National consultant to support early childhood monitoring scale up and early childhood interventions conceptualization and advocacy, Astana, Kazakhstan (open to Kazakhstan nationals only)

Duration: from 1 March 2024 to 28 Februrary 2025
Workplace: office-based
Modality: full-time

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, a fair chance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=E1xkXZs0cAQ

 Background and Purporse of Assignment ECI.docx

Scope of Work
UNICEF Kazakhstan is looking for a consultant to support early childhood monitoring scale up and early childhood interventions conceptualisation and advocacy through the support to evidence generation, adaptation of strategic instructions and guidelines, testing of tools in early childhood developmental monitoring and interventions to enable smooth introduction and capacity development of early childhood development, health and education sector frontline workers, use of applications and conceptualization of parenting programmes.

Major areas of the consultancy:
The consultant is expected to successfully perform the following tasks:
1. Early childhood monitoring scale up
1.1. Review draft instructions and guidelines (in Russian language) on early childhood monitoring and provide contributions and recommendations for further improvement, with focus on equity, quality, inclusion, and gender equality transformation;
1.2. Provide support to sustaining and scale up of a capacity development course on early childhood monitoring including on digital platforms;
1.3. Contribute to design and roll out of SBC products and materials on early childhood monitoring scale up in the regions.

2. Early childhood interventions conceptualisation and advocacy
2.1. Support planning, delivery, validation of ECI-related research activities, dissemination of findings and implementation of recommendations (subject to availability of funding)
2.2. Provide support to sustaining and scale up of capacity development course on early childhood interventions;
2.3. Build a common vision and concept for new gender transformative parenting programmes using digital applications (Bebbo, Ozim, ECD app), including some internationally validated programmes like Parenting for Life Long Health, Mellow parenting, Let’s grow up together, Caring for the Caregiver and Caregivers support and training.

3. Contribute to the preparation of investment cases stemming out of UNICEF’s early childhood initiatives in the region adjusted to Kazakhstan’s context for testing, fundraising, scale-up and sustainability.
3.1. Draft the investment cases using the format provided by UNICEF
3.2. Consult and validate the draft with the relevant colleagues and counterparts

 Work Assignment Overview ECI.docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
• Education: Project management, social policy, sociology, youth policy, communications, IT or a similar field.
• Experience:
– at least 5 years of progressively responsible professional work experience in early childhood development and education analytical work and policy-making at the national level.
– Proven experience in guides and capacity development programmes in early childhood development, interventions or education, including analytics, research, development, conceptualising, coordination and advocacy with the public sector.
– Strong writing, communication, and analytical skills and the aptitude to handle competing messages and priorities with multiple audiences.
– Experience engaging with senior government officials, NGOs, and various development partners at the national and international levels.
– Strong familiarity with the cultural and political context of the region, including cross-sectoral interventions in early childhood development and education, early interventions services reforms, policy and digitalization
– Proven capacity to work with collaborative teams across different locations and with different technical skills.
– Fluency in English and Russian is required. Knowledge of the Kazakh language is a strong asset.
– Previous experience with UNICEF or the UN is an advantage.
• Competencies:
– Conceptualizing and development of vision in the area of early childhood development and education demonstrating a thorough understanding of the system and national and international trends in early childhood development, interventions and education
– Supporting the regular knowledge exchange, advocacy and consultations with partners and finalizing the documents after their feedback
– Review and finalization of guides and capacity development programmes in early childhood development, interventions or education, including design, conceptualizing, coordination, structuring, commenting and advocacy with the public sector.
– Support in writing, analytical work, collecting, analyzing data on early childhood development and interventions policies, research and building common vision in design of gender transformative parenting programmes

For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (https://www.unicef.org/about/unicef-culture)

Evaluation Criteria
A) Technical Evaluation (maximum 70 Points)
• Consultant’s profile (qualifications, relevance of experience and skills)
• Expertise in the early childhood development and education systems: The candidate should have experience in the early childhood development and education conceptualizing, policy-making, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the system and national and international trends in early childhood development, interventions and education.
• Experience in developing policy recommendations, concepts, training programmes: The candidate should have experience in participating in the development/implementation of data plans and strategies based on desk review results and other data sources. He/she should have the skills to prioritise, set goals and participate in developing instructions, guides and courses.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to consult with relevant stakeholders and organise various consultative events.
B) Financial Proposal (e.g. maximum of 30 Points)
• Candidates must submit a financial proposal for the whole assignment based on these Terms of Reference. The financial proposal should clearly state the cost of the services for each Deliverables/Outputs.
• The financial proposal that provides the best value for money, meaning the lowest financial proposal, will receive the highest score during assessment. This is the main principle because saved funds will be directed towards other activities to aid children in Kazakhstan. Only financial proposals that fully cover all deliverables outlined in the terms of reference will be considered.

Applicants are required to provide:
– Detailed CV;
– Cover letter, highlighting relevant experience (maximum 500 words);
– Financial proposal either as i) daily fee as well as the total fee for the whole assignment OR budget by deliverables. The financial proposal should also explicitly indicate travel costs. Travel costs will be pre-approved by UNICEF as per the UNICEF rules and regulations for travel for consultants i.e., irrespective of the distance and duration of the flight, most direct and economy flight ticket shall apply.

Remarks
• Completion of the UN/UNICEF mandatory trainings is obligatory upon commencement of the contract.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and that UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.
• The Consultant will perform his/her duties in line with UNICEF standards and procedures.
• Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.
• 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.
• Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. Consultants will be asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.