Consultancy: Content Developer for Gender Equality E-course Consultant – Req.#573954

The purpose of this consultancy is to design and develop course content for an all-staff gender training that will:
a) focus on the organisation’s gender equality mandate and vision; what UNICEF is doing to advance gender equality; and why gender equality is a core value of all staff;
b) build staff capacity to promote gender equality within UNICEF’s workplace environment and within UNICEF’s programming; and
c) meet the learning outcome and learning objectives set out by UNICEF.

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, hope.

Consultancy Title: Content Developer for Gender Equality E-course Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Gender Equality Section, Programme Division, NYHQ

Duration: 1 August 2024 to 31 March 2025

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ / Remote

About UNICEF 

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

UNICEF’s Gender Policy 2021-2030 and Gender Action Plan (GAP) 2022-2025 articulates a bold and ambitious framework for UNICEF’s programming, workplaces, and practices. Within the GAP, gender-responsive and transformative targets are articulated, in addition to five interconnected targets for adolescent girls’ wellbeing and leadership.  

In 2019, UNICEF commissioned an independent, strategic review of gender capacity building initiatives and the development of a new Organization Learning Plan for Gender Equality (2021-2025).

Both the strategic review and a 2019 independent evaluation of UNICEF’s Gender Action Plans 2014-2017 and 2018-2021 identified a priority need to expand UNICEF’s capacity building efforts, to increase the coverage of gender training across the organisation beyond gender-designated staff positions, to support and promote collective leadership and accountability for GAP results and gender equality, more broadly, as an organisational commitment. In response, UNICEF continues to strengthen and expand gender capacity development for all UNICEF staff, by refining existing learning resources and creating new learning resources.

While there is a wide array of gender-related learning resources accessible to UNICEF staff, what is lacking is the development of training that will build staff knowledge and understanding about gender equality at UNICEF at a basic level for all staff, regardless of function and level.

In addition, UNICEF has the responsibility to meet the capacity development performance indicator on mandatory gender training for all levels of staff at HQ, regional and country offices, as set out in the UN System-wide Action Plan (UN-SWAP) on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

Scope of Work:

The purpose of this consultancy is to design and develop course content for an all-staff gender training that will:

a) focus on the organisation’s gender equality mandate and vision; what UNICEF is doing to advance gender equality; and why gender equality is a core value of all staff;

b) build staff capacity to promote gender equality within UNICEF’s workplace environment and within UNICEF’s programming; and

c) meet the learning outcome and learning objectives set out by UNICEF.

The course will comprise approximately 45 mins of learning, covering the following elements

– UNICEF’s gender equality mandate and vision

– Gender transformative programming and results

– Gender data and statistics

– Adolescent girls as an organizational priority

– Gender equality in the workplace

The course will be made available on UNICEF’s internal Agora learning platform.

While the consultant will have access to existing online documents, PPTs and videos and be expected to integrate this information into the course, the consultant will also develop new content in the form of pre and post assessment tools, case studies, tests/knowledge checks, an exercise to stimulate self-reflection and a final test/knowledge check which marks course completion.

UNICEF will also contract a e-course developer who will transfer course content into an online learning platform. The consultant will serve as the principal liaison between UNICEF and the e-course developer firm, while maintaining close communication with the programme manager within UNICEF’s Gender Equality team in New York headquarters.

The consultant will brief an internal reference group at key stages of course content development.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

– Workplan

A workplan outlining the methodology and timeline            

7 Aug 2024

– Course outline

A detailed course outline including structure, learning objectives,  activities,  reference materials to include,  topics covered and key takeaways  

15 August 2024

– First draft of course    

A first draft of the course (with minute breakdown and script) based on the agreed course outline that meets the learning outcome and objectives set by UNICEF and includes recommendations on making the course interactive, dynamic where relevant. Quotes, links, images and sources to be included, where relevant.         

10 Sept 2024

– Second draft of course           

A second draft of the course, revised based on feedback provided by the reference group and a select group of staff whose expertise is not gender

30 Sept 2024

– Final course    

The final course, revised based on feedback provided by the reference group and a select group of staff whose expertise is not gender     

10 Oct 2024

– Liaison with e-course developer        

Alpha version of the e-course is reviewed and the feedback is provided to the e-course developer including consultation and communication with e-course developer to provide support and ensure course content transferred to online learning platform aligns with the course intent and vision set by UNICEF.            

31 March 2025

Qualifications

Education:

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree) gender studies, social sciences, international development, or a related field.

Work experience:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:

Academic credentials in gender are a strong asset.

– At least 10 years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in developing gender-related knowledge products, guidance and tools for a wide range of audiences, and learning materials that incorporate adult learning principles.

– International work experience, experience with public and private sector, expertise in international development and humanitarian response, and/or the gender equality ecosystem are strong assets.

– Experience with UNICEF in children’s rights, women and girls’ empowerment, gender rights is an advantage.

– Must demonstrate excellent writing skills with specific experience writing on gender related issues and knowledge products.

– Be able to work independently as well as with a team in an international, multicultural, and interdisciplinary environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization.

– Experience in work environment of an international agency, UN, or international institutions is desirable; prior experience in UNICEF is an asset.

– Experience in developing country contexts and an understanding of development challenges from the field perspective is desirable.

– Knowledge of UNICEF/UN systems; familiarity with UNICEF’s work and gender transformative programming is an asset.

– Ability to communicate sensitively to different audiences.

– Ability to work within tight deadlines.

– Fluency in English (written and verbal) is required.

Requirements: 

Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and

– Upload copy of academic credentials

– Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :

• • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability

– Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.

– At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

– Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory 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.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

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. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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.