Advertisement Text Standard Notes

Technical support to local governments for planning and implementing expansion of early childhood education and care, remote, Sarajevo, Bosnia Hercegovina.

DURATION OF CONTRACT 22 months and 21 days

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 Early childhood education and care

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF supports four municipalities/cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Istocno Novo Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Laktasi, and Gradiska) to expand equitable access to quality ECEC as part of the Joint UN Programme Accelerating Agenda 2030 through Governance and Sustainable Growth (SDG 2030 BiH). Building on similar work in two cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this consultancy will provide sustained technical support for local expansion planning and implementation.

The consultancy will support four municipalities/cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina of the Joint UN Programme to develop five-year Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) expansion plans and implement one locally contextualized, co-funded expansion initiative in each municipality/city. The consultant will facilitate planning and implementation with local administrations, in collaboration with education authorities and other relevant social-sector authorities.

Local expansion requires coordinated decisions on provision, financing, staffing, affordability and inclusion. UNICEF will provide its existing planning methodology, relevant examples from other cities and costing tools. The consultant will adapt and apply these resources to local circumstances, strengthen municipal ownership and help translate agreed priorities into practical projects and sustainable public financing.

The consultancy will further support implementation of innovative local-level initiatives (co-funded by the Joint UN Programme and the municipalities/cities) that contribute to increasing ECEC enrolment. These may include development of models of subsidies for families, partnerships with private providers or other measures to improve public financing for children and expand ECEC access. Options will be selected jointly according to local needs and feasibility, with specialist financing and PPP advice provided through UNICEF’s PPP expert.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Financial proposal template.xlsx

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

QUALIFICATIONS / SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE / EXPERIENCE/ COMPETENCIES (CORE/TECHNICAL/FUNCTIONAL) / LANGUAGE SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THE ASSIGNMENT

Minimum requirements:

Education: Bachelors in Economics, public finance, public policy, public administration or another relevant discipline.

Years of Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required*:

Work Experience:

At least 4 years of relevant professional experience in in local policy or development planning, public financing and support to municipal project implementation;

Experience supporting project implementation, budget monitoring and reporting, preferably involving grants or transfers to public authorities.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:

Knowledge of local government institutions and public budgeting processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Ability to coordinate diverse public-sector counterparts, organise consultations and provide practical technical guidance;

Ability to implement local-level projects, including funds utilization monitoring and implementation quality assurance;

Strong ICT skills, including the use of MS Office;

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;

Strong facilitation skills and ability to work independently and proactively;

Excellent professional writing skills.

Desirables:

Prior work experience with UNICEF or other UN organization is an asset

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 template.xlsx

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.