen programmes on climate change and education, with emphasis on green skills teaching and learning, curriculum revisions, material development and teacher training.
• Mapping of existing work on education and climate change in ECA program countries.
• Develop guidance on: a, climate change integration in curricula reform, b, development of education materials for different age groups, and c, training of teachers.
• Support UNICEF COs in identifying and prioritizing actions, analysing data, reports and implementation strategies. Identify and document enabling factors, good practices, challenges/bottlenecks, and lessons learnt from the implementation activities and ensure exchange of experience between countries in the region.
• Map potential donors for climate change and education, and mobilize investments in multi country programmes including drafting a regional resource mobilization strategy in consultation with relevant offices (PPD, PFP).
• Support countries to forecast the resources needed and develop tailored strategies for reaching priority populations and underserved communities.
• Upgrade Regional Programme Brief into a guidance to COs for programming with emphasis on green skills development.
• Identify and consolidate materials and resources for teaching and learning for use by COs in their progamming on green skills.
• Provide regular updates on progress and challenges being faced as required at regional level and HQ.
• Participate in all meetings at regional and global level and with country offices pertaining to climate change and education.
• Prepare and write documents, briefings, analyses, presentations, etc. on climate change and education programming progress in the region.
• Support UNICEF RO and CO in developing advocacy materials for COP29 and other relevant events.
• Perform other tasks as per request of supervisor.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks / Milestone	Deliverables / Outputs	Timeline / Deadline
Map ongoing and completed work on climate change and education in 22 COs. Map needs and opportunities for UNICEF engagement in climate change and education. Support preparation of CO strategy and interventions in 12 COs (6 WB; 5 CA, 1 Caucus)	Country specific reports presenting needs, opportunities strategy and interventions for the education sector in 10 COs	63 working days; By 30 September 2024
Develop resource mobilisation strategy for two subregions (WB and CA)	Resource mobilisation strategies finalised	10 working days; By 31 August 2024
Consolidate resources, materials on climate change and green skills to be used across COs in supporting teaching and learning processes.	Depository of resources and materials created and made accessible to COs.	12 working days; By 31 August 2024
Upgrade Regional Programme Brief into a guidance to COs on climate change in curricula reform, educational materials for kindergarten, primary and secondary and training of teachers.	Final guidance prepared and disseminated to COs.	15 working days; By 31 August 2024
Organise two learning events on climate change and education with COs (one webinar on UNICEF programming and one on green skills with ETF or similar partner)	Two events held. Event reports written.	8 working days; By 31 October 2024
Participate in all regional and global meetings on climate change and education representing ECAR. Draft relevant briefing notes on education and climate change for sr management including the preparations with COP29	Recorded attendance in relevant meetings and events Briefing Notes drafted as needed.	3 working days; By 31 October 2024
Develop final report	Final report on achievements, and recommendations on the way forward	2 working days; By 31 October 2024

Estimated Duration of the Contract

113 working days between March 2024 and October 2024.

Consultant’s Work Place and Official Travel

The Consultant will be remote/home-based.

As part of this assignment, an estimate of five (5) technical assistance missions are foreseen. The consultant will arrange her/his travel as and when they take place, and related costs will be reimbursed per UNICEF travel policy.

Travel Clause

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants apply.
• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSAFE certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Please submit a professional fee (in USD) based on 113 working days to undertake this assignment, without travel fees as these will be reimbursed as and when they take place.

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

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields: education, public policy, environmental and/or social sciences.
• Minimum eight (8) years’ work experience in education policy and programming with focus on climate change and environment.
• Experience in capacity building, government relationship building, training and/or facilitation an asset.
• Previous experience working in the ECA region is an asset;
• Knowledge of the United Nations system or other international organizations is an asset;
• Knowledge of international development, humanitarian issues and children’s rights is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other languages relevant to the ECA region is an added advantage.
• Proven experience in programme assessments and strategy development
• Understanding of education systems and policies related to environment and climate change and green skills
• Excellent communication, facilitation and presentation skills
• High level of analytical ability to analyse qualitative and quantitative data, including using relevant software packages;
• Demonstrated ability to produce high quality, concise, analytical and insightful reports and presentations in English;
• Proven ability to conceptualize, innovate, plan and execute ideas;
• Strategic thinking and critical analysis;
• Commitment and drive, with a clear focus on results;
• Ability to manage competing priorities under pressure, whilst maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines;

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most marginalized children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family 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 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:

Please include a full CV and Cover Letter in your application. Additionally, indicate your availability and professional fee (in USD) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a professional fee will not be considered. 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants 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.