EdTech Assessment and Operations Consultant

Global Programme Division - Global Education Practice, Helsinki, Finland

UNICEF Global Learning Innovation Hub, Helsinki, Finland

Office-based, no planned travel

12 months

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UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to education

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF works to ensure that digital technologies contribute to equitable, inclusive and effective learning outcomes for children. Within UNICEF’s Office of Innovation, the Global Learning Innovation Hub supports UNICEF country offices, governments and partners in identifying, developing and scaling solutions that strengthen the quality and impact of digital education.

As part of this work, the Hub has developed the EdTech for Good Framework, which provides a structured approach for assessing the quality of EdTech solutions across key areas such as Safety, Impact, Pedagogy, Scalability and Accessibility. The Learning Cabinet applies this framework to support UNICEF and its partners in identifying and understanding high-quality EdTech solutions based on a rigorous assessment across these areas. As the Learning Cabinet transitions from a cohort-based application system to a continuous and platform-enabled assessment model, there is a need for dedicated operational management of the pipeline of tools.

The purpose of this 12-month consultancy is to manage and further strengthen the application, assessment, curation and product-listing processes of UNICEF’s Learning Cabinet.

The consultant will support with the coordination of applications through the Quick Assessment and Full Assessment stages, coordinate the integration of expert evaluators in the assessment process, support the Learning Cabinet Committee in assessment-related decision-making, and communicate with applicants and internal stakeholders.

The consultancy will also support the continuous improvement of the Learning Cabinet’s evaluation and curation processes, the pipeline management platform workflows and the EdTech for Good Framework, by systematically capturing and communicating feedback from applicants, evaluators and UNICEF stakeholders.

The assignment is temporary and output-based. It will be implemented through clearly defined assessment management, reporting, process improvement and stakeholder coordination deliverables over the 12-month contract period.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: ToRTMC0005623.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: Masters in Education, educational technology, digital education, business administration, innovation management, project management, international development, social sciences, information systems, technology management, or another relevant field.

A first university degree in a relevant field combined with two additional years of qualifying professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Work Experience: A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in project or programme management, application and assessment process management, digital education, EdTech, innovation, business development, or another closely related area.

Demonstrated experience managing multi-stage application, assessment, due diligence, grant, investment, procurement, or selection processes, preferably involving a high volume of applications.
Demonstrated experience coordinating and supporting external experts, reviewers, evaluators, consultants, or technical specialists.
Experience managing communication with applicants, partners, internal stakeholders, and decision-making bodies throughout complex assessment or selection processes.
Experience preparing assessment summaries, decision briefs, presentations, management reports, and recommendations for senior stakeholders or committees.

Experience using digital workflow, application-management, assessment, customer relationship management, or data-tracking platforms.

Skills:

Strong project, process, and workflow management skills.
Ability to manage multiple applications and assessment processes simultaneously and meet demanding deadlines.
Knowledge of EdTech, digital education, technology-enabled learning, or innovation ecosystems.
Experience applying assessment frameworks, evaluation criteria, quality standards, or due diligence processes.
Strong understanding of quality assurance in expert-led assessment processes.
Strong stakeholder coordination and relationship-management skills.
Ability to provide clear guidance and ongoing support to expert evaluators.
Strong written communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex assessment findings into concise reports, presentations, applicant feedback, and decision briefs.
Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain complete and accurate assessment, applicant, and pipeline records.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with geographically distributed and cross-functional teams.
Proficiency in digital collaboration, workflow-management, data-tracking, and presentation tools.
Understanding of responsible, equitable, evidence-informed, and contextually relevant approaches to EdTech.

Language Requirements: Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) is considered an asset.

Desirables:

Previous experience working with UNICEF, another United Nations agency, or an international development organization.
Experience managing EdTech or digital education assessment and selection processes.
Experience working with EdTech providers or digital education programmes in low- and middle-income countries.
Experience onboarding, training, and managing expert reviewer or evaluator networks.
Familiarity with EdTech assessment frameworks, evidence reviews, product due diligence, or quality-assurance processes.
Experience coordinating the onboarding, listing, or publication of products on a digital platform or marketplace.
Experience translating evaluator, applicant, or user feedback into recommendations for improving digital products, workflows, or assessment tools.
Familiarity with UNICEF’s Digital Education Strategy, the EdTech for Good Framework, or comparable digital education frameworks.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
Cover letter
A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template) Financial proposal TMC0005623.xlsx
Technical Proposal:

Applicants are requested to submit a concise technical proposal of no more than three pages containing:

The applicant’s understanding of the assignment and its key operational requirements.
The proposed approach to managing the Learning Cabinet Quick Assessment and Full Assessment pipelines, including high-volume application rounds.
The proposed approach to onboarding, coordinating, and supporting expert evaluators and ensuring the quality and timely completion of assessments.
The proposed approach to applicant communication, feedback, assessment reporting, and support to Committee decision-making.
The proposed approach to tracking assessment progress, product-listing targets, operational risks, and opportunities for continuous process improvement.
A brief description of one comparable application, assessment, evaluation, or selection process previously managed by the applicant. Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not downloadable on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

EdTech Assessment and Operations Consultant, UNICEF Global Learning Innovation Hub, Helsinki, Finland, office-based, 12 months, # 595516