National Consultant - Integration of Climate Change into Learning Assessment

Job Posting Organization:
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations aimed at promoting world peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security through international cooperation in education, the sciences, and culture. Established in 1945, UNESCO has a mission to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development, and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication, and information. The organization operates in over 190 countries and has a workforce of approximately 2,000 employees. UNESCO is committed to fostering educational opportunities for all, promoting cultural diversity, and ensuring the protection of heritage sites worldwide. The organization also emphasizes the importance of integrating climate change and environmental sustainability into educational frameworks to prepare future generations for the challenges posed by climate change.

Job Overview:
The National Consultant will play a pivotal role in providing technical leadership and expertise to support the School Education Department (SED) of Balochistan and the Elementary and Secondary Education Department (E&SED) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in enhancing the integration of climate change, environmental sustainability, and disaster risk reduction (DRR) into provincial learning assessment frameworks. This position requires the consultant to conduct technical reviews and mapping of existing frameworks, identify priority competencies and learning outcomes, and develop evidence-based recommendations and assessment approaches. The consultant will also facilitate stakeholder consultations, co-creation processes, capacity development, and validation workshops, ensuring that the integration of climate and environmental themes is aligned with UNESCO’s Greening Curriculum Guidance and ongoing national curriculum reforms. The consultant will work closely with various stakeholders, including provincial education departments and international experts, to ensure a comprehensive approach to integrating climate change education into the learning assessment systems of Balochistan and KP.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for a range of activities, including: conducting a thorough review of current learning assessment frameworks and learning objectives related to climate change, environmental sustainability, and DRR in Balochistan and KP; identifying gaps and opportunities for integration; developing contextually relevant and gender-responsive recommendations for the integration of priority topics and learning outcomes into the learning assessment framework; facilitating inter-ministerial and multi-stakeholder workshops for consultation, co-creation, and validation of outputs; ensuring alignment with ongoing national curriculum reforms; and providing capacity-building sessions to stakeholders. The consultant will also be tasked with preparing detailed reports on the findings and recommendations from each phase of the assignment, ensuring that all outputs are evidence-based and reflect the needs of the local context.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced or master’s degree in education, curriculum development, pedagogy, or a related field. A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in the education sector is required, specifically in learning assessments, curriculum development, and institutional capacity development. Candidates should demonstrate a strong command of global best practices in learning assessment development and have evidence of experience in similar assignments, particularly in developing and revising curricula and teaching and learning materials (TLMs) in Pakistan. Familiarity with the curriculum frameworks of Balochistan and KP is essential, along with the ability to work collaboratively with government ministries and international experts. Strong planning, organizational, and coordination skills are also necessary, as well as the ability to facilitate technical discussions and consultations effectively.

Educational Background:
An advanced or master’s degree in education, curriculum development, pedagogy, or a related field is required for this position. A PhD in a relevant area is considered a desirable qualification, as it demonstrates a higher level of expertise and understanding of complex educational issues. The educational background should ideally include coursework or research focused on climate change education, environmental sustainability, and assessment methodologies.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in the education sector, with a focus on learning assessments, curriculum development, and institutional capacity development. Experience in implementing consultation, co-creation, and capacity-building workshops is crucial, as is a demonstrated ability to deliver results under tight deadlines. A strong background in developing user-friendly content and resources for educational purposes is also important, along with experience in negotiating with multiple stakeholders on technical content.

Languages:
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Urdu are mandatory for this position. Proficiency in any other local languages spoken in the area would be considered an added advantage, as it would facilitate better communication with local stakeholders and enhance the effectiveness of the consultant's work.

Additional Notes:
The contract duration for this consultancy is six months, and the position is open to external candidates. The consultant will be expected to work on-site in Islamabad and will report directly to UNESCO. The consultancy contract will be issued under a fixed-term, results-based agreement, with payments disbursed in instalments upon satisfactory completion and approval of deliverables. The consultant may use generative AI tools to support the assignment but must disclose their use and remain fully responsible for the accuracy and quality of all deliverables. The application process requires candidates to submit a comprehensive CV, a cover letter, a technical proposal, and a financial proposal, detailing their qualifications and approach to the assignment.