Individual Consultancy – Develop a Capacity Development Framework for the ECW Secretariat, Education Cannot Wait (ECW), (4 Months) Remote

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For every child, an education…

Overview

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is commissioning the development of a Capacity Development Framework that provides the ECW Secretariat Staff and its partners with a clear understanding of and systematic approach towards capacity development in crisis affected contexts through its Investment Windows and Secretariat technical staff.

Background & Rationale

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is the global fund to transform the delivery of education in emergencies – one that joins up governments, humanitarian actors and development efforts to deliver a more collaborative and rapid response to the educational needs of children and youth affected by crises. ECW was launched at the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016 by a broad coalition of international aid agencies and public and private donors to usher in faster and more sustainable education responses in crises settings. Guided by the ECW Strategic Plan 2018-2021[1], the Secretariat realizes five core functions: (1) inspire political commitment to financing education in humanitarian contexts, (2) catalyze financial resources; (3) facilitate joint programming between humanitarian and development actors; (4) strengthen capacity to respond to crises; and (5) improve accountability. ECW is hosted and administered under UNICEF’s financial, human resources and administrative rules and regulations, while operations are run by the ECW’s own independent governance structure that provides strategic guidance and oversight to its investments. ECW’s day-to-day activities are carried out by a Secretariat under the direction of the ECW Director.

The fourth core function, ‘Strengthen Capacity to Respond to Crises’, is aimed at various capacity spaces. ECW invests in strengthening capacity for response and recovery, working with partners to identify and fill capacity gaps in specific crises and supporting broader global efforts to increase capacity across the education sector. In particular, ECW seeks to strengthen the capacity of the Education Cluster to coordinate education in emergencies responses. ECW investments may also include financial support to strengthen national capacity; foster greater coherence across preparedness, assessment and planning, including emergency to development transition planning; and increase both response capacity and strengthen coordination mechanisms to support national responses. Through its financing instruments ECW invests in local partners directly or indirectly through UN agencies, NGOs or existing mechanisms.

ECW’s Strategic Plan 2018-2021 highlights that the Secretariat will develop a Capacity Development Framework that will guide efforts at the global and local levels in terms of strengthening capacities. The Strategic Plan provides the ‘why’ of the ECW Secretariat’s work and the Capacity Development Framework will provide ‘what (i.e. competencies)’ and ‘how (i.e. approach)’. The Capacity Development Framework will provide ECW Secretariat Staff and its partners with a clear understanding of and systematic approach towards capacity development. It should identify the competencies that should be strengthened, articulate the principles of capacity development and the concrete steps that the Secretariat will take to achieve its objectives.

Scope

The scope of work will include the following. It is expected that this will be further refined during the inception phase. 

• Identify competencies (Knowledge, skills and behaviors) that ECW seeks to strengthen through its partnerships, three funding windows (FER, MYRP and AF) and Secretariat Staff[1] and the competences that the Secretariat Staff should have to strengthen capacities at the global, regional and local levels.
• Develop a Capacity Development Framework that has two main levels based on the competency framework, whereby ECW’s three investment windows will serve as the primary mechanism through which the Secretariat develops capacity supported by ECW Secretariat Staff in the Field Investment Workstream
• The Capacity Development Framework will include the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of interventions to strengthen identified competencies.
• Orient the Capacity Development Framework within similar or complementary Frameworks of the EiE Sector

ECW’s three funding windows will feature prominently in the Capacity Development Framework. ECW envisions utilizing the Acceleration Facility to enhance international and national capacity of organizational, networks and coordination mechanisms. The focus would be on standards, practices, systems, coordination mechanism and EiE structures. ECW envisions utilizing the First Emergency Response and Multi-Year Resilience Programme Investment windows to development capacities at the country level. The focus will be on realizing ECW’s commitments to the Grand Bargain localization agenda, organizational capacity to respond to crises, including with civil society organizations as well as relevant ministries, departments and agencies and the cultivation of networks that focus on thematic issues, among other areas.

While the Capacity Development Framework will be grounded in ECW’s Strategic Plan, it will ensure coherence with other ECW strategies, plans and frameworks, such as the ECW Operational Manual, ECW Acceleration Facility Strategy, ECW Gender Strategy, and ECW Gender Policy and Accountability Framework. The Capacity Development Framework will also ensure coherence with other important international commitments, such as the Grand Bargain. It is expected that the consultant will also consult relevant frameworks developed by ECW partners, such as INEE and the Global Education Cluster, to identify synergies and areas of collaboration and duplication. A full list of documents will be agreed upon during the inception phase of the assignment.

A Capacity Development Framework should be collectively adopted by partners and serve as a guide for FER and MYRP partners. It is underpinned by ongoing learning and adaptation, sustainability, and the integration of activities at various levels to address complex problems. A capacity development approach must bring about transformation.

The CDF should include among other elements the following:  

• A definition of Capacity Development in the context of ECW Investments aligned to the global policy and agenda on provision of education in the context of emergencies and protracted crises.
• An elaboration of the Capacity Development space to include recipients of ECW customarily works with various methodologies capturing the impact of context on the use of such methodologies and the range of capacities to be developed.

An outline of the process of capacity development in thematic areas

• Recommendation of effective strategies for working with in country partners, including government, donors, civil society and implementing partners.
• A flow chart of when and how technical support in each area is transferred to capable local experts who meet minimum standards of expertise in each technical area
• Criteria to map, assess the capacity, and select best practice local technical NGOs/experts in specific technical areas based on ECW commitments and expected results.
• Concrete, actionable practical recommendations to drive capacity developments forward so that they are more strategic, sustainable, uniform and comprehensive.

Tasks and Expected results

Under the supervision of the Chief of Education, the consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks:

1) Submit an inception report. The inception report should demonstrate the consultant’s understanding of the assignment and approach for completing each task. The inception report will include a work plan that proposes how the consultant will undertake the assignment, including a schedule for consultations with Secretariat staff and partner organizations and the methodology to identify the competencies and develop the framework.  This should also include a draft structure for the Capacity Development Framework.

2)  Undertake an analysis to A) identify and develop a framework of competencies to be strengthened through implementation of the Capacity Development Framework and B) capacity development activities that are required of the ECW Secretariat Education Team and the expected skill-sets that are needed to perform the activities. This will include, but are not limited to: 

1. Conduct a desk study of ECW’s country investments, (ECW strategic plan and operational manual, commitment to the Grand Bargain and relevant principles on effectives within the Humanitarian-Development etc.)
2. Conduct remote key informant interviews, with the entire Secretariat technical team and a selected group of in-country grantees  
3. Produce a concise analytical document that outlines the findings

3) Prepare the Capacity Development Framework. The Capacity Development Framework will include the following elements:

1. 1. A conceptual framework for the Capacity Development Framework
   2. Competency Framework
   3. Capacity Development interventions and strategies

Final documents will be put through several rounds of review with the education team; suggested changes from the first review will be integrated by the consultant*

* Number and date of draft submissions required is subject to change pending forthcoming guidance and adjustments to timeline.

• Advanced university degree in education including education in emergencies, international affairs or a related field
• At least 10 years of similar professional work experience including prior experience creating capacity development strategies and/or packages aligned with localization focused commitments
• Strong familiarity and experience on gender, child protection and/or psychosocial support are highly desirable
• Strong awareness of gender, inclusion and the Grand Bargain (and/or other localization focused commitments)
• Outstanding demonstrated skills in editing and proofreading to manufacture polished and well formatted finished at publication level
• High level proficiency in standard computer software, in particular, Microsoft Word
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, of publication standard
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• Persistence in follow up, tact and diplomacy to work
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines
• Fluency in English is required

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

The functional competencies required for this post are…

View our competency framework at

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

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:

How to Apply

Applicants are requested to apply by October 15, 2020, 23:00pm EST 

Applications must include:

• Cover letter
• CV, and
• Writing sample of similar work

NOTE: Files should not exceed 5.0MB limit      

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily rate will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

ECW is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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.

TRAVEL

If, consultants are required by ECW to travel beyond commuting distance from their usual place of residence, such travel at the expense of ECW shall be governed by conditions equivalent to the relevant provisions of the 100 series of the United Nations Staff Rules (Chapter VII) and relevant ECW policies and procedures. Travel by air by the most direct and economical route is the normal mode for travel at the expense of ECW. Such travel will be by business class if the journey is nine hours or longer, and by economy class if the journey is less than nine hours, and first class by rail.

INSURANCE

Consultants are fully responsible for arranging, at their own expense, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the period of their services on behalf of ECW as they consider appropriate. Consultants are not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to United Nations staff members.