National consultant to support the development of monitoring and evaluation framework for ECEC, Sofia, Bulgaria (20 months, home-based)

UNICEF Bulgaria is seeking a consultant who will serve as a technical lead for raising the quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC) by strengthening governance, monitoring and evaluation as part of a Technical Support Instrument (TSI) multi-country project in Bulgaria and Portugal, led by the UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO). The consultant will be assigned to the Bulgarian component of the action but will have to closely collaborate with ECARO and with the Portuguese counterparts to ensure synergies.

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, results 

UNICEF Bulgaria is seeking a consultant who will serve as a technical lead for raising the quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC) by strengthening governance, monitoring and evaluation as part of a Technical Support Instrument (TSI) multi-country project in Bulgaria and Portugal, led by the UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO). The consultant will be assigned to the Bulgarian component of the action but will have to closely collaborate with ECARO and with the Portuguese counterparts to ensure synergies.

How can you make a difference? 

With funding from the EU Commission, DG REFORM, under which UNICEF has been contracted to provide technical support, UNICEF will be working with the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science (MoES), the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP) to create a monitoring and evaluation framework for the implementation of the National Quality Framework (NQF) for ECEC, as a tool to strengthen the quality of ECEC services.

The ministries are committed to closely collaborate in order to ensure all aspects of the quality of the ECEC network, while ensuring equitable access and consistent quality across services. Through the TSI, the Bulgarian authorities wish to adopt a concept for a comprehensive system for the monitoring & evaluation of early childhood education and care, and a practical toolkit to support its implementation at different levels of the system. This will be achieved through the following key activities:

Evidence generation

UNICEF will support the Bulgarian authorities in gaining extensive knowledge of the current status

of M&E in the ECEC sector through: a) “As-is” analysis of governance and monitoring & evaluation (M&E) with regard to quality in ECEC; b) Analysis of good practice from other EU Member States/European countries.

Framework development and testing

UNICEF will support the development of a concept for a comprehensive M&E system for ECEC, and an associated M&E toolkit, which will be piloted at setting and municipality levels.

Recommendations for framework adoption

UNICEF will draft a report with final recommendations for implementation and dissemination of the framework by the State authorities.

Summary of key deliverables:

• Input into the inception report in relation to the methodology of the analyses, M&E framework development and piloting
• Development of “As-is” analysis of governance and monitoring & evaluation (M&E) with regard to quality in ECEC in Bulgaria through undertaking the following tasks:

– Methodology: Complete methodology of the analysis, including instruments for data collection to gather information about the current status of M&E in relation to system quality, including accessibility, availability, quality and affordability of services.

– Desk review: Undertake mapping and desk review of status of M&E in the ECEC sector, building from identified key data, documents and resources.

– Primary data collection: Analyse the current knowledge, attitudes, practices and approaches to the monitoring and evaluation of quality of ECEC in Bulgaria, involving key stakeholders as needed through primary data collection from settings and key stakeholders.

– Report: Develop and validate report providing a comprehensive overview of the sector, as well as an initial set of recommendations of areas that need further strengthening and improvement.

• Input into the preparation of an analysis of good practices from other EU Member States/European countries which are relevant for Portugal and Bulgaria, including through participation in learning exchanges.
• Development of a consolidated interim recommendations report, summarizing findings and recommendations from the “as-is” analysis and the good practice study.
• Development of a M&E framework and toolkit for the NQF, comprehensive of a full set of indicators of quality at national, local and setting levels, and support for piloting it, through the following tasks and with input and co-creation from the WG and AG:

– Framework development: Develop an M&E Conceptual Framework with quality indicators at national, local and setting level based on existing data collection and M&E processes where possible, and provide recommendations for new processes where required. The Conceptual Framework should include indicator definitions, data collection processes, data sources and data gaps across the three levels.

– Toolkit: Develop a toolkit with all the required tools to collect data on the indicators.

– Methodology for piloting: Working closely with the responsible authorities, develop a methodology for testing the framework in municipalities and settings, including training plans and training materials for data collection.

• Input into the final recommendations report with a set of high-level recommendations for policy-makers, together with a sequencing of sub-activities linked to the recommendations, focusing on ensuring adequate implementation of the M&E system, as well as measures to strengthen governance of ECEC.

For a detailed description of the assignment deliverables, please refer to the attachment below.

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

• Minimum 15 years of relevant professional experience in the field of M&E, education and creating frameworks for quality monitoring.
• Minimum 15 years experience of undertaking research and developing research methodologies, including in relation to education.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for ECEC, including at policy level.
• Understanding of ECEC curricula development, teacher training and mentorship, and tools/processes for measuring ECEC quality.
• Experience working with EU-funded grants, Technical Support Instruments, and Ministry reform programmes is considered an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English and Bulgarian is a requirement. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility UNICEF.

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.

Remarks:  

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual 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 and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors 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.

  Assignment Overview.docx