Current vacancies

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, a Champion! 

Background - The Government of Albania, through the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), has prioritized improving the quality and relevance of education as a key driver for national development. The National Education Strategy 2021–2026 outlines a comprehensive vision for an inclusive, equitable, and competency-based education system that equips students with the skills needed for lifelong learning, employability, and active citizenship. A core component of this strategy is the review and modernization of the pre-university curriculum to align it with international best practices, evidence from student learning outcomes, and the evolving needs of Albania’s socio-economic landscape.

The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results underscore the urgency of this reform. Albania has made notable progress in educational attainment over the past decade, yet students continue to struggle with foundational competencies in reading, mathematics, and science, particularly in higher-order thinking skills, problem-solving, and real-world application of knowledge. The PISA findings highlight learning gaps, disparities in performance between urban and rural students, and the need for stronger alignment between curriculum expectations and assessment methods. These insights reinforce the need to ensure that the national curriculum fosters critical thinking, digital literacy, and 21st-century skills, better preparing students for the challenges of an increasingly complex global landscape.

Building on national commitments, Albania’s participation in regional and European education initiatives, including efforts to align with the EU’s key competences framework, calls for a systematic review of the curriculum to enhance its coherence, inclusiveness, and responsiveness to contemporary learning needs. The review process that it is as well mentioned in the Reform Agenda will also support the country’s efforts in reducing early school leaving, enhancing teacher professional development, and improving student learning outcomes, particularly for marginalized and vulnerable groups.

Against this backdrop, UNICEF, in collaboration with MoES, seeks to engage a consultant to provide technical expertise in reviewing and refining the pre-university education curriculum. The consultant will conduct an evidence-based assessment of the existing curriculum, identify gaps and misalignments, and propose recommendations for a more student-centered, competency-based, and inclusive approach to curriculum development. This process will ensure that Albania’s education system is well-positioned to foster equity, innovation, and excellence in learning outcomes for all students. Identified reasons from MOES for the curriculum update include:
- Participation in a Knowledge-Based Society: Emphasizing the importance of knowledge for economic growth and the need for skills in collaboration and adaptability.
- Integration of Digital Technology and AI: Leveraging technology to improve engagement and personalized learning, while equipping students with digital literacy and computational skills.
- New Learning Concepts: Shifting toward a holistic educational approach, focusing on knowledge generation, application, and the role of teachers as facilitators.
Strengthening National Identity: Promoting cultural and linguistic heritage while respecting diversity through curricula that support national minorities.
- Global Interdependence: Preparing youth to navigate an interconnected world with competencies such as intercultural understanding and effective communication.

The reform aims to develop core competencies for 21st-century skills, including communication, STEM, digital, civic, green, cultural skills, healthcare, and preparing students for personal growth, employability, and active citizenship.
So far, the Curriculum Framework has been developed as a step, providing a structured path for developing the entire curriculum package, including the Core Curriculum, lesson plans, subject programs, and textbooks for all levels of pre-university education. UNICEF Albania is seeking an international consultant to guide MoES and ASCAP in developing an up-to-date curriculum leading Albanian students to acquire 21 century skills and be compatible in the job market.

Scope of work - UNICEF Albania is supporting MOES through the assistance of an international consultant to provide technical expertise in designing an updated and modernized curriculum that is inclusive, competency-based, and aligned with international best practices.

Main tasks:

- Desk review of the Albanian policy education framework and the curriculum package as well as of the best international trends related to the curriculum (with a focus on EU policies and frameworks and examples of best practices from EU and the region).
- Conduct interviews with local actors, teachers, Agency of Assurance of Quality in Pre-university Education staff, MOES staff, Local Education offices etc.
- Provide a detailed policy guidance to ASCAP and MOES on the recently developed curricula framework and the next steps for the curriculum reform.

Deliverable 1 - Deliver an inception report which provides a preliminary assessment of the work being conducted by Albanian terms of the curricula update and potential new pathways (digital, green, well-being etc.) to be undertaken

Tasks:
- Conduct a desk review of the main Albanian documents related to curricula and policy vision such as (such as the Growth plan , Law on the Preuniversity Education, National Education Strategy 2021-2026, Curriculum Framework 2024; Preuniversity Core Curriculum, Preuniversity Lesson Plans, Subject Programs, and Textbooks etc.).
- Desk review of the best international practices related to the curriculum (with a focus on EU policies and frameworks and examples of best practices from EU and the region).
- Organize an online call with UNICEF and MOES, the Agency of Assurance of Quality in Preuniversity Education staff (full list to be provided by UNICEF).
- Draft and finalize the inception report (methodology), based on feedback from UNICEF.

Delivery deadline - April 2025; 12 working days remotely

Deliverable 2 - Develop a detailed list of recommendations for UNICEF and the national counterparts with recommendations on the curricula review process

Tasks:
- Conducts meetings and interviews with: MOES, ASCAP, schools, teachers etc
-Provide technical recommendations on how to:
-Structure a competency-based and future-ready curriculum framework.
-Ensure the curriculum is inclusive, and adaptable to technological advancements.
-Align the curriculum framework with 21st-century skills, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and labour market needs.

Delivery deadline - May 2025; total 12 working days including 5 working days in Albania for meetings

Deliverable 3 - Submit the final report with findings and recommendations to UNICEF

Tasks:
- Prepare report and consolidate actions
- Prepare final report and deliver with the main fundings and recommendations

Delivery deadline - June 2025; 12 working days remotely

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:
- An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Education, Curriculum Development, Educational Policy, or a related field.
- At least 10 years of experience in curriculum design, education reform, or policy development.
- Strong knowledge of competency-based curriculum development and international education standards.
- Experience in working with government agencies and international organizations, preferably in education sector reforms.
- Excellent facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and capacity-building skills.
- Strong analytical and writing skills, with demonstrated experience in producing technical reports and frameworks

What to submit

1. Letter of interest, summarizing the educational background, the working experience that is relevant to the assignment, and the specific role the candidate will play.
2. Short proposed methodological approach as for deliverables set forth.
3. Updated Resume
4. Financial proposal in USD and must include the consultancy daily fee (all taxes inclusive), travel offer for one trip in Albania (5 Days for meetings), communication costs and all other individual expenses or applicable costs. The financial proposal must be broken down per deliverable.

If any question related to the tasks and deliverables for this assignment, please contact ethemeli@unicef.org

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.