Senior Consultant (Education and Gender)

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Dakar

 

Classification of duty station: [[filter12]]

Standard Duration of Assignement : [[filter13]]

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 31-Jan-2024

 

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

 

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

 

CONTEXT

With more than 50 years of experience developing the capacity of member states, IIEP-UNESCO is the only specialized organization with the mandate to support education policy, planning and management in the UN system. IIEP's Africa office (IIEP Dakar) contributes to this mission by producing rigorous analysis and data-driven evidence, developing cutting-edge analytical tools, and delivering technical assistance to identify, facilitate and promote the adoption of effective solutions to Africa's most pressing education challenges.

Over the past decade, IIEP has strengthened its commitment to reducing gender inequalities by integrating this issue in its activities. Since 2014, it has also been one of the Institute’s strategic priorities in line with UNESCO Strategy for gender equality in and through education (2019-2025) which focuses on a system-wide transformation to benefit all learners equally.

At the backbone of its strategy and commitment to reducing inequalities in education, IIEP UNESCO co-leads the Gender at the Centre Initiative – GCI together with UNGEI. Launched in 2019 at the G7 Summit, the GCI aims to strengthen the gender mainstreaming capacities of education system stakeholders and support the development of resources to achieve gender equality in and through education. The initiative is currently being developed in eight pilot countries in sub-Saharan Africa and seeks to expand to other countries in the region, in partnership with the GCI Alliance gathering partners such as UNICEF, GPE, Plan International, the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), the African Network Campaign on Education for All (ANCEFA) and the African Union - International Centre for Girls' and Women's Education in Africa (AU/CIEFFA), the G7 donors (France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, European Union) and the participating countries.

Long Description

In 2024, GCI will enter into its second phase (2024-2026) with the objectives of:

1. Generating clear data and evidence to ministries and civil society so that they are better equipped to achieve gender equality in and through education.
2. Building technical capacity, promote better commitment and jointly develop effective tools for gender responsive education policy making, planning and management.
3. Contributing to the development of a strong, coordinated and active movement for gender-transformative education that holds governments and actors accountable)
4. Acting as a catalyst to increase demand for gender equality in and through education.

Long Description DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES

To support the institute’s efforts to strengthen gender equality in its activities at the global level and the implementation of GCI, IIEP-UNESCO is looking for a senior consultant with significant expertise in gender and educational analysis, planning and policies as well as gender mainstreaming in education. The consultant, under the global authority of the Head of IIEP-UNESCO Dakar and the direct supervision of the Head of the Gender at the Centre Initiative, will:

 

1. Support the GCI Lead in the ongoing development of strategic direction and resource mobilisation for GCI’s new phase of work:
   1. Contribute to discussion and documentation relating to GCI’s strategic direction
   2. Input into resource mobilisation processes and strategy

 

1. Collaborate with the GCI team and IIEP colleagues in the provision of country-specific technical support:
   1. Lead the development and implementation of the GCI 2024 Action Plan in Nigeria, liaising with the Federal Ministry of Education
   2. Support the development and implementation of the GCI 2024 Action Plan in one other GCI country (TBD)
   3. Contribute to other GCI technical support as required, in particular through the Technical Assistance Partnership with GPE/UNGEI
   4. Contribute to other non-GCI technical supports as required.

Long Description

1. Contribute to the production and dissemination of data, knowledge, and global goods on gender in education.
   1. Contribute to the development of a handbook on gender transformational education policy making.
   2. Contribute to any methodological tool developed under GCI or IIEP gender activities.
   3. Contribute to the GCI research to fill the data gaps relating to gender in education that have been identified as priorities.

 

1. Support the GCI and trainings teams in Paris, Dakar and BA in the development, coordination and delivery of training and in the facilitation of a gender and education community of practice.
   1. Contribute to the mainstreaming of gender in the evolving IIEP global training offer (2 specialized gender courses and mainstreaming gender in the core training offer)
   2. Taking into account the findings from previous editions of the Community of Practice in Gender and Education, lead the development and implementation of this activity strand in the new phase.

 

1. Contribute to activities to strengthening IIEP gender mainstreaming and moving forward a gender-transformational agenda at IIEP.
   1. Contribute to capitalising on and disseminating GCI's results, tools/methodologies, and innovations internally.
   2. Contribute to improvement of measurement mechanisms at IIEP.
   3. Support the development of internal tools/methodologies to strengthen gender equality.
   4. Support the development and delivery of internal trainings.

1. Contribute to the visibility of the IIEP's outputs in the international education sector and identify potential partnerships.
   1. Strengthen GCI’s visibility and partnerships.
   2. Contribute to the visibility of IIEP/GCI outputs and knowledge, especially in the international English-speaking education sector.
   3. Identify and concretize opportunities for partnership on gender in and through education. 

             Contribute to capitalising on and disseminating GCI's results, tools/methodologies and innovations.

  

1. Support and contribute to any transversal Gender and Equity/GCI-wide activities upon request.
   1. Support the M&E of GCI phase 2 and Technical Assistance Partnership/GPE
   2. Contribute to the final evaluation of GCI Pilot Phase

DELIVERABLES AND DEADLINE  Number Title of Deliverable Anticipated Completion Date (subject to adjustment) Key Deliverable 1 Inception report on the whole consultancy and execution plan for all the deliverables February 2024 Key Deliverable 2 Delivery of workshop on State-level gender capacity development in Nigeria April 2024 Key Deliverable 3 1st draft of  one chapter of Handbook on Gender Transformative Policy Making May 2024 Key Deliverable 4 Briefing note on the conceptualization and work plan for the future Community of Practice in Gender and Education June 2024 Key Deliverable 5 Methodological note on improving gender mainstreaming and moving towards a gender-transformative approach in IIEP projects July 2024 Key Deliverable 6 Impact statement on the visibility of the IIEP's gender related outputs in the international education sector and new partnerships October 2024 Key deliverable 7 Final report on all technical and transversal inputs December 2024

 

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Payment is conditional on the completion of the tasks and the satisfactory submission of the deliverables within the deadlines defined above, unless otherwise agreed with the project leader.

• 1st payment: 28th February 2024 on receipt of Inception report (Key Deliverable 1): 10 % of the total contract.
• 2nd payment: 15th May on receipt of Interim report 1, and on condition of completing at least two further Key Deliverables: 25% of the total contract.
• 3rd payment: 31st July on receipt of Interim report 2 and on condition of completing at least two further Key Deliverables: 25 % of the total contract.
• 4th payment: 15th October on receipt of Interim report 3 and on condition of completing any remaining Key Deliverables other than Key Deliverable 7: 25% of the total contract.
• 5th payment: 20th December on receipt of Final Report (Key Deliverable 7): 15 % of the total contract.

 

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial) Accountability (C) Communication (C) Innovation (C) Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C) Planning and organizing (C) Results focus (C) Teamwork (C) Professionalism (C) -

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

 

Academic qualifications

• Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in gender, education, economics, social sciences or related fields.

 

Years of relevant work experience

• Ten (10) years of experience in the field of education and gender equality
• Demonstrated professional experience in gender analysis in education, preferably in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Demonstrated professional experience in the design of education policies or education sector development plans, preferably in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Demonstrated experience working with ministries of education and development partners in Sub-Saharan African countries.
• Demonstrated experience of working with professional communities of practice, ideally education or gender related.
• Demonstrated experience in mainstreaming gender equality at institutional level.

Competencies

• Gender mainstreaming expertise in education planning and ability to integrate gender perspectives into policies, programs, and projects.
• Analytical skills. Ability to assess existing policies and identify opportunities for gender-responsive improvements and to contribute to the development of gender-sensitive education policies.
• Capacity Building expertise. Design and deliver training programs on gender-responsive planning for education stakeholders.
• Stakeholder Engagement. Establish and maintain effective partnerships with Ministries of Education NGOs, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Project management. Experience in managing and overseeing projects with a focus on gender-responsive planning.
• Communication skills. Effective written and verbal communication skills to convey complex gender concepts to diverse audiences.
• Monitoring and Evaluation. Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess the impact of gender-responsive initiatives.

Language requirement

• Excellent command (written and oral) of English or French and written and oral proficiency in the other language.

DURATION OF CONTRACT

The consultancy will be for an 11-month period and is scheduled to start on 30 January 2024 and end on 29 December 2024. A full-time engagement is expected during that period.

IIPE-UNESCO INPUTS AND SUPPORT

• In order to carry out this work, the IIEP-UNESCO Dakar will provide the consultant with all the administrative and analytical documentation available in relation to the work.

•  IIEP-UNESCO Dakar will, if necessary, facilitate contacts with institutions and individuals who the consultant wishes to meet in the context of this consultancy, as well as providing logistical support. The GCI team will provide guidance and technical support throughout the period of the assignment.

• The consultant will be responsible for any necessary visa/residence permit procedures in destination countries during the consultancy period. IIEP- UNESCO Dakar will facilitate contact with the relevant national authorities for these procedures. 

APPLICATION PROCESS

 

Interested candidates are invited to submit their application by January 20th 2024 to: gender.analyst2023@iiep.unesco.org as soon as possible, as they will be reviewed on a rolling basis (the consultant may be selected before the date indicated above).

Only applications that include the following documents will be considered and only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews:

1. An updated curriculum vitae (5 pages maximum), highlighting relevant experiences, the dates when they were carried out (month and year of beginning and end) and their duration (in months).
2. A technical and financial offer (5 pages maximum), outlining the understanding of the assignments, appreciation of the project, its scope and the challenges for its implementation, highlighting the relevant experience linked to the ToRs, and presenting a proposed remuneration for the work (monthly rate/total fees for the 11-month contract only – no other costs will be eligible).
3. NB: the consultant may need to undertake travels in 2024. Travel and associated travel costs will be supported by IIEP and amendments to the contract will be done integrating travel costs based on the number of travels needed for the implementation of the missions.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.

The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview. 

UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.

Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.

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