Mid-level Consultant for TSI Project 'Strategic Workforce Planning for Teachers in Ireland'

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Multiple

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) : 11-JAN-2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Background

In recent years, teacher shortages in Ireland’s public education system have worsened. Various factors may be contributing to the shortages. Despite efforts to address the issue, teacher shortages persist, and there is still no clear consensus among Irish educational stakeholders regarding their causes or the most effective solutions.

The project ‘Strategic Workforce Planning for Teachers in Ireland’ aims to fill in this gap. It began in August 2024 and will be implemented for two years until August 2026. It is implemented by UNESCO, in cooperation with the Department of Education and Youth and the European Commission and it is funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument. It aims to achieve the following outcomes:

a) Enhanced consensus among relevant stakeholders regarding challenges to the teaching profession and measures to improve the teacher workforce planning in Ireland;

b) The results of the project will be used by the Department of Education and Youth to develop a strategy on the improvement of teacher workforce planning.

In the long-term and in combination with other related efforts, the project intends to contribute to even further enhancing the status and attractiveness of the teaching profession and reducing teacher shortages in Ireland.

As part of the ongoing project activities, a diagnostic review was conducted to examine the main factors contributing to teacher shortages in Ireland. It explored multiple interrelated causes and provided an in-depth analysis across different school types. Building on this analysis, the project undertook a review of EU and international best practices to identify effective policy responses to teacher shortages. This phase presented case studies of countries facing similar challenges, analysing the measures they introduced, and the outcomes achieved. Following this, a peer learning workshop was carried out, during which Irish stakeholders - including government departments, teacher education institutions, school management bodies, and teacher unions - examined the international examples and discussed their relevance to the Irish context.

These steps have culminated in a set of evidence-based policy recommendations to improve the recruitment, deployment, retention, and professional development of teachers in Ireland.

Building on the previous phases, the next stage of the project focuses on translating the agreed recommendations into a feasible, clear, and actionable costed implementation roadmap. The roadmap will serve as a practical tool for the Department of Education and Youth to move from analysis to implementation by setting out clear actions, responsibilities, timelines, indicative costs, and monitoring mechanisms. It will also identify potential funding sources and outline governance mechanisms.

Long Description

Objectives

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a costed implementation roadmap that operationalises the project’s recommendations into a coherent, feasible, and well-resourced plan for action. This roadmap (15–30 pages) will be based on desk research, stakeholder consultations, and validation meetings with the project’s Working Group (WG) and Advisory Group (AG).

Long Description

Specific tasks

Under the supervision of UNESCO and in close collaboration with the Department of Education and Youth, the European Commission (SG REFORM), and the project Working and Advisory Groups, the consultant will undertake the following tasks:

Task 1. Review and synthesis

• Review key project outputs, including the diagnostic analysis, the best practice review, and recommendations.
• Analyse relevant Irish policy frameworks, teacher workforce data, and financial mechanisms to ensure that roadmap is feasible, cost-effective, and aligned with national priorities.
• Map potential synergies with ongoing national or EU-funded initiatives related to education workforce planning and teacher development.

Task 2. Draft costed implementation roadmap

• Prepare a structured draft roadmap (15–30 pages) presenting:
  (i) concrete measures to enhance teacher workforce planning;
  (ii) a timeline for their implementation;
  (iii) a list of stakeholders involved in their implementation together with specific roles;
  (iv) governance proposals;
  (v) indicators and a monitoring system;
  (vi) estimations of human and financial resources and proposals for financing sources.
• Ensure that the roadmap reflects the Irish education context, aligns with national policy priorities, and integrates inputs from the project’s prior stages.
• Present findings in a clear, results-oriented, and actionable format suitable for policy use.

Task 3. Validation and finalisation

• Present the draft roadmap to the Advisory Group and Working Group in an online consultation meeting.
• Consolidate and analyse feedback from UNESCO, the Department of Education and Youth, the European Commission (SG REFORM), and both Groups.
• Submit the final version of the costed implementation roadmap.

Deliverables and timeline

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Advanced university degree (master’s or higher) in education policy, economics, public administration, social sciences, or related fields.

Professional experience

• At least 5-7 years of professional experience in education sector planning, workforce planning, or policy development.
• Proven experience in developing costed implementation plans, strategies, or action frameworks for education systems or public sector reforms.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct financial estimation, costing, and resource analysis.
• Experience in engaging with government ministries, education authorities, and international organisations.
• Familiarity with EU-funded projects and education system governance is an asset.
• Knowledge of the Irish education system or comparable European contexts is desirable.

Skills and competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent drafting and synthesis skills in English.
• Ability to synthesise complex technical information into clear, actionable policy recommendations.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Capacity to deliver high-quality outputs under tight deadlines.

Long Description

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

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