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And we never give up.
For every child, education.
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Background: The Education System in Guinea-Bissau is guided by laws and policy documents such as Basic Education Law of 2011 and the Education Sector Plan 20217-2025, which articulate education as human right, compulsory and free at the primary education level. Though there has been an increase in total enrolment for all levels of formal education, access to universal primary education remains unfulfilled with 27.7 per cent of children out-of-school (MIC 2018-2019). Similarly, the quality of education and learning outcomes are very low owing to shortage of qualified teachers, teaching and learning materials and non-conducive learning environment. This contributes to an extremely low primary school conclusion rate of 27 per cent (MICS2018-219), which a 2023 GPE report found was the lowest in the world.
The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) is a partnership and mobilizes and delivers funding to countries most in need of education support to transform their education system. GPE’s goal is to accelerate access, learning outcomes and gender equality through equitable, inclusive, and resilient education systems fit for the 21st century. Guinea-Bissau’s Partnership Compact has been approved by the GPE in November 2024. Based on the findings of the Enabling Factors Analysis, the partnership compact has articulated the general education sector priority reform as ensuring that all children have access to quality basic education, with an emphasis on all children completing basic education with the necessary basic skills, strengthening the preparation of teachers and the management of the education system. The transformative thrust of this priority reform is on improving access and retention of students and decreasing grade repetition so that all children successfully complete grade 6. The outcome areas identified in the Compact and endorsed by Local Education Group (LEG) are:
- Strengthened equity in access, retention and internal effectiveness of students in schools.
- Improved educational quality by strengthening the pedagogical skills of teachers and improving student assessment.
- Strengthened governance of the education system at central, regional, school and community levels.
The STG is intended to support the implementation of these priority reforms that the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research (MENESIC) and its development partners have agreed upon, as set out in the Partnership Compact.
Under the GPE 2025 strategic plan, Guinea-Bissau is eligible for the STG of $5.71 million. The primary purpose of this grant is to support the country in transforming its education system by making focused, evidence-based investments in programs that unblock system bottlenecks.
MENESIC, with support from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) acting as a Grant Agent (GA) for the STG, is currently developing the grant application and related documents to access Guinea-Bissau’s approved indicative allocation for regular GPE system transformation grant in accordance with the strategic parameters for GPE support.
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How can you make a difference?
By leading the development of Global Partnership for Education’s System Transformation (STG) application package for Guinea-Bissau in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Investigation (MENESIC) in consultation with the Education partners.
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Purpose of the Assignment:
UNICEF is seeking an individual short-term consultant to support MENESIC and UNICEF in stakeholders’ engagement and the timely preparation, development, and finalization of the required high-quality Grant Application Package (Programme Outline, Programme Documents, Budget, and relevant annexes) to access Guinea-Bissau’s approved indicative system transformation grant (STG) allocation of $5.71 million in accordance with the strategic parameters for GPE support. The Grant Application Package development process will require intensive engagement, with a wide range of stakeholders, including partners, relevant education stakeholders and private sector in Guinea-Bissau, through the LEG, for inputs to ensure the required shared consensus and joint programme ownership.
The consultant is expected to work with a national consultant commissioned to facilitate national and sub-national stakeholder consultations and the technical task team comprised of MENESIC, development partners, Civil Society Organizations, and other key stakeholders.
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Scope of Work:
The overall objective of the consultancy is to support in the preparation, development, and finalization of the high-quality Grant Application Package (Programme outline/Concept note, Programme Document, Budget, and relevant annexes) in compliance with the guidelines and templates of GPE. Duration of the consultancy is 87 working days from January to end May 2025. Specifically, the scope of the assignment is as follows:
- Review the Partnership Compact, GPE Board Guidelines and Board Decision on Guinea-Bissau, MENESIC policy documents, evidence, strategies, and sector development plans, as well as other relevant documents to inform the development of the programme document.
- Develop the Concept Note, ensuring that it reflects inputs from the GPE Secretariat, MENESIC, and members of the LEG for approval by the GPE Secretariat. The Concept Note will include a) proposed components and key interventions, b) gender hardwiring, c) alignment with partnership compact priority areas and interventions, d) theory of change or results chain, e) key results and indicators, f) overview of implementation arrangements, g) sustainability, h) risk assessment, i) aid effectiveness, j) results-based financing (if applicable), k) programme costs by component.
- Develop a high-quality draft Grant Application of the STG, following GPE guidelines and informed by key sector documents, including the Concept Note, Partnership Compact, GPE Board Guidelines and Board Decisions, Sector Plans and Strategies and in line with the stipulated timeline for submission to the GPE Secretariat.
- Manage all the consultative processes, including convening, and facilitating consultation workshops and meetings required to gather and integrate inputs from key stakeholders such as MENESIC and members of the LEG to ensure shared consensus on interventions to be implemented based on the priorities of the Partnership Compact, Education Strategic Plan 2017-2025 and the processes to develop Programme Document.
- Revise the Programme Documents in the Grant Application Package to address and integrate inputs from the MENESIC, LEG, and GPE secretariat, ensuring that the final outputs incorporate critical inputs from stakeholders and meet all the required GPE Secretariat quality assurance standards.
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Finalize the Grant Application Packages using templates provided by GPE and with input from UNICEF and implementing partners, MENESIC, the GPE Coordinating Agency in Guinea-Bissau and the LEG for submission to the GPE Secretariat on/or before May 31st, 2024.
Deliverables:
(1) Work Assignment #1, delivery deadline 20 days, payment schedule 20% of total fees.
- Desk review/inception report submitted
- A revised timeline for the GPE STG programme development completed
- Inception meeting minutes/summary report shared with UNICEF and stakeholders
- A Programme Outline / concept note developed and submitted to GPE for informal quality review
(2) Work Assignment #2, delivery deadline 45 days, payment schedule 45% of total fees.
- Consultation plan and materials, which include concept notes, agenda, and PPT presentations for each consultation meeting.
- Consultation reports, which include key priorities, strategic approaches, and gaps, identified by stakeholders.
- Draft GPE-STG proposal submitted to the LEG (proposal includes TOC, result matrix, budget, workplans, MEL framework, among others)
(3) Work Assignment #3, delivery deadline 22 days, payment schedule 35% of total fees.
- Revised GPE-STG proposal, integrating the feedback and comments received through the consultations and from the LEG and GPE
- Finalized GPE-STG proposal submitted to GPE secretariat.
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To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- An advanced university degree (master’s or higher) in Education, Economics, Social Sciences, or another relevant field.
- Demonstrated technical expertise in successfully developing high-value applications for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) grants.
- Sound knowledge of GPE guidelines and processes.
- Extensive experience on education programming, planning, and policymaking processes in the public sector or government.
- A minimum of eight (8) years’ experience working in a development context.
- Ability to engage and work with a variety of stakeholders (Government, development partners, civil society, indirect and direct program/project beneficiaries).
- Analytical, with good computer and data analysis skills.
- Familiarity with the Guinea-Bissau education context or similar fragile or low and middle-income countries.
- Experience of working in a UN organization is desirable.
- Fluency in English or French is required. Knowledge Portuguese or a local language is an asset.
With their application, candidates are kindly requested to submit the following:
- A cover letter
- A CV/resume (including the number of successful GPE grant applications/programme documents developed)
- Copy of highest diploma
- A technical proposal
- An all-inclusive financial proposal (including fees,
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 committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.
According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.
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.
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.
