Contract Duration - 12 months

Working arrangement: Home Based with travel

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 care

How can you make a difference?

The Gateways to Public Digital Learning Initiative, co-led by UNICEF and UNESCO, supports governments to design, govern and sustain safe, equitable and high-quality public digital learning platforms. This consultancy will provide dedicated coordination, technical, research and knowledge-management support to the Gateways Initiative over a one-year period, within the broader 2026–2028 Gateways workplan, covering the Gateways dashboard and Knowledge Hub, country engagement and technical assistance, study visits and peer learning, the UNESCO-UNICEF Charter for Public Digital Learning Platforms, evidence generation, communications, reporting and partnership coordination.

The consultancy also contributes to UNICEF's Digital Education Strategy 2025–2030, supporting evidence-based, human-centred and scalable digital education approaches that improve learning outcomes, empower teachers, strengthen national systems, and promote equity and inclusion.

The consultant will work under the supervision of Juliette Norrmen-Smith and in close collaboration with UNICEF Education, UNESCO, relevant UNICEF Regional and Country Offices, Gateways Champion Countries, technical partners and other stakeholders.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: ToRTMC0004965.pdf

Minimum requirements:

Education: Masters Disciplines: Education, international development, public policy, social sciences, digital transformation, technology for development, learning sciences, or a related field.
Work Experience: At least five years of relevant professional experience in education, digital learning, international development, public-sector digital transformation, knowledge management, project coordination or related areas. Demonstrated experience coordinating multi-stakeholder initiatives, preferably involving governments, UN agencies, development partners or technical institutions. Experience supporting digital education, public digital learning platforms, EdTech or digital public goods. Experience preparing technical notes, reports, case studies, presentations and knowledge products. Experience managing donor reporting, partnership monitoring and financial tracking. Experience synthesizing research and evidence to translate into short reports and communication and advocacy work. Experience organizing meetings, workshops, study visits or technical exchanges. Strong ability to manage multiple workstreams and deliver within deadlines
Skills: Deep understanding of public digital learning platforms, EdTech, digital public goods and education technology policy; strong coordination, research and writing capabilities
Language Requirements: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English required
Desirables: Experience working with UNICEF, UNESCO or another UN/multilateral organization; experience communicating and collaborating with ministries of education; experience with digital learning in low-resource settings, education in emergencies, accessibility and inclusion, interoperability, data governance, online/offline models, shared devices or AI-enabled education tools; working knowledge of French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese or another UN language; experience developing web-ready content or communications products.

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 TMC0004965.xlsx

Remarks:

If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not visible 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.

Gateways to Public Digital Learning Initiative Coordination Consultant, home-based with travel, 12 months, # 594874