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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.

For every child, the right to innovation.

 

In the Pacific we work in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu: These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living on more than 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, an area comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria.

All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but only a third are on track with reporting obligations. Explore the different areas of our work here: UNICEF Pacific Islands.

UNICEF Pacific works across a diverse multi-country education portfolio where geography, remoteness, infrastructure constraints, and exposure to shocks continue to limit equitable access to quality learning. At the same time, Ministries of Education and development partners are increasingly prioritizing digital transformation, both to strengthen foundational learning and teacher professional development, and to improve system management and resilience. Within this context, UNICEF Pacific is supporting several country programmes and regional initiatives that require specialized digital education expertise to ensure technology investments translate into improved teaching, learning, and inclusion, rather than remaining supply-driven or fragmented.

These efforts are intentionally demand-driven and co-designed with partner Ministries of Education and government counterparts to ensure they respond to locally articulated priorities and are feasible within existing system capacities. UNICEF Pacific’s approach emphasizes working through and strengthening government-led mechanisms (e.g., sector coordination platforms, technical working groups, and existing teacher development structures) so that digital investments reinforce broader reforms rather than creating parallel systems. UNICEF will also build on development partners’ past and current efforts (including the World Bank, UNESCO, USP, SPC and others), drawing on existing assessments, infrastructure investments, platforms, and training resources where appropriate to maximize complementarities, avoid replication, and accelerate results, particularly in small island contexts where resources are constrained and coordination is essential for impact.

1) Hardware, connectivity and “last-mile” implementation. Across the Pacific, governments are expanding access to devices and connectivity, creating significant opportunities but also implementation risks (including deployment sequencing, school readiness, maintenance and repair, safeguarding, and sustained use). UNICEF Pacific is supporting this agenda through major initiatives such as RMI’s Global Partnership for Education (GPE) System Transformation Grant (STG) “Rebbelib – Connecting Our Islands for Learning” and UNICEF/ITU’s Giga in Fiji and the wider Pacific (school connectivity mapping and analysis). A key need is to translate infrastructure and connectivity efforts into actionable education sector decisions, linking data to prioritization, budgeting, and concrete field actions, while ensuring device rollouts are evidence-based, benefit every child including those with disabilities, and accompanied by teacher support, practical school-level guidance, and appropriate child online safety and safeguarding measures.

2) Technology - enabled teacher professional development (TPD). Dispersed geographies and limited access to face-to-face training create strong demand for blended and remote modalities that can expand reach without compromising quality. UNICEF Pacific is supporting reforms in teacher development through initiatives such as Fiji’s GPE STG “Yavutu”, as well as Solomon Islands’ and Tuvalu’s GPE STGs, where hybrid delivery, coaching models, and communities of practice could be designed, deployed, and monitored before being scaled. This workstream requires high-level technical guidance on feasible platform choices, modality design, inclusivity measures, quality standards, and teacher-facing content on effective and safe technology use in classrooms. It will also require advisory support on monitoring tools and practical data feedback loops so that implementation can be continuously improved and demonstrate impact and cost-effectiveness over the medium to long term.

3) Digital content and locally - relevant and culturally - grounded learning resources. Beyond devices and platforms, countries are seeking locally relevant digital content aligned with revised curricula, Pacific knowledge systems, and local languages. UNICEF Pacific is exploring digitization of teaching and learning materials (TLMs), including indigenous knowledge resources (e.g., FSM’s GPE STG “Wayfinding”), and identifying pathways to expand access to culturally grounded storybooks and learning materials, with an inclusive lens. This may include responsible exploration of emerging technologies (including AI) to accelerate resource development, while ensuring appropriate safeguards, quality assurance, accessibility considerations, and cultural integrity through government-led validation and community-informed processes.

4) Regional strategy, positioning and advocacy. To ensure coherence across this evolving portfolio, UNICEF Pacific aims to articulate an internal Pacific-wide digital education concept/strategic note that strengthens UNICEF’s Pacific advocacy, partnership positioning, and fundraising. This includes defining an integrated approach across connectivity, devices, pedagogy, content, teacher development, inclusion, and child online safety, aligned with government priorities and relevant regional frameworks, and clarifying how UNICEF can add value across the digital education ecosystem in a way that is coordinated, sustainable, and results - oriented.

Given the breadth of these workstreams, UNICEF Pacific requires dedicated technical capacity to provide integrated, cross-country digital education support—bridging infrastructure, devices, content, pedagogy, teacher development, and education system strengthening.

How can you make a difference? 

Working under the supervision of UNICEF Pacific Education, the consultant will provide periodic, on-demand advisory support through technical reviews, short written recommendations, and coaching to UNICEF and MoE staff, including:

1. Hardware, connectivity and “last-mile” implementation:

Review and advise on device/connectivity rollouts and enabling conditions (readiness, sequencing, classroom management for device use, maintenance and sustainability models, safeguarding/child online safety (in coordination with UNICEF Pacific Child Protection team), and risk mitigation), including practical school-level guidance and implementation checklists.

2. Technology-enabled teacher professional development:

Provide guidance on blended/remote TPD models suited to dispersed geographies (platform and modality options, coaching and communities of practice, micro-learning approaches), including minimum quality standards, safeguarding measures for teachers and students, implementation pathways, and considerations for scale.

3. Digital content and culturally grounded resource development:

Advise on approaches to digitizing curriculum-aligned materials (including indigenous knowledge and local languages) and on responsible exploration of emerging technologies (including AI) to expand locally relevant learning resources, with attention to cultural integrity, accessibility, quality assurance, safeguarding, and appropriate review/approval processes.

4. Connectivity data-to-action (Giga):

Support UNICEF/MoE teams to interpret connectivity mapping insights and translate them into actionable policy, planning, and operational recommendations (e.g., prioritization criteria, targeting, budgeting implications, and field-level actions).

5. Regional positioning and partner alignment:

Provide inputs to an internal UNICEF Pacific digital education concept/strategic note and partnership-facing materials (briefing notes, investment case elements), ensuring coherence across the portfolio, alignment with government priorities and regional frameworks, and complementarity with development partners to avoid duplication.

6. Digital education policy and standards:

Provide advisory support to the development and/or review of national digital education policies, strategies, standards, and implementation guidance (e.g., governance arrangements, minimum standards for schools, device/content/TPD requirements, data privacy and child online safety), ensuring alignment with broader sector plans and partner initiatives.

Please refer to the ToR ( EDU.MCO.Digital.Education.Advisor.ToR.pdf) for further information on the deliverables and the timelines. 

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:  

This consultancy is for individual consultants only. Candidates are requested to submit an updated CV and cover letter outlining your fit for this consultancy.

Candidates are asked to submit a separate financial offer along with their application. The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount for all the deliverables and should show a breakdown for the following as applicable:

• Monthly / Daily fees: based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference above
• Miscellaneous: to cover visa, health insurance (including medical evacuation for international consultants), travel insurance, communications, and other costs, if needed/required.

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Education Technology, ICT/Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Education (with digital learning focus), Inclusive Education/Assistive Technology, or a closely related field (Bachelor’s with extensive relevant experience may be accepted).

Work Experience:

• 10+ years of relevant professional experience providing technical advisory support on digital education / ICT for education and/or technology-enabled teacher development in low-resource or remote contexts (SIDS/Pacific experience strongly preferred).
• Demonstrated experience working with Ministries of Education and partners through demand-driven, co-design approaches and sector coordination mechanisms (e.g., TWGs), ensuring alignment with government plans and avoiding duplication.
• Experience supporting digital content development and digitization of TLMs, including quality assurance and accessibility/assistive technology considerations for learners with disabilities; familiarity with responsible exploration of emerging technologies (including AI) for content creation with appropriate safeguards and validation.

Skills:

• Proven ability to review/draft technical specifications and ToRs for education technology deployments (devices such as laptops/tablets, peripherals, warranties/SLAs, and deployment accessories such as charging, storage, protective cases, asset tagging), including practical considerations for remote/outer-island environments.
• Strong knowledge of device lifecycle management and operationalization in constrained settings (durability, repairability/spares, inventory/asset management, Mobile Device Management MDM)), including cybersecurity, data privacy, and child online safety/safeguarding considerations.
• In-depth knowledge on blended/remote TPD models (platform and modality options, micro-learning, coaching, communities of practice), including minimum quality standards, global evidence, and practical approaches to scale.
• Excellent analytical, facilitation and writing skills, with a track record of producing clear, actionable technical recommendations (e.g., short advisory notes, review memos, redline edits) under tight timelines and through remote collaboration.

 Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required, with demonstrated ability to produce high-level written documents.

 

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 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.

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.

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.

Remarks:  

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.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable male and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

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.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.