Closing Date : 3 December 2020 midnight (Paris time)
Duty Station : Amman/Jordan. Methodology should take into account the likelihood of a full online consultation process in case of continued restrictions due to COVID-19. **
Type of Contract & Level : Individual Consultancy (IC) Contract
Expected Start Date of the Contract : 3 January 2021 (tentative).
Duration of contract Three months
1 BACKGROUND, OBJECTIVES AND JUSTIFICATION
1.1 Project Overview
Since 2019, the UNESCO Amman Office has been implementing the “System Strengthening Partnership with Jordan’s Ministry of Education” (SSP) programme, with the generous support from the Government of Canada, Norway (through NORCAP) and Italy. The SSP aims to support the Ministry of Education (MoE) in strengthening evidence-based strategic policy-making, and coordination at the MoE. Through the 3-year programme, UNESCO aims to strengthen the core functions of the MoE in planning and budgeting, monitoring and reporting, research and evaluation, data and information management, and coordination and partnership. In addition, technical support is provided to the MoE in areas of data collection, analysis and utilization by reinforcing the MoE’s capacity to maintain, manage and utilize the OpenEMIS platform.
The programme builds on UNESCO Amman’s previous technical support to Jordan’s Ministry of Education to develop, launch and begin implementing the Education Strategic Plan (ESP) 2018-2022.
1.2 Strategic Relevance
The ESP includes planned activities to improve the quality of decentralized education services and school-based planning, supportive supervision and management through an update to, and further refinements of, the MoE’s School and Directorate Development Programme (SDDP). In particular, the MoE has requested UNESCO technical support in strengthening the monitoring and evaluation of the SDDP, as well as support in the automation of SDDP in EMIS.
2. PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
As part of the SSP programme, UNESCO will provide technical and capacity building support to MoE staff, such as the Education Training Center (ETC), the Education Quality and Accountability Unit (EQAU), the Managing Department of Educational Planning and Research (MD EPR), and Queen Rania Center for Information & Technology in Education (QRC) in addition to any other relevant MoE organizational units, in strengthening the monitoring and evaluation of SDDP, resulting in the review and improve the existing monitoring tools and methodologies currently used, to allow the MoE to generate high-quality SDDP monitoring reports, as well as to review the existing ESP quality indicators linked to decentralization and SDDP.
3. DUTIES/TASKS AND EXPECTED OUTPUT:
The technical expert /consultant will be responsible for the following:
Activity 1: Assessing the current status of the M&E framework used to monitor & evaluate the SDDP implementation within the MoE schools and field directorates, in particular to:
1.1. Conduct a review of key documents provided by MoE and relevant stakeholders.
1.2. Consult with and work alongside designated MoE staff, technical advisors and key stakeholders to better understand the existing and emerging requirements.
1.3. From a technical perspective, and based on lessons learned in Jordan and globally, identify the major gaps to achieving a comprehensive monitoring & evaluation framework (M&E tools and reports).
1.4. Note any relevant staffing, capacity constraints, or challenges related to the organizational structure that may impact the SDDP monitoring & evaluation process. Equally highlight any best practices and keys to success.
1.5. Draft and present a detailed assessment report and summary presentation for UNESCO, MoE and key stakeholders.
Expected deliverables:
- Draft assessment report and summary presentation of the assessment methodology, main findings on gaps & constraints impacting the SDDP M&E process, in addition to recommendations and keys to achieving a comprehensive & concrete M&E framework for the SDDP. Deadline: January 15, 2020
- Final assessment report and summary presentation incorporating feedback from UNESCO and MoE. Deadline: January 30, 2020
Activity 2: Providing technical support to the MoE to address the highlighted gaps within the existing M&E framework of SDDP implementation (based on the findings of the conducted assessment); as well as providing capacity building to the MoE to generate systematic and high-quality SDDP monitoring reports, in particular:
2.1. Work alongside MoE and the team of technical advisors to update the SDDP monitoring framework in a participatory approach based on the findings of the assessment and the agreed way forward. Gender mainstreaming will be considered when updating the M&E framework of the SDDP.
2.2. Provide technical support and capacity building to the MoE to generate enhanced, well-formulated SDDP monitoring reports.
Expected deliverables:
- Timeline and capacity building plan of SDDP M&E Framework update in consultation with UNESCO and MoE. Deadline: February 10, 2020
- Draft technical report including a) the updated SDDP M&E framework, and b) the methodology and capacity strengthening approach used to update the M&E Framework of the SDDP and SDDP M&E reports. Deadline: February 17, 2021
- Final report incorporating feedback from UNESCO and MoE. Deadline: February 28,2021 **
Activity 3: Providing technical advice & support to review the existing ESP quality indicators linked to the decentralization component and SDDP and update them to measure the quality of the SDDP implementation, in particular:
3.1. Provide support to conduct technical consultations with the MoE relevant departments and ESP TWGs on updating the corresponding ESP indicators.
3.2. Provide support to reflect the updates on the associated individual technical ESP indicator sheets.
Expected deliverables:
- Short methodology report on SDDP ESP quality indicators update process. Deadline: March 5, 2021
- Draft updated ESP individual indicator sheets linked to measuring the quality of the SDDP implementation. Deadline: March 15, 2021
- Final version of the updated ESP individual indicator sheets linked to measuring the quality of the SDDP Implementation. Deadline: March 28, 2021
4. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
A. Education:
- Advanced University degree (Master or equivalent) in education, international development, social studies, or a related field.
B. Professional Experience
- Over 10 years of relevant experience in the field of education, with a focus on monitoring and evaluation, and results-based management.
C. Language Skills
- The language of submitted reports/materials for the assignment is English.
D. Competencies / Inter-personal skills
- Strong analytical skills including the ability to analyze different components of the education sector for the purpose of improving planning, monitoring and evaluation, and informed based decision-making.
- Strong commitment and proven ability to improve education systems through knowledge transfer, effective collaboration, and a strong capacity development approach.
- Ability to work as a team and in close collaboration with national authorities and/or Ministry of Education staff, and other education stakeholders.
- Excellent coordination, organization, and prioritization skills, and the ability to manage multiple competing tasks.
- Proven good interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to lead consultation, and capacity development sessions, and draft high-quality reports.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively in complex operations within a multi-cultural environment.
Desirable Qualifications
A. Professional Experience
- Minimum 2 years working in the field of education at the international level is an asset.
- Previous experience working on education decentralization, and data analysis is an asset.
- Previous experience working in Jordan is an asset.
- Previous experience working within the UN system including familiarity with its administrative and procurement systems and processes is an asset.
B. Language Skills
- Proficiency in spoken and written Arabic is an asset to effectively conduct the scope of work for this Consultancy.
5. SUPERVISORY ARRANGEMENTS
This consultancy is under the overall authority of the Director General of UNESCO delegated to Head of the UNESCO Amman Office, and the technical oversight of the Education Programme Specialist and Project Officer for the System Strengthening Programme.
How to apply:
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Interested candidates should click on “**Apply Now**”, then download and complete the Employment History form (Word file). At the end of the Word file, insert extra pages with the following required** information in English:
* Upon completing the Word file with all the requested information above, upload the file at the “My Employment History Form / My Documents” section of the online application form. Only applications with the above requested information will be considered.
I. A statement indicating how their qualifications and experience make them suitable for the assignment;
II. A Technical Written proposal (4 Pages Maximum) consisting of:
· A description of your proposed approach and methodology for undertaking the assignment;
· A work plan with detailed milestones and key deliverables/activities as per the terms of reference;
· Comments on the Terms of Reference, if any (in brief);
· CV;
· The amount to be charged for the assignment as per the below Price Schedule:
*A lump sum amount to be charged for the assignment (excluding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs), which should be quoted in US Dollars.*
Please design your payment scheme against clear and specific set of deliverables and milestones as reflected in your work plan.
If the duration of the assignment is less than 30 calendar days. Please indicate your proposed Daily rate (without travel cost).
If the assignment is carried over a month or longer. Please indicate your proposed Monthly rate (without travel cost).
In case of Travel required, indicate estimated cost for travel cost* (round airplane ticket ATK–on economy class only) indicating travelling from, to and cost.
*Daily substance allowance (DSA) and terminal fair will be according to UNESCO rates applicable to the destination country. DSA will be calculated based on the effective number of travel nights spent away from the duty station if required.
III. Availability: From January to March 2021 and should be confirmed as part of the submission.
Link to apply: https://careers.unesco.org/
“Please apply online via the above link; no application will be considered out of the UNESCO Careers system”