Consultant – Developmental and learning recovery for ECD, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO), Bangkok, Thailand

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 fulfilling 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 better future

UNICEF works to ensure the rights of all children in the East Asia and Pacific Region.  This means the rights of every child living in this country, irrespective of their nationality, gender, religion or ethnicity, to:

• survival – to basic healthcare, peace and security;
• development – to a good education, a loving home and adequate nutrition;
• protection – from abuse, neglect, trafficking, child labour and other forms of exploitation; and
• participation – to express opinions, be listened to and take part in making any decisions that affect them

How can you make a difference? 

The Education Section, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO), is seeking an individual consultant to develop a practical guidance for ECD workforce for developmental and learning recovery for ECD.

In order to address development and learning loss in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated by early learning centers/ preschool closures, targeted guidance for ECD workforce (including communitarian workforce, health sector) and teachers are needed to promote developmentally appropriate learning, holistic development, and well-being of all young children, including the most disadvantaged.
 

Work Assignment:

Develop a comprehensive and practical ECD guidance for development and learning recovery due to the impacts from COVID-19 to better support ECD workforce and teachers in promoting developmentally appropriate learning, holistic development, and well-being of all young children. This is done by assessing situations of developmental and learning loss followed by providing suggestions, tools, resources to mitigate the effects from enhanced developmental and learning loss due to the pandemic, including a focus on the most disadvantaged children.

Work Schedule & Deliverables: 

Final deliverable expected: A package of practical guidance for ECD workforce and teachers (all sectors, including health and at the community level) for developmental and learning recovery for ECD, that is distinguished by age groups (0-3 and 3-6).

This guidance is expected to be a key part of the UNICEF EAPRO ECD Guidance Series to further implementation of the UNICEF ECD Regional Guidance in East Asia and Pacific. It would provide practical actions that ECD workforce needs to practice so young children are able to reach developmental and learning milestones according to their age. The following is a list of suggested questions/ themes that can be used to inform development of the practical guidance, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable and excluded children:

• What is the situation of ECD services and preschools reopening? Do existing resources include specific guidance and training materials for the ECD workforce on how to assess and then mitigate developmental and learning losses?
• What are some available studies on the capacity of existing services to identify and mitigate the effects of the pandemic?
• What are some practical suggestions that could support ECD workforce in gaining skills to best support children in their developmental and learning recovery?
• What are some useful tools and resources to enhance capacities of ECD workforce and teachers in their return to in-person services?

The below list of outputs and activities indicative and any changes to the outputs will be confirmed based on the discussions and agreements between the consultant and the contract supervisor.

Tentative timeline	Outputs
December 2021	Rapid desk review report on available evidence (linking to the suggested questions/ themes outlined above) to assess situations of developmental and learning loss in young children following the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 2021	Brief initial consultation report developed based on consultations with different subject matter experts and stakeholders.
December 2021 – January 2022	A practical guidance document to guide ECD workforce on specific actions — suggested key actions, tools, resources — towards developmental and learning recovery of children 0-6 (divided by age groups 0-3; 3-6)
February 2022	Roll out plan for wider consultation with key stakeholders and implementation in countries.
February 2022	Organize and lead socialization of the guidance, including COs capacity development webinar to share lessons learned and suggested actions.

Duration of Contract:  40 working days between December 2021- February 2022 (3 months)

Working Location:  The consultant will work remotely.

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

• Advanced university degree in Early Childhood Development, Psychology, Education, other Social Sciences or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of solid professional experience working in early childhood development pedagogy and practice, with at least 5 years of experience at international level.
• Proven experience working with educators and instructional leaders.
• Strong understanding and expertise in learning best practices, ECD classroom assessment design, curricula implementation, development of learning assessments policies and strategies.
• Strong strategy development track record, analytical ability, organizational and communication skills.
• Demonstrable experience and knowledge of participatory methods, including remote delivery.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and previous experience communicating with partners at different levels.
• Ability to produce presentations and visual products using MS Office.
• Demonstrated communication skills in English, including professional high-quality writing in English.
• Experience working in the East Asia Pacific region highly desirable.
• Ability to work independently with tight deadlines.
• Experience working for a United Nations organization an asset.

Interested candidates are requested to submit CV or P-11, full contact information of minimum 3 references, availability, and proposed daily professional fee in USD by 29 November 2021.

 FORM P11.doc

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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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 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.

UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.