National Consultancy: School Clustering Policy Specialist, Karachi, Pakistan, # 539905, 220 days (For Pakistani Nationals only)

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 safe home!

Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges.

UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among others things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, frontline workers and social mobilisers, communities and families, and of course the children and adolescents themselves. 

In particular, UNICEF will work so that:

• Every child survives and thrives — being in good health, immunized, protected from polio and accessing nutritious food.
• Every child learns.
• Every child is protected from violence and exploitation and registered at birth.
• Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

To learn more about UNICEF’s work in Pakistan, please visit the country website www.unicef.org/pakistan and videos on YouTube and Vimeo

How can you make a difference?

The European Union’s Sindh Technical Assistance, Development through Enhanced Education Programme (STA-DEEP), managed by UNICEF, seeks to hire a School clustering policy specialist to support the decentralisation of School Clustering in Sindh Province. The specialist will support the School Education and Literacy Department (SE&LD) to implement and iteratively review the school clustering policy, prepare an orientation training manual for administration and management of Clustering (including modules and guidelines) for the provincial, district and taluka level education officers on the school clustering policy implementation.

• Implementation and iterative review of the school clustering policy based on the analyzed GIS data, analyzed lessons learned and recommendations made by field staff (DOs and SOs) and SE&LD staff.
• Policy and planning recommendations for smooth functioning of school clusters.
• Preparation and facilitation of orientation training session on school clustering for education management and administration officials for Clustering phase 1 roll-out in 11 clusters.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Education or other relevant Social Sciences
  *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• Minimum six (6) years of relevant working experience in the fields of public School Clustering Management and Administration in Pakistan, planning and management of education systems in Pakistan.
• Extensive knowledge and experience in the public education sector in Pakistan (issues, management, structures and processes) regarding fiscal flows, budgets, disbursement authorities, processes for creation and/or upgrading posts, transfers and posting, etc.
• Proven experience in extensive consultations, on-job coaching and capacity development of education officials at all levels.
• Demonstrated experience in developing training /orientation packages for education management and administration; knowledge and expertise in ‘School Clustering’ administration training skills
• Experience in documentation/report writing, training manual preparation with a focus on structure, purpose and audience
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience for providing strong consideration for gender parity and equity related to all elements of the ToRs.
• Ability to undertake regular field missions, especially in diverse and challenging contexts.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Willingness to accept the assignment at short notice.
• Proven experience for effectively and efficiently working with public officials at all levels.
• Professional-level fluency in English and Urdu; working knowledge of Sindhi language will be considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

• UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and core competencies in: Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness; Works Collaboratively with others; Builds and Maintains Partnerships; Innovates and Embraces Change; Thinks and Acts Strategically; Drives to achieve impactful results and Manages ambiguity and complexity. View our competency framework at: Here
• 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

NOTE:

• Estimated Duration: 220 days, estimate starting date: 1st June 2021
• The consultant will be based in Karachi
• The level of consultancy is equivalent to NOC. 
• Applicants are requested to submit a financial quotation indicating monthly fee as part of the application against each deliverable.
• HEC Attested and verified degrees are a pre-requisite for employment at UNICEF. Candidates will be required to present attested and verified degrees.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

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.