Consultant for enhancing partnerships in the Nordic Region, Education Cannot Wait (ECW), Hosted Fund, Remote, 24 months, REQ #575037

ECW is seeking a consultant to support the brokering of partnerships in the Nordic Region that help close Education Cannot Wait’s financing gap for 2023-2026. This includes supporting the identification and cultivation of new partnerships and funding opportunities with public and private donors, or a collaboration between both (public private partnerships). The consultant will serve as the liaison for ECW Global Champions in the Nordic region, providing support to Champions as they advocate for ECW in national, regional and / or international fora. The consultant will work closely with the ECW secretariat to enhance the visibility of ECW and education in emergencies across traditional, digital and social media platforms in the Nordic Region. While the geographical focus of the assignment is primarily Nordic, the consultant may also support on other donor markets based on the needs in the ECW Partnerships Team. The consultant is expected to support the planning and execution of ECW delegations to the Nordic region and support on global policy events and processes such as the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and the annual meetings in the World Bank and IMF.

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 

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is a fund dedicated to education in emergencies and protracted crises. It was established in 2016 during the World Humanitarian Summit by international humanitarian and development aid organizations, along with public and private donors, to help reposition education as a priority on the humanitarian agenda, usher in a more collaborative approach among actors on the ground and foster additional funding to ensure that every crisis-affected child and young person is in school and learning.

How can you make a difference? 

The main outcome of the consultancy assignment is to support the brokering of partnerships in the Nordic Region that help close Education Cannot Wait’s financing gap for 2023-2026. This includes supporting the identification and cultivation of new partnerships and funding opportunities with public and private donors, or a collaboration between both (public private partnerships). The consultant will serve as the liaison for ECW Global Champions in the Nordic region, providing support to Champions as they advocate for ECW in national, regional and / or international fora. The consultant will work closely with the ECW secretariat to enhance the visibility of ECW and education in emergencies across traditional, digital and social media platforms in the Nordic Region. While the geographical focus of the assignment is primarily Nordic, the consultant may also support on other donor markets based on the needs in the ECW Partnerships Team. The consultant is expected to support the planning and execution of ECW delegations to the Nordic region and support on global policy events and processes such as the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and the annual meetings in the World Bank and IMF.

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT

Deliverables	Description	Estimated number of days	Deadline/timeline
Deliverable 1: Lead the successful partnerships with Nordic governments, private funders, and strategic partners and close new funding agreements with minimum one existing partner in each of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden).	The consultant is expected to provide specialist advice, fundraising/resource mobilization as well as produce regular updates on policy trends. In his/her position, the consultant will showcase the impact of ECW investments in relevant national donor forums and parliamentarian events as directed by the ECW Chief of Partnerships. This also includes enhancing ECWs profile towards new potential funders, develop concrete funding proposals and engage with political influencers. Specifically, the consultant will deliver: a) Regular written and verbal updates to Chief of Partnerships on status of funding opportunities with public donors in the Nordic region. b) Minimum one multi-stakeholder engagement focused on education in emergencies and protracted crises per year with national stakeholders in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland. c) Liaison with Nordic donors to ensure participation and engagement in multilateral events including World Bank Meetings, UNGA, COP and others. d) Production of one briefing per market per year to advocate for ECW with national government, parliament, media, CSOs and other strategic partners. e) Development of talking points for ECW high-level engagement with Nordic public donors. f) Organization of high-level ECW missions to Nordic region. Minimum one mission to each market over the two-year consultancy period. g) Ongoing management of ECW’s funding relationship with the Lego Foundation, including coordination of ECW funding proposals. h) Participation in ECW Partnerships Team meetings as needed to coordinate activity in the Nordic Region with ECW’s wider RM work.	100 days	Managing the partnerships with Nordic governments, private funders, and strategic partners in collaboration with Chief of Partnerships. will be ongoing in 2024/25/26. Planning of national priorities, events, briefings and missions will be agreed in quarterly workplans developed in collaboration with the ECW Partnerships Team. Monthly policy analysis and updates will start in Oct 2024 and will be ongoing in 2024/25/26. Identification of new partnerships and funding opportunities starts in Oct 2024. Deadline: new funding agreements expected to be finalized in Apr 2025, Nov 2025 and Apr 2026. Deadline: ECW missions to Denmark and Sweden expected in 2025 and mission to Norway in 2026. Deadline: National market briefings delivered in Mar 2025 and Mar 2026. Expected travels to Billund (5 trips), Oslo (3 trips), Stockholm (3 trips), and Helsinki (2 trips).
Deliverable 2: Minimum two new ideas, solutions and innovative financing models has been tested and implemented by strategic partners and donors in the Nordic region ideally with potential for scaling up and replication in other markets.	The consultant is expected to convene dialogues and national actions with a diverse group of foundations, corporations, innovative finance mechanisms and businesses to generate new and innovative ways of cooperation and funding opportunities. In particular, the consultant will expand ECWs engagement with Nordic business leaders, as well as financial institutions and pension funds, to develop new and innovative financing mechanisms with the potential to provide sustainable funding to ECW. Specifically, the consultant will deliver: a) minimum two national or regional events targeting non-traditional donors in the Nordic region. b) minimum 20 bilateral meetings with Nordic private sector actors to raise awareness of the ECW model and explore potential partnerships. c) minimum 8 high-level bilateral meetings organized between ECW leadership and high-level business leaders from the Nordic region. d) Secure participation and involvement of Nordic private sector leaders in minimum two global events at major policy making moments.	40 days	Convening of Nordic dialogues and bilateral meetings starts at UNGA in Sep 2024. Future opportunities for Nordic dialogues, events and potential new partnerships will be planned in collaboration with Chief of Partnerships. Deadline: National or regional events in May 2025 and Feb 2026. Deadline: Reports on bilateral meetings in Jan 2025, Jul 2025, Jan 2026 and Jul 2026.
Deliverable 3: Support the ECW communication team to enhance the visibility and showcasing the impact of ECW investments towards Nordic funders, strategic partners, and political influencers.	This includes developing relevant content for traditional, digital and social media, and tailored media plans for specific donors and ECW Global Champions, including their active participation in ECWs global social media campaigns. Specifically, the consultant will deliver: a) minimum one traditional or online media piece that highlights EIEPC/ECW in a major Nordic publication. b) minimum one Nordic high-level interview candidate for ECW’s high-level interview section on its website	10 days	Media plans for the Nordic countries and ECW Global Champions will be developed in 2025 and will be updated biannually in collaboration with ECW communication team. Deadline: Media plans delivered in Dec 2024, June 2025, Dec 2025 and June 2026. No planned travels
Deliverable 4: Support the ECW Global Champion in Denmark to successfully deliver on his mandate, and identify, announce and start the collaboration with additional ECW Global Champions in Sweden and Norway with a specific focus on the private sector.	The consultant is expected to develop work plans, speaking points, relevant background briefings, and providing logistical support as well as involving relevant colleagues in the ECW secretariat and/or strategic partners. The consultant is also expected to organize and participate in relevant missions with the ECW Global Champions, and lead on the outreach to new potential Global Champions and political influencers that can support ECW in mobilizing political and financial leadership, particularly in the private sector. a) Provide support and advisory to ECW’s Global Champion from Denmark during minimum two international missions and global policy making moments. b) Facilitate the participation of ECW’s Global Champion in minimum 2 national / regional events or engagements annually. c) Provide regular written and verbal updates to the Chief of Strategic Partnerships on the outcomes of the work done by ECW’s Global Champion from Denmark, including an annual written update. d) Identify and secure one new ECW Global Champion from the Nordic Region, with a specific focus on the private sector, foundations and philanthropy.	50 days	Activities for ECW’s Global Champion from Denmark include UNGA in Sep 2024 and a high-level mission to Ethiopia in Nov 2024. Future Global Champion activities will be agreed in bi-annual workplans. Deadline: Jan 2025, July 2025, Jan 2026 and July 2026. Mapping and outreach to new ECW Global Champions in the Nordics starts in 2024. Deadline: new Global Champions from Sweden and Norway expected to start in Sep 2025. Planned travels include New York (3 trips), Washington (1 trip) Addis Ababa (1 trip) and other ECW partner countries (2 trips).
TOTAL ESTIMATED WORKING DAYS	200

• Advanced University degree (or equivalent) in Economics, International Relations, Political Science, International Development Studies, Communication or another relevant field.
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in the area of partnerships and resource mobilization with a focus on public and private partners in the Scandinavian market.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• A strong network in the Nordic region (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden), and in-depth knowledge of the Nordic development policies and fundraising landscape.
• Expertise in mobilizing political commitment and resource mobilization, with a particular focus education in emergencies and protracted crisis.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software.
• Fluency in English and, at minimum, one of the Nordic languages is required for this role.

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 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. 

Interested candidates are required to fully complete their application profile, upload a cover letter and their financial proposal (daily fee rate in USD).

Applications with incomplete profile and without a financial proposal will not be considered.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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.