National digital learning consultant for Nigeria (office based) Abuja, 12 months (594880)

Contract Duration: 12 months

Working arrangement: Office Based

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.

Scope of Work

Under the supervision of Chief of Education, the consultant will undertake the following tasks:

1. Internal and external coordination of digital learning programmes: Participate in and contribute to internal and external digital learning coordination meetings at global and national levels to ensure the digital learning initiatives are aligned with the global and national digital learning strategies and priorities.

2. Grant management: Support the education section to implement and monitor grant projects that have digital learning components. Develop and update costed workplan, provide guidance to Field Offices for grant implementation, monitor progress and budget execution, and adjust workplans to achieve results on time.

3. Content development, management, and quality assurance: Support FME to review and update digital teaching and learning contents in NLP in alignment with the new national curriculum and coordinate

DUTY STATION Abuja, Nigeria (office based)

validation of the updated contents.

4. Device procurement: Support the education section to define specifications of devices (e.g., PCs, tablets, projectors) to be provided o governments and schools for NLP deployment. Work with the Supply team and Field Offices to ensure the devices are procured, delivered and installed at government offices and schools.

5. New NLP functions/designs: Work with the HQ LP team and the FME ICT team to identify new functions to be added to NLP such as AI-supported teaching tools and course management. When agreed, develop a plan to upgrade NLP to improve the quality of digital teaching and learning.

6. NLP deployment, monitoring and reporting: Coordinate the launch of NLP in additional states by establishing and training digital learning teams in states and supporting development of a state digital learning implementation plan. Conduct regular monitoring and reporting on usage of NLP as well as NLP-related activities.

7. Private sector partnership: Work with the partnership section to explore, engage and maintain the private sector partnerships for digital learning, such as funding support for Internet connectivity at schools, procurement of devices, and deploying online and offline NLP models.

8. Communication, advocacy and stakeholder engagement: Coordinate communication, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement activities in collaboration with FOs to sensitize government officials, donors, schools, teachers, children and parents on NLP and digital learning management and use.

9. Government management capacity: Develop and implement a plan to handover the NLP management and coordination roles to the FME ICT department so that the government fully owns and manages the NLP updating and deployment with increased ownership and sustainability. This includes the capacity building of the FME staff.

10. Coordination of UPSHIFT initiatives: Liaise with a HQ team and FME to explore, customize and design the UPSHIFT programme (e.g., introduction of Google Workspace for teachers and learners for youth skilling) and coordinate the programme development and implementation.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  ToR_ext_TMC0004698.pdf

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

Education:

• MA- Advanced university degree in education, international development, social sciences or other relevant fields.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in designing and coordinating large-scale digital learning projects.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in supporting digital and blended learning by improving digital content, device procurement, platform management, training of officers and teachers.
• Working experience in supporting FME and State Government in Nigeria in designing, deploying and monitoring NLP.

Language Requirements:

• Strong communication skills in English.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:

• Knowledge of NLP functions and its online and offline models.
• Experience in harnessing private sector partnerships in strengthening digital learning ecosystems.

Desirables:

• Experience in working for UNICEF or international organizations.
• Experiences in working in Nigeria or other sub-Saharan African countries.

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 - TMC0004698.xlsx

Remarks: 

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 .