International Consultant to support the Guinea-Bissau Ministry of Education to develop the Partnership Compact with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).

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.

How can you make a difference? 

The overall aim of this consultancy is to support the Guinea-Bissau Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, and Scientific Investigation (MENESIC) to develop and successfully submit the Partnership Compact with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).

UNICEF Guinea-Bissau is the coordinating agency for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). The partnership is based on the principles of a harmonized sector-wide approach in support of building an effective education system that benefits all and contributes towards sustainable development. UNICEF is supporting MENESIC as well as partners in the education sector and supports the coordination for preparing and monitoring funding through GPE.

The Ministry of Education and the Local Education Group (LEG) are seeking support to develop a partnership compact to access resources in the new GPE funding model. The partnership is based on the principles of a harmonized sector-wide approach in support of building an effective education system that benefits all and contributes towards sustainable development.

For the financing period 2021-2025 under the “new GPE Operating Model”, Guinea-Bissau is eligible for a maximum of 12.91 million US dollars in grant funding from GPE, of which of which 5.71 million USD is available under the System Transformation Grant (STG) allocation. To access the funding according to the new GPE strategic plan, countries must go through different preparatory steps that lead up to the ultimate application for GPE grant funding. These preparatory steps include a context-based assessment of Enabling Factors, the identification of key system transformation priorities and the development of a Partnership Compact that sets out the priority reform and focus areas that will be implemented through the grant funding.

The updated Enabling Factors Analysis (EFA) approach for system transformation under “GPE 2025” embodies the principle of effective partnership and focuses more strongly on sector policy dialogue and implementation. The proposed EFA methodology is operationalized as follows:

First, partner countries reflect on persistent sector challenges and select a priority reform/ desirable policy outcome based on their potential for system transformation.

Second, partner countries conduct a high-level screening across the four enabling factors:

1.  Data and evidence
2. Gender-responsive sector planning, policy and monitoring
3. Sector coordination
4. Volume, equity and efficiency of domestic public expenditure on education

Then, they undertake a nuanced and context-sensitive analysis of the enabling factors to examine the extent to which they effectively support progress toward achieving identified policy outcomes (that is, act as enablers OR bottlenecks).

The ultimate objective of the EFA is to promote meaningful contextualized dialogue around critical challenges across the enabling factors that would limit their effectiveness in supporting system transformation.
By “enabling factors” GPE refers to the four areas above, which are key in shaping a sound foundation of an effective education system. When an enabling factor area performs well, it can contribute to steering system transformation; however, when an enabling factor area does not perform sufficiently well, it can become a bottleneck and impede the success of policy implementation.

The EFA will help to contribute to the development of the Partnership Compact. The Partnership Compact has the four following objectives:

1. To explain the priority reform and the related theory of change that are likely to lead to system transformation, including the impact on gender issues.
2. To summarize the challenges related to the four enabling factors, and to propose specific remedial actions to support the priority reform.
3. To specify the alignment of partners’ resources to the priority reform and the intended use of GPE resources in a focus area of the reform (subset within the broader reform).
4. To explain how the priority reform outlined in the Compact will be monitored and evaluated.

In January 2023, MENESIC informed GPE that Guinea-Bissau would start the process of the above-mentioned steps in coordination with the Local Education Group (LEG) from January 2023 on. To carry out the preparatory tasks, MENESIC has appointed a Technical Working Group (TWG), ensuring broader participation and consultation of the LEG. The TWG consists of approximately ten members who combine working knowledge, technical expertise, and profound knowledge in the four Enabling Factor areas. The TWG also reflects the members of the LEG, i.e., representatives from MENESIC and other key ministries, bilateral and multilateral donors, as well as civil society organizations. UNICEF as GPE Coordinating Agency holds a key role in supporting and facilitating the process.

GPE provides guidelines to explain the approach and the methodology to conduct the EFA at country level including the definition and scoping of the Four Enabling Factors as well as templates to facilitate the reporting of the country dialogue around the enabling factors (see Template).

In addition, further guidelines are provided for in the documents related Development of the Partnership Compact.

The contracted consultant will be hired by UNICEF to support the Technical Working Group (TWG) appointed by MENESIC in the steps outlined above to develop the Enabling Factor Analysis (EFA) as a key expert.

The responsibilities include:

Coordination and facilitation
a) Prepare an introductory meeting and at least ten follow-up meetings with the TWG and propose an approach for reviewing and finalizing the priority reform and enabling factor analysis (including the compilation of data and evidence and the completion of the provided templates) and the Partnership Compact.
b) Support planning and structuring the work of the TWG and ensuring the integration of discussion results, comments and feedback from the different involved actors (MENESIC, LEG) as well as the GPE Expert Panel
c) Ensuring feedback loops (TWG, MENESIC, LEG, GPE Headquarters)
d) Coordination with the expert of the TWG regarding the approach for finalizing the Country’s domestic financing matrix.

Preparation of data and documents
e) Prepare tools to support planning and structuring the work of the TWG and ensuring the integration of discussion results, comments and feedback from the different involved actors (MENESIC, LEG).
f) Accompanying ensuring of feedback loops (TWG, MENESIC, LEG, GPE Headquarters).
g) Review and undertake quality control to finalize the document on the priority policy reform for system transformation, in agreement with TWG, MENESIC, and LEG.
h) Review and finalize the data and evidence on the four Enabling Factors, coordinate with TWG members providing additional or lacking data and evidence, and ensure that all supporting documents are included in the package sent to the GPE Secretariat with the enabling factor analysis.
i) Drafting of the Partnership Compact, incorporation of comments and input for LEG for submission to GPE Secretariat for feedback.
j) Drafting of a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the main points of the Partnership Compact to support further presentation, dissemination and policy dialogue with the Compact.
k) Finalization of Partnership Compact for formal approval by MENESIC and LEG.

Work Assignments Overview                 

Inception report and review, revision and quality control of the priority reform, the enabling factor analysis, and domestic financing matrix submitted to TWG and LEG for review and finalization

Deliverables/Outputs & Delivery  deadline

• Inception report completed
• Priority reform reviewed and submitted to the TWG & LEG after the quality control process
• Enabling factor analysis reviewed and submitted to the TWG & LEG after the quality control process

•            Domestic financing matrix  reviewed and submitted to the TWG & LEG after the quality control process      16 working days (March 22, 2024)

Work Assignments Overview

Priority reform, EFA and domestic financing matrix approved by LEG. First draft of partnership Compact submitted.           

Deliverables/Outputs & Delivery  deadline

•            Priority reform, EFA and domestic financing matrix approved by LEG and successfully submitted to GPE

•            First draft of the Compact document completed              30 working days (May 6, 2024)

Work Assignments Overview

Completion of final draft of the Partnership Compact document, incorporating feedback from LEG and contributions from GPE

Deliverables/Outputs & Delivery  deadline

•            Workshop to discuss feedback from LEG members on the Partnership Compact

•            Partnership Compact document and all accompanying annexes completed

•            PowerPoint presentation summarizing the main points of the Partnership Compact completed 34 working days (June 30, 2024)

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Education, Adolescent development and participation, sociology, economy or another related field in the Social Sciences or Sciences
  *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree. 
• A minimum of 8 of relevant professional experience in education sector planning, coordination and policy formulation, particularly in developing countries.
• Proven experience in supporting the development and implementation of educational policies.
• A good knowledge of GPE funding procedures is required, and previous experience developing GPE Partnership Compacts is strongly preferred.
• Good analytic and report writing skills.
• Good reputation in capacity development of government counterparts, including facilitation of structured group work and individual coaching and mentoring activities.
• Good command of change theories and experience in change management.
• Experience working with Ministries of Education and Development Partners.
• Effective communication skills, with fluency in written and spoken Portuguese and English or French.

1. Cover letter describing the candidate’s relevant experience with similar type of assignments (max 300 words).
2. Updated Curriculum Vitae

1. A Technical proposal – The candidate should submit a proposal explaining a short description of methodology or approach on how to deliver the assignment as per the TORs including field visits. The proposal should not be more than 5 pages long.
2. A financial proposal – The applicant should submit a financial offer including a breakdown of their all-inclusive fees (including professional fees and travel costs).

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.