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Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: Programme Consultant - South Africa

Section/Division/Duty Station:  Education Outcomes Fund

Duration: September 1 2025 to August 30, 2028

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ/ Remote

 BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: 

Provide technical support to EOF for the delivery of EOF’s Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Outcomes Fund in South Africa. The Programme Consultant - South Africa will support EOF's team with engagements with implementing partners, providing support to solve implementation challenges and ensure smooth technical and operational delivery. The consultant will also provide support and guidance on the programs’ policy alignment and integration of learning into broader systemic change. 

Scope of Work:

The consultant will support EOF’s team in relation to its ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education) outcomes fund in South Africa, which is expected to launch in November 2025 and continue implementing until December 2028.  

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

Support project implementation and delivery oversight, and support the implementing partners to solve complex problems that may arise. Maintain timelines, identify risks and mitigation strategies,  and escalate issues as needed.

Deliverable 1:

6 quarterly milestone tracking reports (2 pages each)

• 12 updates to risk register (Excel)

• 6 summary performance reports (5–8 pages each)       

2 tracking reports and 2 summaries by 30.12.2025

2 additional of each by 30.08.2026

Final 2 by 30.08.2027

Risk logs: 4 by 30.12.2025, 4 by 30.08.2026, 4 by 30.08.2027

Support the preparation and delivery of quarterly programme governance meetings, including coordinating logistics, compiling inputs from partners, and drafting pre-reading packs under the direction of EOF's team.

Deliverable 2

• 11 governance meeting support packs prepared (15-slide PowerPoint each, compiled from partner inputs, agendas, run-off-play, etc.)

• 11 sets of meeting notes and action items (2–3 pages)

4 meetings by 30.12.2026

4 by 30.12.2027

3 by 30.08.2028

Support day-to-day grantee communication and coordination. Track queries and issues raised, and prepare bi-monthly grantee update logs.     

Deliverable 3:

• 18 bi-monthly grantee query and coordination logs (2–3 pages each)

• Summary of recurring themes/issues (updated twice yearly)     

First 6 by 30.12.2025

6 more by 30.08.2026

Final 6 by 30.08.2027

Provide technical guidance ahead of working sessions with grantees and DBE counterparts on operational problem-solving (e.g. data, safeguarding, referrals for the reporting of violence / neglect against children registration).

Deliverable 4:

• 12 operational workshops (approx. 1 day each)

• Workshop decks and short summaries (3 pages each)  

4 by 30.12.2025

4 by 30.08.2026

4 by 30.08.2027

Conduct site visits to a sample of ELPs to monitor programme implementation, verify fidelity to design, gather qualitative feedback, and assess safeguarding systems. Provide recommendations for the improvement of Implementing Partners’ safeguarding practices, and follow up to monitor the implementation of these improvements.      

Deliverable 5:

• 9 site visits

• 9 visit reports (5 pages each), including a section with safeguarding assessments, tailored recommendations, and a short update on implementation of previously suggested improvements.

• Annual safeguarding summary report for Operations team

3 site visits and reports by 30.12.2025

3 site visits and reports by 30.08.2026+

3 site visits and reports by 30.08.2027

3 safeguarding summary reports due every 30.12, starting 30.12.2025

Support coordination of data submission processes and evaluation fieldwork by liaising with grantees and evaluator on timelines and operational issues.

Deliverable 6:

• 8 data coordination and evaluation memos (4–5 pages each)

• 3 roundtable notes capturing DBE-evaluator alignment (2–3 pages each)          

2 by 30.12.202

2 by 30.12.2026

2 by 30.12.2027

2 by 30.08.2028

Draft internal technical notes and implementation guidance for EOF central team based on field-level issues, policy shifts, and process adaptations.

Deliverable 7

• 6 implementation guidance notes (3–4 pages each)

• Topics may include referrals, peer learning models, registration support, etc.    

2 by 30.12.2026

2 by 30.12.2027

2 by 30.08.2028

Compile routine inputs for EOF learning products and lessons capture, including anonymised grantee reflections and field insights.           Deliverable 8

• 1 field-based reflections input note per year (4 pages)

• 6 grantee spotlight briefs (2 pages each, anonymised)   1 note and 2 briefs by 30.12.2026

2 more by 30.08.2027

Final 2 by 30.08.2028

Support operational tasks including cost verification, travel planning, office management, and contracting support, in coordination with the Operations Analyst.         

Deliverable 9

• 6 cost verification support logs (Excel)

• 3 process documentation checklists or SOPs (2–3 pages)         

2 logs and 1 SOP by 30.12.2026

2 more logs and 1 SOP by 30.08.2027

Final 2 logs and 1 SOP by 30.08.2028

Contribute to EOF’s annual programme delivery reporting by drafting implementation sections and mapping risks and drafting delivery summaries.    

Deliverable 10

• 3 programme delivery contribution packs (est. 10–12 pages each, draft sections)

• Coordination with EOF central team on finalization of the programme 

1 by 30.12.2026

1 by 30.08.2027

1 by 30.08.2028

Support the country team’s senior consultant to implement an effective communications strategy and manage any third party service providers.

Deliverable 11

• Drafted communications calendar and asset tracker for 2025–2026

• Draft and quality assure at least 3 third-party content products (e.g., videos, infographics, or photo essays)

• Vendor briefings and review notes for at least 2 creative service providers

• Dissemination plans for at least 3 key visibility moments (e.g., launch, annual learning event, evaluation release)

• Ongoing feedback and support on draft visibility briefs and end-of-year content produced by the Country Lead

Initial communications calendar and tracker by 30.10.2025

At least 1 vendor briefing and 1 content product by 30.12.2025

Remaining outputs by 30.8.2928

Qualifications

(1) Education

A University degree in International Development, Public Policy, Education, Business, Economics, Political Science, Finance or related, is required.  

(2) Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• At least 5 years’ experience in relevant professional experience in project management and delivery. 
• Driving projects through timelines, workplans, budget trackers and risk management activities. 
• Experience with stakeholder engagement and stakeholder management, ideally in the education sector in South Africa. 
• Experience in project implementation in education, ideally from managing projects at NGOs or other delivery organisations. 
• Experience in directly leading people, projects and teams. 
• Prior experience working with international organisations in development and donors in in South Africa
• Fluency in English is required.

Desirable requirements

• Experience with innovative finance, particularly outcomes funds, is desirable.
• Fluency in Sepedi, IsiZulu or IsiXhosa is desirable.

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

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UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation 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.

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Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

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