Senior Consultant in Education Financing and Strengthening the PPBSE Chain

Job Posting Organization:
The International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) is a specialized organization under UNESCO that supports education policy, planning, and management. Established in 1963, IIEP plays a unique role within the United Nations system, assisting education ministries and partners worldwide in planning and managing educational systems through capacity-building programs, technical assistance, research and development, and knowledge sharing. IIEP has recently launched its new medium-term strategy for 2026-2029 and operates offices in Paris, Dakar, and Buenos Aires. To achieve its goals, IIEP relies on voluntary contributions from major donors and project financing.

Job Overview:
The position of Senior Consultant in Education Financing and Strengthening the PPBSE Chain involves supporting the implementation of a growing portfolio of multi-year programs aimed at reforming public finance management (PFM) applied to education. The consultant will contribute to operationalizing program budgeting along the PPBSE chain (Planning, Programming, Budgeting, Monitoring, and Evaluation) and will work closely with multidisciplinary teams at IIEP and national structures. The role requires a senior level of expertise to be continuously mobilized over eleven months in each country, focusing on financing and PFM, program budgeting, data and monitoring-evaluation, and gender-sensitive planning. The consultant will also be responsible for contributing to diagnostics of the PPBSE chain and PFM systems, supporting the design and harmonization of PPBSE instruments, and enhancing methodologies for resource allocation.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will cover all components of the program in their assigned country, which includes conducting in-depth diagnostics of the PPBSE system, supporting the development of gender-sensitive planning tools, and enhancing capacity-building efforts in PFM. Specific tasks include:

• Contributing to the diagnostics of the PPBSE chain and PFM systems at both central and decentralized levels, and formulating reform roadmaps.
• Supporting the design, revision, and harmonization of PPBSE instruments.
• Enhancing methodologies for resource allocation, focusing on efficiency, equity, and gender.
• Strengthening data production and analysis systems, including the development of sectoral dashboards.
• Supporting the systematic integration of gender in the PPBSE chain.
• Designing and facilitating training and technical support mechanisms, documenting best practices for institutionalization.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a minimum of a Master's degree in economics, public finance, public policy, public sector management, education planning, or a related field. They should have at least 10 years of professional experience in education planning and financing, particularly in low- or middle-income countries. Proven expertise in public finance management applied to education, PPBSE, and program budgeting is essential. Candidates should also have solid experience in monitoring-evaluation and education management information systems, including data production, quality, analysis, and use.

Educational Background:
A minimum of a Master's degree in a relevant field such as economics, public finance, public policy, public sector management, or education planning is required for this position. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of education financing and public management systems.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in education planning and financing, particularly in contexts of low or middle-income countries. Candidates should have demonstrated expertise in public finance management as it relates to education, as well as experience with the PPBSE chain and program budgeting.

Languages:
Fluency in French (reading, writing, and speaking) is mandatory as it is the primary working language. Proficiency in English is desirable and considered an asset, enhancing communication and collaboration in international contexts.

Additional Notes:
The contract is a full-time consultancy lasting eleven months, starting in August 202

• The work will primarily be conducted remotely, with the possibility of working at the IIEP office in Paris. Each consultant will undertake missions in their assigned country based on the program's schedule, which will be coordinated with IIEP and national authorities. The payment will be monthly, contingent upon the completion of assigned tasks and satisfactory submission of deliverables. Candidates must submit a technical proposal outlining their approach and methodology, a financial proposal indicating monthly fees, and a CV highlighting relevant experience by the application deadline.