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Background

The Syria Education Dialogue Forum (EDF) is a platform to bring together all international efforts to strengthen education inside Syria. EDF membership includes representation from bilateral donors, UN agencies, implementing partners, and the Whole of Syria education cluster and hub leads. As a platform, it aims to improve collaboration, coherence and effectiveness across the humanitarian, stabilization and development responses and address strategic policy and technical education issues.

The EDF meets in-person twice a year and has more than 50 participants representing members from NGOs, donor partners, and international organizations. The meetings are an opportunity for members to strengthen relationships and engage in constructive conversations to improve the effectiveness of aid delivery, share data, evidence and learning on good practice, and tackle key strategic issues which prevent or obstruct the implementation and provision of education across Syria. The upcoming meeting will be held in May 2025 in Amman, Jordan and will be significantly important given the current political changes, potentially sensitive issues and resulting challenges and opportunities for change in Syria.

Please note that there will be one in-person meeting in May 2025 and another meeting at the end of November 2025 and this ToR covers the role of a consultant for the preparation for both events. The EDF is led by the EDF Steering Committee, a body which represents the different constituencies of EDF membership. The EDF Steering Committee is responsible for setting the overarching objectives and agenda for the EDF meetings.

A 2-day meeting will be held with key stakeholders and partners on strengthening support to education in Syria 28-29 May 2025 and another meeting at the end of November 2025 in Amman, Jordan.

Purpose of Assignment:

As part of its contribution to the bi-annual Education Dialogue Forum (EDF) meeting, UNICEF is hiring you to provide technical support for the preparation of the meeting, facilitation to those leading the sessions during the meeting as well as developing follow-ups documents, as per the below specific responsibilities in the statement of work, while ensuring professional coordination is maintained among UNICEF, Service Providers, and meeting participants.

How can you make a difference? 

Scope of Work

This ToR outlines the scope of work for a Jordan-based consultant to support the planning, agenda setting and execution of the two-day event and a side meeting on the preceding day (in May and another one in November), as well as drafting relevant documentation. The facilitator will work closely with and report to the Head of the EDF Secretariat.

Specific responsibilities are as follows:

Pre-Meeting Preparations (March-May 2025 for May meeting and August-November 2025 for November meeting)

• Familiarize her/himself with past EDF reports, meeting minutes and relevant documents to ensure a well informed approach to planning.
• Support the design of the meeting, including defining the goals of the meeting, designing specific sessions, identifying resource persons, key discussion points and potential points of contention. This will be completed in close consultation with key partners and donors.
• Take notes during key steering committee meetings (pre-event) that will shape the event agenda and help circulate action points post steering committee meetings which will help keep preparation on track.
• Produce a registration link, meeting agenda, presentations, facilitation notes, talking points and any additional material required to support an effective meeting. The final agenda needs to be approved by key partners and donors, so the consultant needs to be a part of the EDF Steering Committee meetings as well to capture discussions and feedback to inform the agenda.
• Coordinate and follow up on meeting preparations and help the Head of the EDF Secretariat with planning the in-person meeting, including deciding on what hotel logistics are needed, following up and coordinating with the Program Associate on vendors, suppliers, and stakeholders, as well as advising on managing event logistics, including venue, catering, and equipment in light of the headcount of participants, etc.
• Coordinate with hosts and key partners and donors to support logistics and registration.

During Meeting (28 and 29 May 2025 and 2 days at the end of November)

• Handle icebreakers, meeting polls, IT support, ensuring presentations and audio/video is working.
• Support the Head of Secretariat and support the other lead facilitator to facilitate the two-day meeting in May, supporting discussions, and providing support for constructive dialogue. Capture actions that have been agreed upon and feedback on the meeting from delegates.
• Handle participant registration and communication.
• Ensure that meeting venue is well equipped as planned and agreed with the service provider and all participants are supported with needed logistics.
• Ensure on-site event management and troubleshooting, specifically as multiple sessions may happen in parallel.
• Support the team to ensure all participants are engaged and included in discussions, steer focus and activity, including keeping delegates on task and ensuring discussions progress in a productive manner, including by adhering to the agenda and timetable.
• Support the time in ensuring decision making by recognizing moments to narrow the conversation and steer it towards agreements or decision points.
• Support team in facilitating side meetings as needed.

Post-Meeting (end May-June 2025 and then November-December 2025)

• Work with Senior Meeting facilitator and the Head of EDF Secretariat to reflect on the process and outcomes of the meeting.
• Contribute to the preparation of an end of meeting report to capture main take-aways and discussion points.
• Contribute to blogs/newsletters or other knowledge products post meeting to disseminate the findings and main conclusions.

• Deliverables 

Deliverables/Outputs:

1.  Pre-meeting (May meeting)

• Finalized and annotated agenda
• Detailed event plan/Gant chart and workplan with interim timelines
• List of confirmed vendors and suppliers
• Event materials, facilitation notes, talking points and presentations
• A participant registration database
• An event day management plan
• Preparation of the delegate pack with agenda and key information
• Technical support to facilitation and technical note taking during the pre-meeting day

Delivery Deadline: 15th May 2025 (27 days)

2. During the May meeting

• Technical support to facilitation of event in May through note taking, helping with meeting polls and projecting presentations, handling participation registration and communication, on-site trouble shooting and event management.
• Technical support to facilitation of side meetings in May through note taking, helping with meeting polls and projecting presentations, handling participation registration and communication, on-site trouble shooting and event management

Delivery Deadline: end of May 2025 (3 days)

3. Post-May meeting

Meeting report contributions, other knowledge products such as contribution to blogs/newsletters and notes, submission of the meeting report including actions and main discussion points

Delivery Deadline: 30 July 2025 (10 days)

4. Pre-meeting (November meeting)

• Finalized and annotated agenda
• Detailed event plan/Gantt chart and workplan with interim timelines
• List of confirmed vendors and suppliers
• Event materials, facilitation notes, talking points and presentations
• A participant registration database
• An event day management plan
• Preparation of the delegate pack with agenda and key information
• Technical support to facilitation and technical note taking during the pre-meeting day

Delivery Deadline: August-November 2025 (27 days)

5. During the November meeting

• Technical support to facilitation of event in May through note taking, helping with meeting polls and projecting presentations, handling participation registration and communication, on-site trouble shooting and event management

Delivery Deadline: End of November 2025 (2  days)

• Technical support to facilitation of side meetings in May through note taking, helping with meeting polls and projecting presentations, handling participation registration and communication, on-site trouble shooting and event management

Delivery Deadline: End of November 2025 (1 day)

6.Post-November meeting

• Meeting report contributions, other knowledge products such as contribution to blogs/newsletters and notes.
• Submission of the meeting report including actions and main discussion points

Delivery Deadline: 31^st December 2025 (10 days)

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

Minimum Qualifications required:

• An advanced degree social science, international policies, education, humanitarian studies or any other related field.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Good knowledge of global developments (preferably in education) and international engagement strategies.
• Strong event planning, coordination, logistics management, managing communication with speakers, conducting icebreakers, etc. will be very valuable
• Very responsive, with high attention to detail
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work under pressure and record of delivering on tight deadlines.
• Familiarity/ background in emergencies and knowledge of key education issues in an emergency context is a plus
• Good understanding of education sector in Syria is an asset Cultural sensitivity and experience in ensuring context specific implementation
• Good verbal and writing skills in English
• Evidenced experience in advocacy, strategic writing and communication skills are also an asset

Language required:

• Proficiency in both English and Arabic.

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.