Contract Duration - 12 Months

Working arrangement - Remote work, Education Section, Dushanbe, Tajikistan

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.

                                                         TERMS OF REFERENCE

The purpose of this assignment is to provide dedicated national technical, methodological, and coordination support for the finalization, piloting, and institutionalization of the new model of pedagogical practicum under the pre-service track of Subcomponent 2.2 of Component 2 of the IsDB/GPE/OFID Project (Phase II), during Year 2 (August 2026 – July 2027). The assignment builds on the results achieved under Phase I and Year 1 of Phase II, including the near-complete implementation of the new practicum model across five pilot universities, the collection and analysis of completed student portfolios, the development of a school–university collaboration model, and the drafting of the portfolio for the introductory practicum. In the 2026–2027 academic year, partner universities will pilot the revised programme elements with second-year Tajik Language and Mathematics students, including the introductory (learning) practicum planned for the second semester, requiring sustained national support for practicum instruments, capacity development, mentoring, monitoring, and normative finalization.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  TMC0005073 External ToR.pdf

Minimum Qualification required:

Education

Masters degree in the fields of education, pedagogy, or teacher education, with focus on pre-service teacher preparation, the organization of pedagogical practicum, methodology of teaching, and continuous professional development related to competency-based education and inclusive education, or another relevant field.

Work experience

At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in the area of education, pre-service teacher education, organization of pedagogical practicum, teacher training and/or teacher professional development at the policy, management and operational levels with the MoES and affiliated institutions (RTMC, RITTI, Academy of Education) and/or pedagogical universities, with demonstrated experience in developing methodological instruments (portfolios, observation tools, training programmes) and in delivering training and mentoring. Experience in the current education reform is an asset.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills

Strong knowledge and skills in pre-service teacher education and the organization of pedagogical practicum based on CBE, and strong knowledge of the IsDB/GPE project, Phase I and Phase II; Strong coordination and facilitation skills; analytical and conceptual thinking; ability to work with multi-disciplinary teams (working groups, RTMC/RITTI, pilot universities, base schools, and the international consultants) and guide methodological discussions; demonstrated ability to design and deliver training and mentoring for university faculty and school-based methodologists; proven experience in translating methodological and normative materials into Tajik; excellent writing, communication, editorial, and presentation skills; ability to deliver under tight timeframes and to the highest quality standards.

Language Requirements

Proficiency in Tajik and Russian is required; knowledge of English (written and spoken) is considered an asset.

Desirables

In-depth knowledge of and experience in Phase I and/or Phase II of the IsDB/GPE project to support programmatic and policy reform is highly desirable. Experience with the national teacher education context, including pre-service programme requirements, the organization of pedagogical practicum, school–university collaboration, approval processes, and quality assurance mechanisms, and a strong understanding of the broader education ecosystem, including institutional roles, stakeholder dynamics, and reform priorities, is a strong asset.

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

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 reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 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.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter
• A separate financial proposal  TMC0005073 Financial proposal.xlsx
• Applicants must submit a max of 5-10 pages technical proposal that includes:
  (1) a detailed activity plan aligned with the project deliverables;
  (2) a realistic timeline, preferably presented as a Gantt chart;
  (3) the milestones and key outputs to be produced; and
  (4) the proposed approach and methodology for developing and validating the practicum instruments, building the capacity of practicum methodologists of pilot universities and base (support) schools, and mentoring and monitoring the piloting of the new model of pedagogical practicum.

Remarks:  

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.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.