The purpose of this assignment is to support in the inception and development of Childcare and Early Learning Finance Facility (CELFF) a bold, results-based catalytic and leveraging platform that transforms the care and early education gap into an investment opportunity for human capital development, gender equality and economic growth in Armenia. The mapping, analysis and technical support will assist the government in effective financial planning for early childhood education services for children, with a particular focus on children under the age of three.
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 peace
The purpose of this assignment is to support in the inception and development of Childcare and Early Learning Finance Facility (CELFF) a bold, results-based catalytic and leveraging platform that transforms the care and early education gap into an investment opportunity for human capital development, gender equality and economic growth in Armenia. The mapping, analysis and technical support will assist the government in effective financial planning for early childhood education services for children, with a particular focus on children under the age of three.
How can you make a difference?
Armenia faces a growing demand for affordable, quality childcare and early learning services, particularly for children aged 0-6 in rural and disadvantaged communities. Access to early childhood education and care (ECEC) remains a challenge: only 39.1% of children aged 0-5, 73.6% of children aged 3-5, and 4.1 % of children under 3 years of age are enrolled. In 2023, only 24% of children aged 0-6 years from extremely poor households were enrolled, compared to 37% from poor households and 44% from non-poor households. The Government – through the Government programme and Education Sector Development Strategy until 2030 - prioritizes preschool education, envisaging continued expansion of preschool services, improved quality, creation of a comprehensive, enabling and inclusive environment for child development, and continued improvement of promotion mechanisms, professional development, and remuneration of preschool educators. In particular, by 2026: build or renovate and fully equip at least 500 kindergartens and preschool institutions; increase enrollment of children aged 3-5 to at least 85%.
Limited infrastructure, fiscal constraints, and demographic pressures such as out-migration and declining fertility have made it difficult to expand provision at the pace required. At the same time, childcare is a critical enabler of women’s labor force participation and inclusive economic growth, directly supporting Armenia’s social protection and education reform agendas. The labor force participation rate among women is 56.4% and among men it is 68% (2024 data).
Meeting the Barcelona Targets by 2030 by Armenia will require an estimated USD 762 million[1] (capital USD 272 million and operational expenditures USD 489.6 million), or an investment equivalent to 0.90 per cent of GDP in investment in childcare and early learning services – a scale of financing that cannot be met through public budgets and traditional grants alone. Unlocking new pathways such as blended capital, guarantees, and outcome-based instruments is essential to mobilize resources at scale while ensuring accountability for results. By leveraging public funds with IFIs, donors, and private investors, Armenia can multiply its investment capacity, accelerate reforms, and deliver measurable outcomes for children, families, and the economy.
The Childcare and Early Learning Financing Facility (CELFF) has been designed by UNICEF precisely for this purpose - offering governments a menu of innovative financing options that can help bridge the gap and accelerate progress toward the ECEC targets.
With CELFF, UNICEF Armenia aims to: 1) create an enabling environment for innovative childcare funding through multi-stakeholder engagement; 2) assess feasibility and adapt proven international financing models to the Armenian context; 3) design and validate 2-3 innovative financing instruments; 4) generate evidence and learning for nationwide and regional scale-up.
The scope of work of the Innovative financing expert includes support in review of general requirements for engaging in CELFF and completion of readiness and feasibility initial criteria; support in contextualizing survey and other tools for assessment of demand for private provision of ECEC services, supporting market scoping of financial institutions through mapping of local financial institutions, facilitating connections and supporting quality assurance of developed materials. Moreover, the experts will support in validating and shaping the findings with national partners to ensure uptake. The expert will closely work with UNICEF (CO and CELFF team), MoESCS and other government counterparts (e.g. MoTAI, MoF, MLSA and others), as well as IFIs and local financial institutions.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
Innovative finance_consultant TOR.9 Feb 2026 VA.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
- Advanced University degree in economics, public finance management, social policy, education and/ or finance.
- More than 8 years of experience in the field of social-economic development, public finance management and budgeting, private sector engagement,
- Expertise in developing and testing of innovative financing solutions, preferably in social sectors.
- Knowledge of the education system in Armenia is an asset.
- Strong understanding of the UN rules and regulations of UN CRPD, CRC and CEDAW.
- Good presentation and report writing skills and ability to easily communicate with different auditorium.
- Knowledge of Armenian and English.
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
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. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
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.
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. 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.