National Individual Consultant to develop the Guidelines and Toolkit for the Romanian Language Programme for refugee and repatriated children

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

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Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to education 

Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova has established support systems to respond to the needs arising from the large influx of refugees. Moldovan authorities have taken important steps to prevent major disruptions in the education of Ukrainian refugee children and to ensure their access to appropriate educational programmes. These measures include the adoption of official decisions and special provisions in the education sector, the development of methodological guidelines, the delivery of capacity-building programmes, and the implementation of information and awareness-raising activities aimed at facilitating Ukrainian children’s access to local schools and kindergartens.

Despite the undertaken measures, only 3,510 Ukrainian children are currently enrolled in the Moldovan education system[1]. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ Participatory Assessment Report “Ukraine Situation: Republic of Moldova, 2024[2]”, while progress has been made in refugee enrolment, many families continue to prefer online education, primarily due to language barriers. Similarly, the Ministry of Education and Research (MER), in the adopted Roadmap for the Inclusion of Refugee Children in Moldovan Schools[3], identified language differences and curriculum discrepancies as the most common barriers preventing Ukrainian children from attending schools in Moldova. Roadmap underscores language support as a key area for intervention and a prerequisite for achieving full inclusion.

How can you make a difference? 

1. Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of this individual consultancy is to develop practical resources – Implementation Guidelines and a Toolkit, to support the effective application of the Romanian Language Curriculum for Refugee and Repatriated Children. These resources aim to bridge the gap between the curriculum’s theoretical framework and its practical application by providing a structured, user-friendly approach and actionable guidance for educators and other stakeholders.

The Implementation Guidelines and Toolkit will serve as a comprehensive roadmap, offering clear directions, practical tools, and adaptable templates to support the consistent delivery of the curriculum. By addressing the operational complexities of implementation, these resources will facilitate the translation of recommendations into practice and contribute to achieving quality, inclusive, and sustainable learning outcomes for the target groups.

2. Objectives of the consultancy

• Design clear and structured Implementation Guidelines that provide educators, school managers, and relevant stakeholders with step-by-step guidance on planning, delivering, and monitoring the Romanian Language Curriculum in diverse educational settings.
• Develop a Practical Toolkit containing adaptable teaching tools, templates, sample lesson plans, assessment instruments, and practical examples that support the development of Romanian language competencies at levels A1, A2, and B1, in line with the CEFR.
• Ensure alignment with inclusive and learner centered approaches that address the specific needs of refugee and repatriated children, including those with interrupted schooling and diverse linguistic backgrounds.
• Promote consistency and quality in curriculum implementation across educational institutions by providing standardized resources that can be applied at national and sub‑national levels and adapted to different learning contexts.

3. Deliverables and delivery dates

4. Work location and official travel involved

The work will not require travel. In case the Consultant decides to visit and interview local schools, refugee families, etc., they are expected to cover costs, arrange, and schedule such visits, including transportation. The UNICEF office will facilitate introductions to key informants.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• University degree in education, philology, psychology, or other relevant areas.
• Minimum 5 years of working experience in the relevant fields.
• Documented track record of experience in the education sector, particularly in developing teaching-learning materials (links to research and analytical documents relevant to the TOR to be provided).
• Proven experience in collecting, analyzing, and synthetizing data (links to research and analytical documents relevant to the TOR to be provided).
• Demonstrated experience with national and international institutions/organizations will be a strong asset. Previous experience in working with UN agencies will be an asset.
• Flexibility and ability to adjust to unforeseen circumstances and needs.
• Very good communication and presentation skills.
• Excellent written Romanian language skills. Working knowledge of English will be an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

For more details on the consultancy assignment and requirements, please refer to attached Terms of reference (ToR):

 2026_ToR_Romanian Language_Guidelines and Toolkit_VA.pdf

HOW TO APPLY: Your online application should contain your Technical and Financial Offer (templates below):

 Technical Offer_Romanian Language_Guidelines and Toolkit.docx

 Financial Offer_Romanian Language_Guidelines and Toolkit.xlsx

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates from targeted underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.