UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, an advocate.

Please click here for the full Terms of Reference:  ToR - Consultancy PF4C in area of ECD in the Western Balkans.pdf

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

Elaborate feasible and sustainable financing options in the area of Early Child Development (ECD), particularly in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), to support the expansion of services towards the mid-term national targets, in 6 countries of the Western Balkans.

Scope of Work

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations.

The assignment will start with a series of meetings with the regional Social Policy and Early Childhood Development (ECD) teams, to provide updates and clarifications on the assignment, updates on the work ongoing, initiate work-planning, and ensure access to key resources, on a shared folder.

In coordination with the ECARO PF4C Unit, the consultant will contact and schedule meetings with the country offices’ specialists in the area of ECD/ECEC and Social Policy. Additional meetings might be arranged with regional advisors or other country office staff, whenever relevant.

The consultant will conduct data collection and analysis, to develop contextual outlooks, using the core social and macro-economic indicators for each of the countries involved in this initiative, including the basic figures from the State Budget (total government spending, debt, state borrowings ceilings, others); and the broader financing landscape including ODA.

The level of detail or depth of each workstream, as well as the timeline of implementation, will be re-assessed at the inception, based on few parameters, which will be decided based on the considerations below (see bullet points under the deliverables below). The assignment will cover the following workstreams:

A. A light mapping of selected financing models for ECD/ECEC, with focus on the ones in use in UMICs and HICs, relevant for the Western Balkans , presented with the necessary detail i.e.

• Successful examples of financing models for various service delivery options – e.g. public funding of public pre-schools
• For each presented financing model detail what is mobilized under a national budget (possibly through domestic resources, debt or ODA), and what is mobilized from other sources - such as households’ contributions, or the private sector.
• Based on findings, estimate share of total ECEC financing that each model could provide (range)
• In case external donors/partners are concerned, focus on the ones active in the subregion
• Distinguish central vs subnational financing models, in association with central vs subnational roles and responsibilities in the provision of services
• Main parameters for the set-up and functioning of the models should be described – e.g. stakeholders, legal background, costs - opportunities and challenges
• Special regard to innovative-diversified models of service provision and financing, including fund-matching schemes, especially EU-related, if available (i.e. local government with ODA, NGOs, private sector)
• And others, as necessary.

This workstream might require contacts and interactions with external stakeholders, for which the RO will provide support with a reference letter or similar, to establish contacts.

[Estimated 15% of the assignment]

B. Assessment of the current and potential financing models in the 6 Western Balkan countries, in relation to the financing gap, and the ECEC models envisaged for the expansion, presented with the necessary detail i.e.

• Starting from the national targets for ECEC coverage set by governments (ideally by 2030) and current coverage gaps in relation to those targets
• The main financing schemes in place in each of the 6 countries – e.g. domestic resources funding for public sector provision
• Estimate the financing gap to reach national coverage targets – making use of existing data, or existing methodologies (e.g. BiH investment cases in ECD, Albania policy options for ECD, financing UNICEF and an upcoming PER for ECD WB), and in comparison, with international benchmarks
• Mapping of the external financing schemes, especially related to the EU Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, the Western Balkans Growth Plan, Western Balkan Investment Facility, World Bank loans, other relevant IFIs, such as EIB and CEB, private sectors, others.
• The legal background for funding and financing streams in use in the 6 countries, in coordination with the ECEC regional team
• The different actors involved in financing, including the features of subnational level engagement
• Consider and elaborate on some of the risks for financing ECD/ECEC due to decreasing ODA, shift in public spending towards e.g., defence; and possible consideration of shrinking fiscal space
• Emphasis on the equity aspect and gaps associated to increased enrolment for the most excluded, vulnerable groups, for a specific option
• And others, as necessary.

[Estimated 35% of the assignment]

C. Elaborate combination of financing options (schemes), which could be considered to scale-up ECEC services in the 6 countries towards the 2030 targets

• Consider the political economy, the fiscal space required, the feasibility and/or the complexity of each scheme. Whenever relevant, work in collaboration with an “innovative finance” consultant, who will be responsible for this portion of work
• Wherever relevant, analyse the opportunities for fund-matching, to leverage on existing funding
• Consider the systems and process in use for the national planning and budgeting process and consider the time-line of key financial inputs, eg budget formulation.
• Consider – ROI/COI for ECEC given the national targets 2030
• Within the ROI/COI, estimate the economic return for increase in women’s labour force participation
• Support on exploring the options of engagement with IFIs to further support UNICEF to mobilize resources and leverage resources directly for children under loans arrangements + grants from IFIs related to ECD/ECEC
• And others, as necessary.

[Estimated 30% of the assignment]

D. Provide guidance and recommendations to UNICEF and national partners to leverage national, private, innovative finance, ODA, and IFI resources towards ECEC

• Through presentations, dissemination, consultations
• With 1 subregional (brief/summary), and 6 country-specific reports, based on the same format, detailing recommendations and actions that UNICEF should undertake to support the leveraging and financing
• And others, as necessary.

[Estimated 20% of the assignment]

Please click here for the full Terms of Reference:  ToR - Consultancy PF4C in area of ECD in the Western Balkans.pdf

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks / Milestone	Deliverables / Outputs	Timeline / Deadline
Inception report finalized after integration of comments	Inception meeting, internal consultations and inception report.	10 working days
Leveraging report provided in draft (first version)	The report includes a summary report, and individual country reports – for each of the 6 countries - in the annexes.	50 working days
Leveraging report is finalized (final version)	The report includes a summary report, and individual country reports – for each of the 6 countries - in the annexes.	35 working days
Dissemination activities are completed (with reference to the dissemination plan)	One presentation/dissemination per country One discussion on recommendations and actions to be taken, per country	5 working days

Estimated Duration of the Contract

100 working days between March and September 2025.

Consultant's Work Place and Official Travel

The Consultant will be remote/home-based, no travels are foreseen.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Please submit an all-inclusive fee (in USD) to undertake this assignment for 100 working days.

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

• Master’s level educational background in economics, public policies, governance – or related fields; or alternatively, Bachelor with at least 10 years of relevant working experience.
• Seven (7) years of relevant working experience in public policies in social sectors, public economics, public financial management, planning and budgeting.
  • At least three (3) years of relevant working experience in conducting or supervising budget analyses, costing, financing strategies and resource mobilization plans. Specific experience in the Early Child Education and Care (ECEC) – based on evidence of these works submitted in the application process – would be an asset.
• Familiarity with UNICEF’s work in Public Financial Management (PF4C), the CRC, SDGs for children
• Experience in dealing with EU financing mechanisms is considered an asset
• Previous experience of working with UNICEF or other UN agencies is considered an asset
• Previous experience of working on assignments with the public administration in the Europe and Central Asia Region (ECAR), especially the Western Balkans countries;
• Experience with Ministries of Economy and/or Finance is considered an asset
• Fluency in English required, and knowledge of Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian/Montenegrin, Albanian, is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most marginalized children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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:

Please submit a full CV, a Cover Letter, and samples of previous similar work (list or hyperlinks) in your application. Additionally, indicate your availability and professional fee (in USD) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a professional fee will not be considered. 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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants 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.