Current vacancies

Consultancy Title: Consultant (Program, Nigeria)

Division/Duty Station: Education Outcomes Fund/Hosted Fund/London, UK

Duration: 1 May 2025 – 30 April 2026

Home/ Office Based: 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:

The Education Outcomes Fund (EOF), in partnership with the Lagos State Government, is starting to design an innovative education outcomes fund for basic education. The outcomes fund will focus on integrating out-of-school children (OOSC) aged 6-11 into formal education

Scope of Work:

EOF is looking to work with a Lagos-based consultant with an expertise in basic education and experience working on programmes related to OOSC. The consultant will support EOF to tailor their existing model of outcomes-based financing to suit the needs of OOSC in Lagos State, Nigeria. 

This consultant will provide contextual understanding on designing and implementing effective interventions to support OOSC integrating into bain Lagos State, Nigeria. The consultant will support EOF in adapting its outcomes-based financing model for Lagos by:

• Providing input on interventions and policies relevant to out-of-school children in Lagos State.
• Assessing cost implications and feasibility of various programme design options, both on the overall fund and implementing partners.
• Actively contributing to programme design through direct involvement in drafting key documents, defining objectives, and structuring different measurement and payment frameworks.
• Engaging with Lagos State government and Federal Government counterparts as well as other key stake holders, including potential implementing partners and funders, to ensure alignment for the programme’s design.

The consultant will report to EOF’s Programme Manager, and work with all members of EOF’s team

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Work Assignment Overview/Deliverables and Outputs/Delivery deadline

1.  Conduct a review of relevant domestic and/or international interventions that have successfully supported OOSC, specifically in urban settings, integrating into basic education through desk-based research and informal interviews with implementing partners

Identify best practices, risks, and key considerations for adapting these models to Lagos State

Produce a written report or set of slides summarizing the findings and recommendations for EOF’s programme design

- Evidence Review and Recommendations Report (estimated 15-20 pages)

01 June 2025

2.  Assess the cost implications and overall feasibility of various programme design options, including unit costs per child, overall budget needs, implementing partner capacity and time horizons

Collaborate with the programme team at EOF in producing a written report - building on deliverable 1 - that identifies cost-effective approaches that maximize impact while ensuring financial sustainability

- Deliverable 2: Written guidance on Costing and Feasibility Analysis (estimated 5-10 pages)

1 July 2025

3. Act as a key contributor to EOF’s programme design across several core components: (i) finalizing program objectives, (ii) definition of appropriate payment metrics, (iii) assessing and mitigating the risk of perverse incentives (iv) Refining the Theory of Change, (v) structuring the outcomes-based funding model, vi) reviewing appropriateness of evaluation tools and methodology. Through this, the consultant will be expected to join key design meetings and provide feedback and inputs to key design documents.

Ensure coherence across all elements and alignment with stakeholder priorities

Join at least five working sessions with EOF’s programme team to contribute towards the programme design

- Programme Design Contributions  (at least three programme design documents of 5-10 pages each)

30 April 2026

4.  Present the draft programme design components to key government stakeholders and organizations with relevant experience, ensuring alignment and gathering feedback for refinements

Support EOF in stakeholder consultations and workshops and help define the most appropriate governance structure for the design (and implementation) of the programme

- Stakeholder Engagement and Presentation (minimum of eight presentations, each of estimated 90 minutes)

30 October 2025

Travel: Estimated five mission travels to schools within Lagos State, each of an estimated 5 working days

Qualifications

Education: 

• A Master’s degree in political science, economics, finance, business, education, international development, international public policy, or a related field, is required
• A Bachelor’s degree will be accepted with an additional 2 years' experience

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:

• A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in education, international development, public policy, or programme management.
• Experience working in the basic education sector and development sectors in Nigeria, specifically in Lagos State.
• Experience in education program design and implementation, particularly with a focus on out-of-school children (preferably within urban settings and Nigeria preferable).
• Fluency in English is required
• Experience working with OOSC or on programmes related to OOSC in Lagos State, Nigeria
• Experience in working on innovative financing, including experience working within or on results-based financing or outcomes-based approaches
• Experience working with or collaborating with donors and government in Lagos State, and domestic and international donors

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.

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. 

Remarks:  

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