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, Hope.

Consultancy Title: Akelius partnership consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: PG EDU-ADAP Digital Learning team, Programme Division NYHQ

Duration: 3 March 2025 – 2 March 2027

Home/ Office Based: Home-based/REMOTE/CET time working hours required/UNICEF Sweden office optional onsite

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The consultant will support UNICEF Programme Group Education and UNICEF Sweden in the development of the UNICEF-Akelius partnership by providing technical assistance in the strategy, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Akelius digital language learning initiative, in collaboration with the Learning Innovation Hub.

As EDU HQ currently does not have sufficient funding to cover all planned activities, the completion of certain deliverables is contingent upon the availability of additional resources.

Scope of Work:

The consultant will:

1. Contribute to the review, commenting and finalization process of country funding proposals for the UNICEF-Akelius partnership.

2. Conduct field missions to selected countries to support the development of project proposals, workplans for the UNICEF-Akelius digital language learning initiative, to monitor progress and to make recommendations on areas for improvement.

3. Provide on-site and remote technical assistance to, and monitoring of, countries and implementing partners in the area of digital learning, with a focus on school management for digital learning, teacher training and blended learning pedagogy, and scale up and sustainability approaches. As part of this activity, organize approximately 50 technical assistance calls with participating countries.

4. Apply lessons learned from seven years of implementation in the sustainability of the Initiative in existing partner countries, the expansion to new countries, the development of the Akelius language and math courses, and the review of country funding proposals, while also documenting learning from implementation in new settings through new approaches.

5. Liaise with the Akelius Berlin team, jointly preparing regular update webinars to participating countries, facilitating the dissemination of analog Akelius materials, engaging with new endeavours or units such as the Akelius Berlin teacher training unit, responding to requests supporting the work of the Berlin team overall and suggesting areas for improvement.

6. Report monthly to the Akelius Foundation, Swedish Natcom and HQ offices, organizing and consolidating programme indicator data in line with donor’s evolving requirements.

7. Work closely with the HQ offices, the Akelius Foundation, and the Swedish Natcom, through frequent communication and in-person strategy meetings.

Terms of Reference/Deliverables: 

Deliverables/Outputs Delivery deadline

1.Support UNICEF Programme Group-Education in the development of the UNICEF-Akelius partnership by providing technical assistance in the strategy, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Akelius digital language learning initiative, in collaboration with Swedish NatCom and the Learning Innovation Hub;

Reporting on the previous month’s technical assistance and monitoring calls;

Reporting on consolidated programme indicator data in line with donor’s evolving requirements;

Reporting on the main takeaways and action points from the weekly in-person and virtual meetings with the Swedish NatCom and HQ offices;

Reporting on in-person and virtual meetings with the Akelius Foundation and the Akelius Berlin team (up to 52 total meetings with these stakeholders);

Reporting on communication and main action points resulting from engagement (including in-person meetings) with the Swedish NatCom, the Akelius Foundation, Akelius Berlin, and HQ offices;

Reporting and support on relevant tasks requested by supervisor or Swedish NatCoM

– 24 monthly status reports for the Akelius Foundation, Swedish NatCom, and UNICEF HQ drafted, reviewed, and finalized for submission.

– 28 February 2027

2. Contribute to the review and finalization of country funding proposals for the UNICEF-Akelius partnership, applying lessons learned from the seven years of implementation

– Review and finalize up to 20 country funding proposals for approval by UNICEF HQ, the Swedish NatCom and the Akelius Foundation

– 2 March 2027

3.  Document newly identified lessons learned from the program. This includes sustaining the initiative in existing partner countries, expanding to new countries, developing Akelius language and math courses, and documenting insights from new approaches in diverse settings.

– Two lessons learned documents (encompassing both past and new lessons learned) disseminated to participating countries, HQ offices, Akelius Berlin, the Akelius Foundation, and other stakeholders

– 31 March 2026

– 28 February 2027

4.  Conduct field missions to selected countries to support the development of project proposals and workplans for the UNICEF-Akelius digital language learning initiative, monitor progress, and provide recommendations for improvement

– A total of 26 travel reports prepared as per agreed mission report format

– 2 March 2027

5. Liaise with the Akelius Berlin team, jointly preparing update webinars to participating countries, facilitating the dissemination of analog Akelius materials, engaging with new endeavors or units such as the Akelius Berlin teacher training unit, responding to requests supporting the work of the Berlin team overall and suggesting areas for improvement

– Eight technical webinars for participating countries co-organized with the analog materials for the webinars being disseminated and outputs for Berlin team and Foundation are provided

– 30 April 2025

– 30 June 2025

– 30 Sept. 2025

– 31 Dec. 2025

– 31 March 2026

– 30 June 2026

– 30 Sept. 2026

– 31 Dec. 2026

Qualifications

(1) Education: 

• Master’s degree in  Education, Education Technology, Engineering, Economics, Administration, Statistics, International Educational Development, Technology for Development, Linguistics, Mathematics, Digital Learning, and related areas

(2) Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• At least 10 years of work experience in some or all of the areas of international education, technology for education, digital learning, partnership management, and working across different teams across different international locations (multicultural);
• Familiarity with implementation of education technology in low-resource settings;
• Excellent English communication and writing skills;
• Knowledge of French, Spanish, and/or Portuguese an asset.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements