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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 for Education 

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, advocacy, and operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

The Government of Tajikistan is prioritizing the enhancement of a competency-based approach in education by revising the curriculum, strengthening teacher professional development, and reforming the assessment system. In partnership with UNICEF, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the project titled “Support to National Education Development Strategy for the period until 2030” aims to facilitate these reforms through various activities, achievements, improving teacher training, revising curricula and TLMs for Mathematics and Language, and introducing new assessment strategies.

The second phase of the IsDB/GPE project will focus on deepening the system reforms necessary for making it CBE driven. The Compact Partnership document identifies critical areas requiring transformational change, including curriculum development, teacher preparation, learning assessments, and education management systems. The objective is to integrate CBE practices systematically across all levels of the education system rather than isolating them as separate initiatives, ensuring that reform efforts are owned by national institutions and lead to sustainable improvements.

In line with the National Concept on Quality of Learning approved by the MoES, with the funding from IsDB/GPE will establish a systematic approach to competency-based learning assessment. This analysis will help to identify significant gaps in assessment practices, particularly concerning quality evaluation. To overcome these obstacles, the project will conduct a functional review of the national and school-level summative assessment structures and develop a National and School-level Competency-based Summative Assessment Guide, which will integrate national assessments at school-level and improve data handling capacities through the Education Management Information System (EMIS). By analysing disaggregated data, the project aims to identify learning achievement gaps and support targeted policy interventions to enhance educational outcomes across the board. The Project will enhance the implementation of learning assessment frameworks through pilot programs in schools, mentorship for instructional leaders, and capacity building for teachers. Finally, it will strengthen monitoring and reporting systems by providing comprehensive review reports, evaluative feedback on teaching tools and progress reviews.

How can you make a difference? 

DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

Duration: 390 working days between August 2025 - 31 July 2027
Supervisor: Education Officer, UNICEF Tajikistan

The purpose of this national consultancy is to provide technical and coordination support to the MoES and other national stakeholders in advancing the national learning assessment agenda, with a particular focus on school-level competency-based summative assessment reform. This support will directly contribute to strengthening assessment systems in alignment with competency-based education (CBE) principles, as defined by national policy and the IsDB/GPE Phase II project.

TOR with detailed deliverables and concrete timeframes is at the following  ToR IsDB NLA Consultant_Final.docx

The key objectives of the consultancy include:

1.Support national coordination and stakeholder engagement in the design and implementation of summative assessment reforms, ensuring alignment between MoES, technical experts, development partners and schools as well as sharing and institutionalization of the best practices.
2.Provide technical expertise for functional review and conduct a comprehensive situation analysis of the existing school-level summative assessment systems across selected subjects and grade levels and testing these systems. This supportive effort will help to identify existing tools, gaps, strengths and weaknesses in current assessment practices, paving the way for informed reform.
3.Support the development, piloting, and institutionalization of a school-level Competency-Based Summative Assessment Guide, including feedback mechanisms and tools to promote sustainable and scalable practices.
4.Ensure quality assurance and progress monitoring and reporting throughout the process, contributing to national ownership, capacity building, and iterative improvements of the assessment framework. This will ensure that all assessment processes are transparent, reliable, and aligned with established standards.

The consultant is expected to work in close collaboration with the international consultant and relevant MoES departments and affiliates to ensure contextual relevance, technical soundness, and timely delivery of outputs that will inform national-level policy and practice in learning assessment reform.

As an outcome of this initiative, the consultant is expected to assist in the development and field-testing of a School-Level Competency-Based Summative Assessment Framework or Guide. This resource will contain well-defined recommendations aligned with CBE curricula and assessment practices. By promoting an iterative approach, the guide will enable schools to create effective school-based assessments, significantly enhancing teachers’ capacity to design and implement these assessments in a meaningful way.

The national consultant will provide critical technical and coordination support to the UNICEF Tajikistan Country Office, and the MoES in planning, executing, and monitoring the reform of school-based summative assessment practices. This consultancy requires a blend of technical expertise related to learning assessments, coordination skills, and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder relationships. The consultancy will focus on building national capacity, supporting the co-development of tools, and ensuring evidence-based decision-making to implement a competency-based summative assessment system at the school level.

The consultant will work closely with the international and national experts, MoES, affiliated institutions, development partners and other stakeholders to implement the following key tasks:

1. Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement in Learning Assessments Related Projects and Activities:

1.Coordinate with the assessment working group, subject-specific leads, and other relevant national stakeholders to ensure coherent implementation of the school-based summative assessment reform.
2. Maintain an updated mapping of all ongoing learning assessment-related initiatives, including supporting the office in identification of any overlaps and opportunities for synergy.
3.Support in the development of a coherent framework of guiding principles for all learning assessments related activities and initiatives and ensuring the coherent set of guiding principles are applied across all learning assessment related activities, decisions and discussions.
4.Facilitate stakeholder meetings, technical briefings, and inter-agency discussions to align activities with national priorities.
5.Represent the national perspective during coordination meetings, acting as a bridge between local and international partners.
6.Develop and maintain detailed timeline of all assessment related activities and initiatives, provide regular updates to the UNICEF country office on progress, challenges, and achievements.

2. Technical Support for Mapping, Situation Analysis, and Capacity Development:

1.Provide technical input and coordination support for conducting a functional review of school-level summative assessment practices across selected grades and subjects.
2.Assist in the development and testing of mapping tools and instruments, including surveys and reflection documents used in stakeholder workshops.
3.Assist in the collection and analysis of data on various types of assessments, their frequency, purposes, and interpret data related to current school-based learning assessment practices, with a focus on alignment with curriculum and the CBE principles.
4.Organize and facilitate stakeholder consultations, workshops, and feedback sessions when required.
5.Contribute to the development of the situation analysis report, ensuring it accurately captures the nuances of Tajikistan's assessment systems.
6.Document good practices, identify gaps, and consolidate lessons learned from pilot programs and country contexts.
7.Support the development of sample school-based summative assessments and training materials in collaboration with international and national experts.
8.Support in the translation of terminologies and documents in Tajik/Russian to ensure consistent understanding of assessment of learning in the country context.

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

• Education: University degree in Education, Public Policy, Social Sciences or other relevant fields with focus on learning assessment.
• Work Experience: At least 8 years of experience in education sector development, with a focus on learning assessment systems, educational measurement, and evaluation methodologies, preferably in Central Asia including experience in Tajikistan.
• In-depth knowledge of various types of educational assessments, including national examinations, classroom-based assessments, and international large-scale assessments.
• Familiarity with international best practices in learning assessment systems and their application in developing country contexts.
• Skills: Excellent project management skills, including the ability to coordinate complex multi-stakeholder initiatives and manage relationships with government officials, international organizations, and local education stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to convey complex technical information to diverse audiences.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in Tajik or Russian languages, English languages is asset.

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

• CV and cover letter.
• Technical proposal describing approach/methodology to achieve the tasks of the TOR, workplan with concrete timeframes
• Financial proposal in TJS-all inclusive, indicting fee per day (Annex 3 to be completed). Annex 3 at the  Annex 3.docx
• At least 2 papers / concept notes previously developed by the candidate or when candidate provided substantial inputs to the documents.
• Applications without technical and financial proposals will not be considered.

Applications must be received in the system by 2 August 2025 on UNICEF website.

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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

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.

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.

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.