International Consultant- Teachers' Continuous Professional Development

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station:  Home based with expected missions to Iraq

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract :6 months

Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 15.08.2024

 

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

 

Background 

 

Within the framework of the ITALEEM project funded by EU, UNESCO Office in Iraq  will support    the Ministry of Educationto develop and implement a  Continuous Professional Development (CPD) framework and guidelines to enhance the professional skills and competencies of teachers. In recognition of the rapidly changing world, reskilling and upskilling are critical for teachers and school directors to remain relevant and effective. Thus MOE  will ensure that teachers and school directors have the opportunity of continuous professional development (CPD) through several models and approaches – a balanced approach. This will enable them to upgrade their expertise (knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviour) and qualifications and move along their preferred career path. It is also very important to strengthen education quality to align with the SDG4.

 

This initiative is to establish the roles of key stakeholders in the system and make explicit the standards that CPD will promote. Furthermore, the participation of teachers in CPD is part of their professional profile and so these activities provide for tracking and recording teachers’ professional development in EMIS and the CPD system should be promoted and supported at the school level by mentors or ‘critical friends. Continuous professional development (CPD) of teachers is an integral part of their role and duties – teaching is an ever-evolving responsibility for a number of reasons, such as subject matter changes as the fruits of experience and research feed into the curriculum and learning materials; The social context of education requires adjustments of purpose and process in education; New insights in psychology and sociology inform the interactions between teacher and learner, and among teachers; Innovative pedagogical practices prove their worth and become mainstreamed into patterns of teaching; and Digital resources are updated and improved and lead to different kinds of instructional arrangements.

 

Against this back drop, UNESCO Baghdad Office is seeking for a consultant with substantive experience in teacher education, teacher professional development  and developing teacher training guidelines  and policies to support MOE in Iraq  develop a  CPD Framework and guidelines that will establish the rights and responsibilities of the various stakeholders using an administrator-provider-recipient model with the MoE as the ‘Administrator’ of CPD, Teacher Training Institutes as ‘Providers’ to deliver, and Teachers as the CPD ‘Recipients’ responsible to participate.

Long Description

Key Objectives of the assignment:

1.  Develop a comprehensive CPD framework and guidelines that clearly outline the roles and responsibilities of the MoE, Teacher Training Institutes, and teachers.
2.  Establish a sustainable CPD system that ensures continuous improvement of teaching practices and enhances student learning outcomes.
3.  Promote a culture of lifelong learning among teachers through structured CPD activities.

 

Long Description

Duties and Responsibilities of Consultant

 

Under the overall guidance of the Director of UNESCO Baghdad Office, and the Head of Education unit, and the direct supervision of the ITALEEM Program Manager, the  consultant shall undertake the following tasks and  responsibilities :

1.Needs Assessment and Stakeholder Consultation:
 •Conduct a thorough needs assessment to identify the CPD needs and priorities  of teachers at different levels.
 •Organize stakeholder consultations with representatives from the MoE, Teacher Training Institutes, teachers, and other relevant bodies to gather insights and inputs.
• Conduct Research on best practices to inform the design of the framework and ensure that it incorporates evidence based approaches.

2.Development of a CPD Framework :
 •Develop a comprehensive CPD framework that defines the roles and responsibilities of the MoE (Administrator), Teacher Training Institutes (Providers), and teachers (Recipients).
 •Ensure the framework aligns with national education strategy 2022-2030 and international best practices.

3.Guidelines and Procedures:
 •Develop detailed guidelines and procedures for implementing the CPD framework, including the identification, planning, delivery, and evaluation of CPD activities.
 •Define clear roadmap for career progression linked to CPD participation.

4.Monitoring and Evaluation (CPD Quality Assurance Standards for MoE):
 •Establish a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to assess the effectiveness and impact of CPD activities.
 •Develop tools and indicators for tracking CPD participation and outcomes.

5.Sustainability Plan:
 •Develop a sustainability plan to ensure the long-term implementation and continuous improvement of the CPD framework.

 

Long Description

Deliverables:

Monthly payment will be dependent on the achievement of each deliverable within the project timeframe below.

 

•Needs Assessment Report: Summary of findings from the needs assessment and stakeholder consultations.
•CPD Framework Document: Comprehensive CPD framework outlining roles and responsibilities.
•Guidelines and Procedures Manual: Detailed guidelines and procedures for CPD implementation.
•Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (CPD Quality Assurance Standards): Tools and indicators for tracking CPD participation and outcomes.
•Sustainability Plan: Strategy for ensuring the long-term success of the CPD framework.

 

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial) Accountability (C)Communication (C)Innovation (C)Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)Planning and organizing (C)Results focus (C)Teamwork (C)Professionalism (C)- For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

Required Qualifications

 

Academic Qualifications
•Advanced degree in education or more than 10 years of experiences in the field of education, or a related field 

Work Experience

•Extensive experience in education and teacher professional development.
•Strong understanding of national education systems and policies.
•Excellent research, analytical, and communication skills.

Language

• Very good knowledge of English (written and spoken)

•Knowledge of the Arabic language is desirable.

Application Process

 

Interested candidates should click on “Apply Now”, then download and complete the Employment History form (Word file). At the end of the Word file, insert extra pages with the following required information in English:
* Upon completing the Word file with all the requested information above, upload the file at the “My Employment History Form / My Documents” section of the online application form. Only applications with the below requested information will be considered.
1- A Technical Written proposal (2-3 Pages Maximum) consisting of:
•    Comments on the Terms of Reference, if any (in brief);
•    An up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV), and a statement indicating how your qualifications and experience make you suitable for the assignment.

•    A cover letter outlining their relevant experience and proposal /approach to the assignment.
•    A description of your proposed approach and methodology for undertaking the assignment.

•    Examples of previous work related to in- service teachers’ capacity development
•    A work plan with detailed milestones and key deliverables/activities as per the terms of reference.
•    List of work assignments and/or THREE (03) contacts as references – to be filled and returned to UNESCO as part of the submission.

2-A Financial proposal in US dollars. Any travel and subsistence requirements should be indicated separately. Please design the payment scheme against a clear and specific set of deliverables and milestones as reflected in the work plan.
 

Remuneration

The remuneration for this consultancy will be proportionate with the qualifications and experience of the consultant. Detailed budget proposals should be submitted as part of the application process.

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.

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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.

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