Education in Emergencies/Crisis Sensitive School Leadership (CSsL) expert 1
OVERVIEW
Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)
Duty Station: Beirut
Job Family: Education
Type of contract : Non Staff
Duration of contract : From 1 to 6 months
Recruitment open to : External candidates
Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 20-FEB-2025
UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST
The ongoing crisis in Lebanon has severely impacted the education sector, affecting over 500,000 students and disrupting numerous educational institutions. Many public schools, TVET centers, and Lebanese University branches have been repurposed as shelters, further delaying the school year and exacerbating learning losses for students. This situation poses significant long-term risks to human capital development and future employment prospects in Lebanon.In response to this education crisis, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE), with support from UNESCO, developed a multi-sectoral Education Emergency Costed Response Plan (EECRP). This plan provides a framework for strategic coordination within MEHE and with national and international partners to ensure the effective implementation of the EECRP.
As part of UNESCO’s continued efforts to support Lebanon in addressing this crisis, the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Beirut Lebanon’s education sector has been profoundly impacted by ongoing crises, disrupting learning for over 500,000 students and posing significant long-term risks to human capital development. Many public schools, TVET centers, and university branches have been repurposed as shelters, delaying the school year and exacerbating learning losses. Addressing these challenges requires targeted interventions to ensure learning continuity during emergencies.
In response, UNESCO is collaborating with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and the Center for Educational Research and Development (CERD) to:
i. Develop an evidence-based conceptual framework for crisis-responsive school leadership.
ii. Create crisis-sensitive school leadership training materials tailored to the Lebanese context.
iii. Build the capacity of CERD staff by training them to deliver crisis-sensitive school leadership training to school principals/leaders
This holistic approach ultimately aims to strengthen the education sector’s resilience, enabling key actors to mitigate the effects of crises and support learning continuity for all students.
Long Description
Objective of Assignment
UNESCO is seeking to hire an Education in Emergencies consultant to support MEHE and CERD in:
1. Developing an evidence-based conceptual framework for crisis-responsive school leadership.
2. Recommending effective crisis-sensitive school leadership approaches and strategies tailored to the Lebanese context.
3. Designing and delivering training materials for crisis-sensitive school leadership.
4. Supporting CERD trainers in delivering crisis-sensitive school leadership training to school principals.
5. Designing an actionable plan and timeline to pilot the framework in Lebanon.
Long Description
Scope of Work
Under the overall guidance of the director of UNESCO’s Regional Office for UN Coordination for the Arab States in Beirut and the direct supervision of the Senior National Education Programme Officer, the consultant shall undertake the following tasks and responsibilities:
1. Develop the Conceptual Framework:
o Review existing national and international frameworks, strategies, and practices in education during emergencies.
o Analyze the unique challenges and needs of the Lebanese education system in crisis.
o Engage stakeholders, including educators, students, and policymakers, to gather insights.
o Develop a detailed framework to guide school leadership during crises, addressing both online and in-person modalities.
o Ensure the framework is evidence-based, inclusive, and contextually relevant.
2. Propose Crisis-Sensitive School Leadership Approaches and Strategies:
o Recommend innovative, crisis-responsive school leadership strategies and management approaches.
o Emphasize inclusion, psychosocial well-being, and resilience-building within these recommendations.
3. Develop and Deliver Crisis-Sensitive School Leadership Training Materials:
o Create crisis-sensitive school leadership training materials tailored to the Lebanese education context.
o Ensure materials support the development of school principals’ skills needed to assess the complexity of the situation, engage with effective decision-making, and establish effective communication lines with all key stakeholders.
4. Train CERD Trainers on Crisis-Sensitive School Leadership:
o Conduct training sessions to build CERD trainers’ capacity to deliver crisis-sensitive school leadership training to teachers and/or school principals.
5. Develop a Pilot Action Plan:
o Design an action plan for piloting the crisis-sensitive school leadership framework in selected schools.
o Include timelines, milestones, resource needs, and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
Deliverables
1. Crisis-sensitive learning conceptual framework: Draft and final versions of the evidence-based crisis-sensitive school leadership framework, including an action plan to pilot the framework.
Due date: Tentatively 25 March 2025
2. Crisis-sensitive school leadership training materials: Development of materials for CERD trainers to train school principals/teachers.
Due date: Tentatively 12 April 2025
3. CERD Trainer Capacity-Building Report: Summary of the training sessions conducted, including an assessment of CERD trainers’ readiness to deliver training to school principals/teachers.
Due date: Tentatively 10 May 2025
Timeline and duration
The duration of the assignment is tentatively from 25 February to 23 June 2025.
COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)
-
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in education, education in emergencies, public policy, public administration, governance, international development, or related fields. A PhD would be considered an asset.
• At least 7 years of experience in education planning, policy development, or EiE in crisis-affected contexts.
• Proven expertise in developing education frameworks and methodologies, particularly in emergency settings.
• Proficiency in English.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
• Strong knowledge of the Lebanese education system and the challenges facing crisis-affected learners.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Demonstrated experience in developing training materials and conducting capacity-building workshops.
• Knowledge of Arabic or French is desirable.
Application Process
Interested candidates should submit:
• A technical proposal.
• An up-to-date curriculum vitae.
• A proposed budget detailing daily or monthly rate.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be assessed based on:
• Relevant experience and qualifications.
• Clarity of approach to the review.
• Cost-effectiveness.
SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.
The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview.
UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.
Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.
Footer
UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members 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. UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States (last update here) are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply. Individuals 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. Worldwide mobility is required for staff members appointed to international posts.
UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
Please note that UNESCO is a non-smoking Organization.