Tuvalu Education Policy and Planning Consultant, 18 Months

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, Education.

The Tuvalu Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) is completing the development of a new evidence based, gender sensitive and risk-informed sector plan – the Tuvalu Education Sector Plan IV 2024 – 2028 (TESP IV). MEHRD has successfully applied for a System Capacity Grant (SCG) from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to support this work. The new plan will reflect the priorities for Education in Te Kete (2021-30), the Tuvalu national development strategy, and be based on a comprehensive education sector analysis and synthesis of stakeholder views from broad consultation including the community representatives, teachers and students, parents CBOs, NGOs and Tuvalu Education Partners Group (TEPG). The Ministry has recently also successfully applied for additional SCG funding available to them for work focused on sector coordination and sector financing, policy support and research.

In addition to the development of TESP IV and supporting systems work, MEHRD are looking ahead to the implementation of priority programmes identified in collaboration with partners through their Partnership Compact for Education Reform to align government and partner programmes and resources to a transformative priority for education. This compact along with further consultation and consideration of government priorities will inform the programme design to implement the strategies identified. This work will be financially supported through a GPE Systems Transformation Grant (STG).

This is a significant amount of work for an already over-stretched Ministry, and they need support to guide implementation of these multiple programmes, particularly in the areas of policy and planning and related monitoring and evaluation work. UNICEF acts as grant agent for both the SCG and STG funds. This consultancy will provide essential support to MEHRD in facilitating and ensuring that the implementation programmes for both SCG and STG are supported and integrated into MEHRDs own planning and provide additional capacity relating to education policy and planning as part of this implementation. Supporting evidence-based, participatory, and consultative processes and working with MEHRD to partners to to enhance coordination of partners for aligned support to the education sector in Tuvalu is also expected as part of this work.

How can you make a difference? 

The consultant will provide technical and logistical support to MEHRD leadership in the implementation of all SCG and STG programmes of work, with a particular emphasis on policy and planning and related functions. Supporting the sequencing of work, alignment to MEHRDs broader annual and medium terms planning and addressing any bottlenecks to ensure the smooth flow of activities will be an essential part of the consultancy. Throughout the contract, the consultant is expected to support the Ministry to engage with a range of stakeholders across the education sector, including but not limited to facilitating and synthesizing consultations and meetings, drafting documents, and doing relevant document searches and consolidation. The consultancy will be based at MEHRD offices in Funafuti.

The consultancy will work under the guidance of the Director of Education in MEHRD in close collaboration with colleagues from the Education team of UNICEF Pacific to undertake tasks including, but not limited to:

SCG and STG Programme Implementation, Monitoring and Reporting

1. Support the Director of Education and relevant Senior Education Officers in the planning and implementation of activities under the SCG and STG programme, assuring full ownership of MEHRD and alignment to the ministry’s priorities and work programme. This will include supporting the relevant funding mechanism for in-country activities such as workshops, consultations or procurement
2. Collect relevant data and other evidence, including human interest stories, and support the drafting of annual reports on SCG, STG to GPE and other reporting that may be required to TEPG.

Capacity support to Policy and Planning and related functions

1. Provide technical advice, guidance and logistical support to the Director of Education and relevant SEO for policy and planning activities.
2. Provide technical input, advice and guidance to research activities including pilot programmes and evaluations.
3. Support MEHRD to access and utilise regionally available tools and programmes in support of policy and planning

As this work has significant financial support and technical expectations from GPE, the consultant is expected to be or willing to become fully conversant in all aspects of the GPE funding model and how it relates to small island developing states. UNICEF Pacific will be able to provide some support to the contextualisation of this knowledge.

Payments will be on a monthly basis upon submission of deliverables. The consultant will develop a quarterly workplan in line with high-level deliverables within 2 weeks of starting the assignment. This will be developed with and approved jointly by MEHRD and UNICEF. Thereafter, the consultant is also expected to submit a concise monthly report by the 3rd working day of the following month. This report will include a workplan for the next month, along with any updates to the overall quarterly workplan outlining concrete actions taken, progress made, and results achieved in line with high-level deliverables. Reports should also highlight challenges faced, mitigation strategies utilised by the consultant, and recommendations for the way forward.

Please refer to the ToR ( TOR ED041.pdf) for further information on the deliverables and the timelines. 

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:  

Please submit a separate financial offer along with your application. The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount for all the deliverables and should show a break down for the following:

• Monthly / Daily fees– based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference above
• Travel (economy air ticket where applicable to take up assignment and field mission travel)
• Living allowance where travel is required

Miscellaneous- to cover visa, health insurance (including medical evacuation for international consultants), communications, and other costs.

Also submit a cover letter explaining the suitability of the role and share a proposed approach on how to execute the scope of work as per TOR. 

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

Education:

• A Masters degree is desirable for this consultancy, however a strong first degree with particularly relevant experience will be considered. Qualifications in education or other social sector programme with some study/papers in policy or planning is required

Experience & Skills:

• A minimum of 8 years of relevant experience, preferably in education or other social sector with knowledge of planning and consultation and increasing responsibility for both, is required
• Knowledge of Tuvalu education sector, policies and plans is preferred but other Pacific experience may be considered
• Good ability to support engagement with a range of stakeholders and build useful networks is required
• Must be familiar with GPE guidelines and/or be willing to become fully familiar with the same
• Ability to quickly form relationships with a range of people and contribute to a team
• Understand issues of equity, inclusion and quality in the social sector
• Good written and oral communication skills and the ability to fit message to audience
• Flexible in approach and resilient

Language:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset. 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.