International Individual Consultancy – Early Childhood Development (ECD), Dar es Salaam/Homebased

UNICEF Tanzania is supporting the Government of Tanzania to scale up integrated ECD services through evidence-based modelling, strategic planning, and multi-sectoral coordination. Given that, UNICEF aims to support the government of Tanzania to equip work-based ECD centres, including market-based ECD centres, in the two regions in mainland Tanzania (Dar es Salaam and Dodoma) and Zanzibar within one year. These ECD Centres will serve as inspirational models for other places to provide affordable, safe, and quality childcare services for working mothers, as well as holistic development for children under 5 years old

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, Nutrition  

How can you make a difference? 

ECD modelling (workplace support with a focus on marketplace)

• Support the design and operationalization of comprehensive ECD center marketplace implementation models (Dodoma, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar)
• Support the development of a phased implementation roadmap for scaling ECD centre services on mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, through a consultative process with government and ECD stakeholders.
• Plan and coordinate content development, knowledge management products, and visibility for ECD Modelling
• Facilitate the TCO ECD Technical Working Group (TWG) and the government in a co-design workshop to strategize age-appropriate essential service packages for young children and identify priority areas for ECD modelling and convergence.
• Ensure ECD integration in sector-specific programme plans, with a focus on gender equality, inclusion, and early intervention.

Design parenting programme for early years (Kigoma, Njombe, and Dodoma)

• Provide strategic and technical guidance to government counterparts, UNICEF Tanzania, and implementing partners on Parenting for early years
• Support the finalization of the essential package for early years
• Work with ECD stakeholders to promote multisectoral parenting, innovative and context-specific approaches to enhance the holistic child development.
• Support the operationalization of parenting interventions in the identified regions

Coordination and knowledge Management

• Collaborate with ECD TWG to collate and synthesize evidence for ECD modelling and programme refinement.
• Document promising ECD models, lessons learned, and case studies from UNICEF and partners.
• Support UNICEF internal coordination by supporting cross-sectoral ECD collaboration within UNICEF across Health, Nutrition, Education, WASH, Child Protection, SBC, and Social Policy.
• Support joint advocacy and communication efforts with partners to raise the visibility of ECD and mobilize support for integrated approaches.
• Support the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty champions to mobilize resources to fund the government of Tanzania’s “Improving Maternal Health and ECD Outcomes” proposal.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  TOR International ECD consultant.docx

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

• Education: An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Public health, child development, education, nutrition, psychology, sociology, human development, or another relevant technical field.
• Additional expertise in gender equality programming and parenting for early years is considered an asset.
• Familiarity with global and national evidence and policies frameworks related to ECD.

• Work Experience:
  • A minimum of five years of professional experience in development planning and management of ECD programmes within health, nutrition, early learning, early childhood development, or gender- related areas is required.
  • Experience in supporting any government in designing ECD modelling and parenting interventions
  • Understanding government of Tanzania works in multisectoral ECD coordination.
  • Strong technical knowledge of integrated ECD approaches and international standards.
  • Proven experience in cross-sectoral programming, policy engagement, inter-agency coordination, and partnership building.
  • Experience in developing strategies and evidence-based programming tools.
  • Experience engaging in research, analysis, and technical report writing
  • Experience in a developing country is considered as an asset.
  • Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.

• Skills: Excellent analytical, communication, and writing skills.

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.

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.  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. For this position, eligible and suitable candidate are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign for regular positions and provide clearance for consultancy position 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.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

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.