Non-Staff ConsultantJunior Consultant for preparation of GRALE6
OVERVIEW
Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)
Duty Station: Hamburg
Job Family: Education
Type of contract : Non Staff
Duration of contract : From 1 to 6 months
Recruitment open to : External candidates
Application Deadline (Midnight Duty Station Time) : 30-MAY-2025
UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST
Background and Context
The Marrakesh Framework for action
The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) is located in Hamburg, Germany, and is one of UNESCO’s eight education Institutes. UIL supports Member States in the field of lifelong learning with a focus on learning ecosystems, skills for life and work, and inclusive learning. It pays special attention to UNESCO’s Global Priorities Africa and Gender Equality. Within UNESCO’s broad educational mandate, the mission of the Institute is to promote the recognition of and create the conditions for the exercise of the right to education and learning. The Institute undertakes research, capacity-building, networking and publication on lifelong learning. UIL responds to the concerns of all UNESCO Member States, giving priority to least developed countries.
Long Description
The Marrakech Framework for Action (MFA), titled “Harnessing the transformational power of adult learning and education”, was adopted at the 7th International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA 7), in June 2022. It is a commitment by UNESCO Member States and a roadmap for the promotion of adult learning and education (ALE) over the next 12 years – towards 2030 and beyond. It recognizes ALE as a fundamental human right in the context of lifelong learning, an important promoter of inclusion and a prerequisite for social and ecological justice, health and well-being, change and transformation. A mandate has been given to the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning to monitor the implementation of the MFA every 4 years, through the Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE).
Following the adoption of the Recommendation on Adult Education (RALE), in 2015, The UNESCO Member States called for “collecting and presenting data on adult learning and education, through and with the support of UNESCO, including the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), and the established mechanisms to produce relevant reports, such as the Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE). This implies the further enhancement of international data collection mechanisms based on agreed indicators and definitions, building on countries’ capacities to produce data, and the dissemination of such data at various levels” (page 14).
Long Description
Milestones of the 2025 GRALE 6 workplan
The 6th edition of the GRALE will be published in 2026 and will address the role of Adult Learning and Education (ALE) in responding to rapid changes. It will analyse how ALE can help individuals and communities adapt to and shape transformations driven by technological advancements, economic transitions, climate change, and conflict. The report will emphasize four key themes: digitalization, which explores the impact of emerging technologies like AI on learning and equity; economic shifts, focusing on reskilling for green and sustainable economies; climate action, highlighting ALE’s role in promoting environmental resilience and sustainable behaviours; and conflict recovery, examining how ALE fosters social cohesion, reconciliation, and empowerment in post-conflict settings.
The year of 2025 will be dedicated to preparing the main data collection for GRALE 6, collecting the data from various sources, and shaping the final report. Activities for 2025 will include finalizing the survey instrument, securing the nomination of national teams, developing capacity activities for national teams, launching and monitoring the global data collection, producing the GRALE 6 dataset and drafting the final report.
COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)
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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
- Advanced university degree in economics, statistics, education, social sciences, development studies or any other related fields.
Work experience
- At least 2 years of relevant work experience in the field of capacity building activities and data analysis.
- Previous work experience in designing online and in-person training for youth and adult, particularly in Developing countries.
- Familiarity with Adult learning and education sector in different countries.
- Proven experience in collaborating on international projects in the field of education.
Long Description
Skills
- Excellent drafting and communication skills.
- Excellent analytical skills.
- Competent computer skills for MS Office package processing, presentation, online collaboration and data analysis.
- Excellent independent working skills.
Language
- Fluency in English (both written and spoken).
Other arrangements and deliverables
Logistic arrangements and travels
The consultant will be posted at the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, in Hamburg Germany. The consultancy cannot be done by working remotely. UIL will provide the consultant with the facilities needed to perform the work assignments (desk, laptop, professional email address, phone line, etc.).
The consultant will be invited to the African workshop in mid-September to facilitate a session on the use of UIL learning Hub. The cost of this travel should be reflected in the proposed financial proposal as well.
Deliverables and timeline
The consultancy is expected to last 5 months, with working hours from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, commencing on 1 August 2025 and concluding on 31 December 2025. The consultant is required to work on-site at the UIL premises and must submit editable versions of all deliverables in English within the contract period. The specified dates for the deliverables indicated below are subject to revision.
Deliverable 1: Adaptation of the GRALE 6 training materials for LAC region / Date of submission: 25 August 2025
Deliverable 2: Report on the GRALE 6 capacity building workshop in Morocco / Date of submission: 25 September 2025
Deliverable 3: Final report on online and in-person capacity building activities / Date of submission: 25 October 2025
Deliverable 4: Package of data visualizations for the monitoring section of GRALE 6 / Date of submission: 25 November 2025
Deliverable 5: Report on data collection quality and post-data collection checks / Date of submission: 10 December 2025
UIL will provide feedback to each deliverable submitted and hold regular meetings to ensure the progress and quality of the consultant’s work.
The contractor should ensure that all visibility materials are produced in line with UNESCO’s branding guidelines. Please refer to the UNESCO Style Manual for citation style, terminology and spelling, abbreviations, references, etc.
In line with UNESCO’s overall gender mainstreaming strategy, the contractor is expected to integrate a gender perspective in all activities and apply gender analysis and mainstreaming concepts whenever feasible.
The documents produced will be the property of UIL.
Application process
Interested candidates will need to submit one consolidated PDF document which includes the following information:
- A short description, one page only, explaining the approach proposed for completing this project.
- A financial proposal, one page only, for delivering the activities described in the call;
- A short CV, focusing on previous relevant working experience, consultancy assignments and deliverables and relevant expertise to this project.
The proposal should not exceed 5 pages. Proposals missing any of the above will not be considered.
Selection process
A shortlist of the three most suitable applicants will be drawn up, and the selected candidates will be contacted for an interview with the Head of the UIL Monitoring Cluster. The successful candidate will be selected and offered a contract based on the application review and interview outcomes.
Interested candidates will need to submit one consolidated PDF document which includes the following information:
- A short description, one page only, explaining the approach proposed for completing this project.
- A financial proposal, one page only, for delivering the activities described in the call;
- A short CV, focusing on previous relevant working experience, consultancy assignments and deliverables and relevant expertise to this project.
The proposal should not exceed 5 pages. Proposals missing any of the above will not be considered.
Selection process
A shortlist of the three most suitable applicants will be drawn up, and the selected candidates will be contacted for an interview with the Head of the UIL Monitoring Cluster. The successful candidate will be selected and offered a contract based on the application review and interview outcomes.
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 an 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.
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