International Consultant – Adaptive Social Protection (ASP) Training Expert with UNICEF in Uzbekistan Individual Consultant International Position Senior level Short term contract

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For every child, the right to protection! 

Background:

The World Bank approved a US$100 million concessional loan for Uzbekistan to implement the Innovative Social Protection System for Inclusion of Vulnerable People (INSON) Project. The Project Development Objective is to improve access to and the quality of social services and benefits for vulnerable people in Uzbekistan.

Under Subcomponent 1.2 “Enhancing the Capacity of the Social Protection System to Adapt and Respond to Shocks”, the project supports development and implementation of key building blocks for Adaptive Social Protection (ASP) and a new climate risk and ASP training program.

Output 3 focuses on building awareness of key concepts and principles of adaptive social protection and climate adaptation among social protection officers and relevant stakeholders through a structured training programme, Training-of-Trainers (ToT), and cascading roll-out trainings delivered in person using interactive methods.

Scope of Work:

A. Training programme design and quality assurance (Activity 3.1)

• Lead the design and structuring of a 3-day ASP training programme, including expected learning outcomes, session plans, learning facilitation guidance, training and distribution materials.
• Ensure coverage of the following modules at the training programme: (i) Concept and elements of ASP – What makes social protection system/programme adaptive?; (ii) How to make social protection in Uzbekistan adaptive?; (iii) Climate change–exacerbated risks in Uzbekistan; (iv) Main strategies for vulnerable individuals and families in reducing climate change exacerbated risks; (v) The national emergency response framework – how its interventions are activated and how they support and help vulnerable individuals and families.
• Ensure realization of the implied learning outcomes through effective delivery of the training materials using relevant participatory learning techniques and interactive methods (case studies, group exercises, simulations) suitable for non-technical audiences.
• Ensure that the training materials throughout all modules draw from international best practices and concepts, provide gender and disability inclusion and contain relevant information on various vulnerable groups, for example but not limited to children and families in poverty, children and adults with disabilities, young people and women.
• Provide smooth integration of the inputs from national consultant(s) and stakeholders on the existing system of social protection in Uzbekistan, local climate change–exacerbated risks, characteristics of local families and households, existing national emergency response framework and activation mechanisms as well as any other local, contextualized information relevant to the training programme.
• Ensure that the training materials contain pre- and post-training evaluations enabling assessment of participants’ learning outcomes. The training materials should also enable collection of the feedback from the participants on the training’s effectiveness.
• Provide technical review of all training materials (slides, facilitator guide, participant handbook, exercises, evaluation tools) in English and coordinate support review of Uzbek versions with the national expert(s).
• Present draft training materials to the ToT participants in Tashkent city and incorporate the feedback.
• Present draft training materials to the technical group established under Output 1 and incorporate
  the feedback.

B. Delivery of ToT and roll-out trainings (Activity 3.2)

• Co-facilitate the ToT for 14 master trainers (Tashkent), including a dedicated module on interactive teaching and presentation methods.
• Support national trainers to deliver roll-out trainings to (i) 600 participants from 208 INSON centres across the country (3 full days), in 5 locations including Tashkent; and (ii) 250 NASP and line ministry/agency participants who attend only first two modules of the training programme: module “Concept and Elements of ASP – What makes social protection system/programme adaptive?” and module “How to make social protection in Uzbekistan adaptive?”
• Provide coaching and real-time quality assurance to master trainers and national trainers during delivery to ensure consistency across locations.
• Undertake trainings for the UNICEF-contracted national consultants on the training modules and materials to ensure their complete familiarity and full awareness of the training materials and ability apply the required interactive learning methods at the ToT and roll-out training sessions.

C. Reporting and knowledge capture

• Prepare short technical notes summarizing ToT outcomes, training delivery quality, and recommendations for institutionalization of ASP training into regular programmes.
• Contribute to the consolidated training completion report, including lessons learned and improvement actions.

Work Assignments Overview – Deliverables/Outputs – Timeline

1. Design of ASP training programme and modules – Develop draft training programme (3-day agenda, session plans) and full training package (slides, facilitator guide, distribution materials, participant handbook, exercises, evaluation tools) – Weeks 1–4
2. Technical review and finalization of materials – Final, quality-assured training materials (English) and review notes for Uzbek versions -Weeks 3–5
3. Delivery of ToT for master trainers – ToT delivered; ToT report with recommendations and trainer coaching plan – Week 5
4. Co-delivery / QA support for roll-out trainings – QA checklists and mission notes from selected training locations; consolidated learning results summary – Weeks 6–12
5. Final reporting – Final technical report (training delivery summary, outcomes, lessons learned, recommendations) – Within 2 weeks after last assigned training

Travel is applicable.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in social policy, public policy, economics, climate adaptation/DRR, or related fields.
• Work Experience:
  • At least 10 years of relevant experience in social protection policy/programming, with demonstrated expertise in adaptive/shock-responsive social protection.
  • Proven experience designing and delivering national-level capacity building programmes and Training-of-Trainers (ToT).
  • Strong facilitation skills using participatory methods and ability to tailor complex concepts for non-technical audiences.
  • Experience working with governments and development partners in similar contexts is an asset.
  
  

• Language Requirements: Fluency in English required; working knowledge of Russian is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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Remarks: 

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

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