Individual Consultant – Needs Assessment, Coordination and Implementation Support System Transformation Grant (STG)

Country: Myanmar Organization: UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Closing date: 4 Nov 2026 Job title: Individual Consultant – Needs Assessment, Coordination and Implementation Support System Transformation Grant (STG) Type of contract: Consultant Contract Level: Level 2 - Middle Hiring Unit: Education Sector (ED) Duty Station: Project Antenna Office in Yangon, Myanmar Work location: On-site Duration of contract: 11 months Hiring open to: External candidates Application deadline: 04 November 2026 17:00 Hours Yangon time (UTC+6:30 Time) UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST • BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Under the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) System Transformation Grant (STG), UNESCO Project Antenna Office in Yangon (hereafter called UNESCO) is implementing activities aimed at ensuring that children across Myanmar, including those facing barriers to learning, have access to quality, inclusive education in safe and protective learning spaces, supported by strong community and partner engagement, as well as targeted evidence generation and dissemination. The programme aligns closely with the current Joint Response Framework for Education in Myanmar II (JRF II), ensuring a coordinated and strategic approach to addressing the educational needs of children aged 3–18 years across basic and secondary education. STG is organized around three key drivers of learning: • Access: Ensuring safe and equitable access to learning for all children and youth • Quality: Strengthening quality teaching and learning through improved resources and capacity building • System Strengthening: Enhancing education system management, coordination, and monitoring 1. PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT The programme prioritizes reaching out-of-learning children and youth (OOLCY), standardizing education data, and ensuring safe, inclusive learning environments. To ensure efficient, optimal, and timely delivery of activities on the ground, UNESCO is seeking an Individual Consultant to provide technical and analytical support for engagement and coordination with current and future implementation partners. This will involve needs assessments, close programme coordination and monitoring, and technical and institutional support to smoothen programme implementation. Based on information and knowledge collected from the ground, the consultant will also contribute to UNESCO’s resource mobilization and proposal development efforts, including support to funding proposals, concept notes, and technical documentation being developed by the education team. The consultant should have demonstrated experience in education programme coordination, partnership engagement and dialogues, and education systems strengthening. 2. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Supervisory arrangements: Under the overall authority of the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok and Office for UN Coordination in Asia and the Pacific, the direct supervision of the Head of the UNESCO Project Antenna Office in Yangon and in close collaboration with the Education programme team, the individual consultant will provide technical guidance and analytical support, under UNESCO’s direction, to carry out the following tasks: • Planning and Integrating UNESCO frameworks: Ensure that the implementing partners understand and apply UNESCO frameworks, standards, and tools in the most impactful, impactful and sustainable ways in their implementation of STG activities on the grounds. This involves efficient planning, preparation, and regular check-ins and monitoring of the implementing partners’ efficiency and compliance, while anticipating risks and challenges of implementation across access, quality and systems strengthening. • Partner engagement and coordination: Liaise with UNESCO’s implementing partners, to ensure effective coordination and communication throughout programme implementation, including developing the annual work plan, updating the implementation plan, performing quality control, document review and translation. This includes organizing coordination and technical meetings, preparing meeting notes or minutes, supporting joint planning and review sessions, and coordination and communication with the STG programmes’ focal points of other Grant Agents, school management committees, youth networks, and community representatives, to gather and check information. • Need Assessments and Systems Strengthening: Undertake targeted assessments, mapping and analysis, as appropriate, to strengthen UNESCO’s independent understanding of context, capacities, risks and emerging needs, complementing and triangulating information provided by implementing partners and other sources. Provide technical input to education system strengthening interventions under the STG and future education programmes, including partner capacity strengthening, disaster risk reduction, preparedness and contingency planning, and knowledge management. • Facilitation: Facilitate consultations, learning events and review meetings with implementing partners to strengthen coordination, promote learning and knowledge sharing, review implementation progress, and identify opportunities to improve programme quality and effectiveness. • Resource Mobilization and Proposal Development: Support the development of new education programme proposals and resource mobilization efforts, including coordinating stakeholder consultations, conducting situation analyses and rapid assessments, preparing technical inputs, drafting and reviewing concept notes and proposals, and compiling supporting evidence and documentation. • Translation and interpretation: Provide Myanmar-English-Myanmar technical translation and interpretation for meetings and reporting as needed. In line with UNESCO’s overall gender mainstreaming strategy, the Individual Specialist is expected to integrate a gender perspective in all activities and apply gender mainstreaming concepts whenever feasible. Location and Travel: The Individual Specialist will be based in UNESCO Project Antenna Office in Yangon, Myanmar during the contract period. No travel outside of Yangon is anticipated. 3. TIMETABLE AND DELIVERABLES Deliverables The individual specialist will submit the following deliverables within the designated timeline. All deliverables must be submitted with original, editable files, as well as high-resolution versions of final products (if applicable) to UNESCO. The assigned tasks must be submitted by the following deadlines. Assignment period: From 1 December 2026 to 30 October 2027. • Inception Report and Partner Engagement Plan, including: (i) understanding of the assignment; (ii) detailed methodology and work plan; (iii) mapping of implementing partners and other relevant education stakeholders; (iv) proposed consultation and information-validation arrangements; (v) preliminary implementation risks and assumptions; and (vi) schedule of consultations, assessments, learning events and technical outputs by 31 December 2026. • Mid-year Learning and Partner Review Workshop Package, including: (i) concept note and detailed agenda; (ii) stakeholder and participant mapping; (iii) facilitation methodology; (iv) key discussion and review questions; (v) presentation and working materials; (vi) framework for documenting lessons learned, good practices and recommendations; and (vii) expected outputs and follow-up actions by 29 January 2027. • Implementing-Partner Needs and Capacity Assessment, covering Rakhine, Sagaing or other state/region to be identified, including: (i) assessment methodology and tools; (ii) stakeholder consultations; (iii) beneficiaries to be engaged (iv) analysis of implementation capacities, priority needs, operational constraints and risks; (v) triangulation of information from relevant sources; and (vi) practical recommendations for partner support and programme implementation. Education System-Strengthening Technical Note assessing key challenges, practical recommendations and partner’s potential approaches to strengthening school-level governance, partner capacity, education-data management, disaster risk reduction and preparedness, and safe, inclusive and continuous learning in targeted programme areas, informed by and reviewed against the outcomes of the joint UNESCO and UNESCO-IIEP workshopby 26 February 2027. • Technical Review of Partner Implementation Arrangements, including an evidence-based analysis of: (i) alignment with relevant UNESCO frameworks, standards and tools; (ii) implementation progress and bottlenecks; (iii) quality and completeness of selected partner planning and reporting documents; (iv) emerging compliance and delivery risks; and (v) prioritized corrective and follow-up recommendations for UNESCO’s consideration by 31 March 2027. • Implementation Quality and Risk Review, including: (i) consolidated analysis of progress against agreed activities and milestones; (ii) review of selected partner deliverables; (iii) updated risk-and-mitigation register; (iv) unresolved issues and required decisions; (v) sustainability and transition considerations; and (vi) prioritized recommendations for the remaining implementation period by 30 April 2027. • Situation Analysis and Resource-Mobilization Package, including: (i) an updated situation analysis based on available programme evidence and stakeholder consultations; (ii) identification of priority education needs and potential programme responses; (iii) technical inputs to at least one concept note, funding proposal or resource-mobilization opportunity identified by UNESCO; and (iv) a supporting evidence and document package by 31 May 2027. • Partner Capacity-Strengthening and Knowledge-Sharing Package, including: (i) capacity-strengthening priorities derived from the needs assessment and implementation review; (ii) session plans or technical guidance materials; (iii) materials delivered or shared with implementing partners; (iv) anonymized feedback from beneficiaries on project interventions, where collected; and (v) recommended follow-up support by 30 June 2027. • Partner Coordination and Implementation Monitoring Report, including: (i) summary of coordination meetings and technical consultations with implementing partners and relevant stakeholders; (ii) consolidated tracking of implementation progress against agreed work plans and milestones; (iii) documentation of remote monitoring, observations and implementation challenges, where undertaken; (iv) follow-up actions and status of outstanding issues; (v) updates on emerging operational risks and mitigation measures; and (vi) prioritized recommendations to support timely, coordinated and quality closure of STG activities by 30 July 2027. • End-of-Project Learning and Partner Review Workshop Package, including: (i) concept note and detailed agenda; (ii) stakeholder and participant mapping; (iii) facilitation methodology; (iv) key discussion and review questions; (v) presentation and working materials; (vi) framework for documenting lessons learned, good practices and recommendations; and (vii) expected outputs and follow-up actions by 31 August 2027. • Future Programming and Resource-Mobilization Package, including: (i) synthesis of evidence and lessons relevant to future programming; (ii) priority interventions and indicative results; (iii) sustainability considerations; (iv) technical inputs to a concept note, proposal or other programme-development document identified by UNESCO; and (v) recommendations for future partnerships and resource-mobilization opportunities by 30 September 2027. • Final Technical Synthesis and Transition Package, including: (i) consolidated analysis of UNESCO’s achievements against the STG Joint Results Framework, including relevant data visualizations; (ii) status of partner deliverables and agreed follow-up actions; (iii) final risk-and-outstanding-issues register; (iv) synthesis of lessons learned and good practices; (v) project close-out, sustainability and transition considerations; (vi) recommendations for future programming and partner engagement; and (vii) an organized handover package containing final editable versions of the tools, analyses, technical notes and materials developed under the assignment by 30 October 2027. COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial) Accountability (C) Communication (C) Innovation (C) Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C) Planning and organizing (C) Teamwork (C) Results focus (C) For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework 5. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Education • An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in education, public policy, international development, economics, social sciences or a related field. A first-level university degree in one of the above or a related field, combined with at least seven (7) additional years of relevant professional experience beyond the minimum experience requirement, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Work Experience • Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in education programme management, implementation monitoring, need assessment, education-system strengthening and/or programme development, partner engagement and/or programme coordination, preferably in crisis-affected or conflict contexts. • Familiarity with the education development context in Myanmar including working with community, monastic or ethnic education providers. • Demonstrated experience conducting qualitative and/or quantitative assessments, analysing information from multiple sources and translating findings into practical recommendations, implementation plans or technical proposals. • Demonstrated experience providing technical advice, guidance or analytical support to education stakeholders, implementing partners, civil society organizations, United Nations entities or international development organizations. Skills and Competencies • Strong understanding of the roles, needs and perspectives of diverse education stakeholders, including teachers, parents and implementing partners. • Strong analytical and research skills, including qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis, and risks analysis in a context of conflicts. Languages • Excellent written and spoken English and Myanmar-language skills, including the ability to prepare technical documents in English and provide accurate Myanmar-English-Myanmar interpretation and translation. 6. DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS Work Experience • Experience in education programming in Myanmar, including engagement with community-based, monastic and/or ethnic education providers. • Experience working with Civil Society Organizations (CSO) and /or other United Nations entities and International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) or education-development partners. • Experience contributing to concept notes, funding proposals or resource-mobilization documentation. • Experience working in crisis-affected, conflict-sensitive or emergency education contexts. Skills and Competencies • Experience using software packages such as Kobo Toolbox, Power BI or Excel How to apply How to apply Interested applicants are invited to submit in writing to the UNESCO Project Antenna Office in Yangon: • An updated Curriculum Vitae (CV), including the candidate’s education, relevant professional experience, language proficiency and contact details of three professional referees, including telephone numbers and email addresses. • A Cover Letter of no more than two pages explaining 1) how your qualifications and experience make you suitable for the position and 2) how the candidate meets all the required criteria. • Written technical and financial proposals (in English): A concise approach and methodology for carrying out the assignment (maximum 2, A4 pages), a workplan and comments on the Terms of Reference, in brief, if any, and The proposed daily or monthly rates or the amount/budget to be charged for the assignment, which should be quoted in USD. The total consultancy fees should include a detailed broken down based on level of effort, time-on-task, or per expected deliverable/output. Travel expenses should be drawn up separately. UNESCO places great emphasis on ensuring that the objectives of the work assignment, as described in the Terms of Reference, are met. Accordingly, in evaluating the applications for the assignment, attention will focus first and foremost on the technical elements. From those proposals deemed suitable in terms of the criteria in the Terms of Reference, UNESCO shall select the proposal that offers the Organization the best value for money. Assessment • Only applications providing the information requested in the application procedure will be considered. • Evaluation of qualified applicants may include an assessment exercise and a competency-based interview. The proposal should reach yangon@unesco.org by email (please mention “National Consultant - Needs Assessment, Coordination and Implementation Support” in email subject line) no later than 17:00 Hours Yangon time, GMT +6:30, on 04 November 2026. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. • SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS Please note that all candidates must provide an email application with complete and accurate information and submit all required documents by the application deadline. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted. The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications. Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course. Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement). • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION • UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of personnel shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity. • UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment. • lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. • All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality. • UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the hiring process.