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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.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to education

UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office (LACRO) is based in in Panama, operating in 36 territories, including 24 country offices. In its role as a regional office, UNICEF co-leads with Save the Children, the Regional Education Working Group (GRE-LAC) since 2011. As part of the commitments to support the Ministries of Education, UNICEF leads the GRE- LAC secretariat within the framework of the Regional Working Group on Risk, Emergencies and Disasters for Latin America and the Caribbean (REDLAC) and the interagency coordination platform Response for Venezuelans (R4V) to support the response of the Ministries of Education and the Humanitarian Coordination Mechanisms to emergencies in the education sector, including disaster risk management and the migration. Promoting the implementation of global and regional frameworks, such as the Comprehensive School Safety Framework (CSS) endorsed by the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience (GADRRRES), the Global Education Cluster Strategy (GEC) 2022-2025, and the Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies (MSEE) of the Interagency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE), to guarantee the right to education for all children, adolescents, and young people in the region.

One of the commitments of UNICEF-LACRO as co-leader of the GRE-LAC and as the regional affiliate of GADRRRES is to support the implementation of the Comprehensive School Safety policy survey in the LAC countries and mapping the endorsement to the Global Comprehensive School Safety Initiative

For more information about UNICEF and its work: www.unicef.org/lac 

For more information about the GRE-LAC and its work: https://grelac.org/

https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/latin-america-and-caribbean/education 

For information about partners: What We Do | GADRRRES / https://inee.org/es / https://www.educationcluster.net/

How can you make a difference? 

Provide technical support to UNICEF in strengthening Education in Emergencies (EiE) through coordination, knowledge management, planning and reporting, and resource mobilisation, ensuring that EiE is effectively integrated across the region and upholds the right to education for all children, adolescents, and youth. A key focus will be close coordination with the Emergency Unit at LACRO, including participation in coordination and network meetings, and in internal and external humanitarian planning and reporting processes related to donor proposals, Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeals, and other relevant initiatives. This will help ensure that education priorities are fully addressed in emergency preparedness and response, including disaster risk reduction within the Education Sector. Responsibilities also include supporting Education Cluster/Sector coordination in Latin America and the Caribbean, such as work plan reviews, working group meetings, and engagement with global, regional, and national platforms (GEC, GADRRRES, INEE, REDLAC, R4V).

Specific Tasks

Coordination

Support the Coordination the Regional Education Working Group (GRE-LAC), ensuring that at least seven monthly and ad-hoc meetings are convened, with validated agendas and agreements documented and circulated.

Participate in monthly emergency coordination meetings, providing technical inputs and follow-up on agreed actions for the Education Sector.

Engage with the Global Education Cluster (GEC), GADRRRES, INEE, and other global partners, providing technical inputs, sharing regional updates, and ensuring LAC priorities are reflected. Actively participate in regional inter- agency coordination under REDLAC and R4V.

Knowledge Management

Produce and disseminate the GRE-LAC monthly bulletin and assure contributions to GADRRRES quarterly newsletters.

Planning and Reporting

GRE-LAC annual review of the 2025 2027 Work Plan (WP), including updates and adjustments based on the first-year review (2026).

GRE-LAC revise and update the Terms of Reference (TORs) in line with agreed recommendations, ensuring alignment with Work Plan priorities and outcomes.

Contribute to 2026 reporting requirements, including ROAR, RAM and CSI inputs.

Conduct the annual review of the UNICEF Education in Emergencies activities in LACRO's Work Plan, including updates and adjustments as required during the first-year review (2026).

Resource Mobilization

Provide technical support in the development, monitoring and reporting of ECHO and other donor proposals in relation to the Education Sector for LAC, including HAC requirements.

NOTE: Travel expenses for the consultant will be covered, clarity about the need for travel is still to be determined. Once clarified it will be agreed upon by the consultant and trips will be planned in accordance with UNICEF  policies.

Expected Results

The Secretary of the Regional Education Working Group (GRE-LAC) for Latin America and the Caribbean has implemented the 2025-2027 Work Plan and has ensured coordinated efforts across the region, leading to more effective responses to education needs in emergencies.

The national and sub-regional Humanitarian Coordination Mechanisms (clusters, education groups and roundtables,) of the education sector in Latin America and the Caribbean have enhanced a collaborative response to ensure a more effective rights-based response to educational needs before, during and after emergencies.

The global, regional, and subregional partners have been supported to promote a more unified regional response, allowing for quicker and more coordinated action that improves educational outcomes for children and adolescents in crisis-affected areas.

Emergency-related education activities are supported through timely technical inputs, effective coordination with partners, and flexible engagement in emerging priorities, ensuring sector responses are responsive, coherent, and aligned with humanitarian and development frameworks.

UNICEF planning and reporting requirements for Education in Emergencies are completed in line with internal guidance and procedures in relation to Annual Work Planning, donor proposals, HACs and other key documentation.

Capacities and skills in DRR and EiE at the national, regional, and global level have been expanded and strengthened, and the knowledge and information have been timely and efficiently disseminated with all the relevant partners.

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

Minimum requirements:

[Include the vacancy requirements aligned to the category and level of the position. You can see examples in the branded VA example.]

• Education:  

An advanced university degree (Master´s or higher) in Education Policy and Planning, Education in Emergencies, Humanitarian Affairs, Public Policy or Crisis Response, Education, Educational Planning is required

• Work Experience:

A minimum of five years of professional experience in emergency education, disaster risk reduction and project management support.

Program management experience at the UN system agency or other similar organization is required.

Demonstrated experience working in partnership with a broad range of stakeholders, including UN agencies and INGOs, national authorities, and national/local partner agencies are required.

• Language Requirements:

Fluency in Spanish and good knowledge of English is required.

Desirables:

Project management of EiE and DRR projects in the LAC Region is an asset.

Experience working in both development and humanitarian contexts is an asset.

Understanding of work of the Humanitarian clusters and education global initiatives (desirable).

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

Administrative details:

Supervision: The consultant will work under the overall supervision and guidance of the UNICEF Regional Adviser Emergency.

Workplace: The consultancy is home-based. 

Duration:  8 months - From November 2025 to July 2026

How to Apply: Application should be submitted online and should include: TMS application form duly completed, Cover Letter, Study certificates and financial proposal.  You must include a fee for each deliverable.

Qualified candidates are requested to indicate an all-inclusive (lump sum) fees for the services to be including all associated administrative and travel costs.

Consultants must have their own equipment, tools and materials needed to perform their services. They will use their own laptops/computers, any application or system needed to complete the assignment. They need to provide the full service without using UNICEF resources. The access to UNICEF email and system is restricted to UNICEF staff therefore consultants should not be granted access unless it is imperative to complete the assignment.

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 a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. 

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

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. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.