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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.

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For every child, education.

Since June 2020, UNICEF has been implementing the Akelius Digital Language Course initiative in BiH. Initially, the course has been utilized in four reception centres to support children’s language learning, while following changes in the migration management policies, currently it is being utilized in two reception centres (TRC Borici and TRC Usivak). UNICEF has partnered with CSOs and ensured access to the Akelius Digital Language course in reception centres as a non-formal education activity.

In its current phase, the project expanded to primary schools, focusing on improving digital infrastructure and building the capacity of teachers to use digital tools for language learning. A total of 20 schools across Una-Sana, Sarajevo, and Tuzla cantons have been equipped with tablets, headphones, and charging cases, enhancing digital learning opportunities for students. Additionally, over 400 teachers have been trained in blended learning methodologies, enabling them to integrate technology effectively into their teaching practices. With strong backing from key education institutions, this initiative is well-positioned for further expansion across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Since the start of the partnership in July 2020 until June 2025, over 13,000 children have used the Akelius Digital Language Course, out of which more than half are children on the move from two reception centres.

To sustain the initiative, UNICEF has signed agreements with relevant ministries of education in the aforementioned three cantons and has established partnerships with universities and teacher training institutes with the aim of strengthening digital and pedagogical competencies of foreign language teachers and provide methodological guidance on the use of digital technologies in foreign language classes. 

Through formal classroom activities, extracurricular Akelius clubs, and special programmes like winter and summer schools, the initiative fosters inclusivity by engaging children from diverse backgrounds. Significant investments in digital devices, network infrastructure, and teacher support ensure that the programme is scalable and sustainable, while addressing key challenges such as teacher competencies in educational technology and the need for equitable access to digital resources.

Despite the benefits of the Akelius Digital Language course, several challenges remain, particularly in terms of teacher competencies with educational technology (EdTech). Many teachers need further support in strengthening their digital skills and effectively integrating blended learning approaches into their classrooms. Additionally, discrepancies in schools' ICT resources, such as inadequate internet connectivity and the availability of dedicated ICT staff, have created varying levels of technical capacity across schools. Addressing these gaps remains a priority, and ongoing digitalization efforts by the ministries of education are expected to contribute significantly.

The Akelius Digital Language Course is being utilized in a wide range of settings, including formal education, non-formal education, and within reception centres for refugee and migrant children. UNICEF is planning to scale-up the Akelius Digital Language course by 18 additional schools in Tuzla Canton, Una-Sana Canton and Canton Sarajevo 20 primary schools in two additional administrative units which will require substantial support to manage, coordinate, plan, deliver and monitor activities related to this scale-up. 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Under the direct supervision of the ADAP officer and in collaboration with the Education Specialist , the consultant is responsible for providing technical  support in the implementation of the Akelius initiative, contributing to a quality scale-up in five administrative units by ensuring technical support to key partners (teacher training institutes and education ministries), providing monitoring of activities within schools, monitoring of equipment, feedback collection and knowledge exchange between different administrative units and schools and regular reporting of these activities and serving as a technical resource person for schools and partners.

How can you make a difference? 

Description of activities:

• Support the management, oversight, and coordination of partnerships and related contracts with the partners involved in the Akelius Digital Language course programme, supporting scale-up of the Akelius app in current and new administrative units.
• Conduct field visit to project implementation sites (38 primary schools and two reception centres) in Tuzla Canton, Una-Sana Canton and Canton Sarajevo and provide technical support to school management, teachers and CSOs in implementing the Akelius Digital Language course, in line with the Considerations for Implementation developed by Akelius.
• Ensure adequate monitoring on all project sites, ensuring activities are on track and procured equipment is utilized adequately and provide recommendations for improvement.
• Provide technical support to implementing partners (teacher training institutes, education ministries and CSOs) in developing programmes that support the implementation and sustainability of the Akelius initiative  with a focus on language learning, digital competencies and  teacher capacity development activities.
• Support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Akelius language platform, focusing on language learning and teacher capacity, in coordination with existing partners and new partners.
• Support data collection from partners in line with donor requirements and development of weekly, monthly and quarterly reports.
• Ensure regular knowledge exchange between administrative units that are currently utilizing the Akelius course, but also additional ones during the scale-up.
• Design and deliver training module on technical functionalities of the Akelius Digital Language course.

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

• University degree in Education, Social Sciences, Public Policy, Law, International Relations, Political Science, or other relevant disciplines.
• 3 years  of relevant professional experience of which 1 in project management
• Fluency in English and BCS (Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian) mandatory.
• Strong ICT skills, including the use of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, data collection tools
• Experience in education, technology and digital learning
• Experience in managing skills building programmes with a focus on digital skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, intercultural sensitivity;
• Strong facilitation skills and ability to work independently and proactively
• Excellent attention to detail, organisational skills and discretion with confidential information
• Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is desirable
• Experience in the UN Common System is desirable.

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 here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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:  

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. 

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.