JOB DETAILS

Type of contract: Consultant

Level: Level 2

Hiring Unit: EDUCATION

Duty Station: APIA

Work location: Kiribati

Duration of contract: 6 Months

Hiring open to: Nationals of Kiribati

Application deadline (Paris, 12:00 am): 2/11/2026

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

Only nationals of Kiribati may apply to this position.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Kiribati ICT Transformation of Education Systems (KITES) Project, a USD 2.5 million programme funded through the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) System Transformation Grant (STG), aims to improve equitable access to quality education and strengthen teaching and learning through strategic investments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The project responds to key challenges facing the education sector, including geographic isolation, infrastructure limitations, disparities in access across remote and outer islands, the limited availability of quality learning resources, and high dropout rates, particularly among boys, as identified in the Kiribati Partnership Compact. Aligned with the Kiribati Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP 2024–2027) and the ICT in Education Master Plan, KITES is led by the Ministry of Education, with the UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States serving as the Grant Agent and providing technical oversight, coordination, and implementation support throughout the project. The programme follows a phased approach, initially focusing on the establishment of model schools as testing grounds for ICT infrastructure and teaching innovations, to generate evidence for systematic scale-up.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The consultant will provide technical assistance to UNESCO and the Ministry of Education (MoE) for the implementation of KITES across all three components: Access, Teaching Quality, and Systems Reform. This includes technical inputs to the activities and products of each component; technical analysis and presentations to inform decisions by UNESCO and the MoE; and technical support to programme governance meetings and to information sharing between MoE divisions, consultants and partners. The consultant will work under the overall authority of the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States and the direct supervision of the UNESCO Education Programme Specialist, in close collaboration with the designated MoE focal point and the MoE focal points for each programme component.

OBJECTIVE

The consultant will support UNESCO and the Ministry of Education to:

• Provide technical assistance and inputs to the implementation of all three components (Access, Teaching Quality, and Systems Reform), working with the responsible MoE divisions, KTC, and specialised consultants, to support timely implementation in line with the approved workplan.
• Provide technical analysis and presentations to inform programme decisions by UNESCO and the MoE, including at meetings of the Technical Committees and the Project Steering Committee.
• Provide technical inputs to the monitoring and evaluation framework for all three components and prepare analysis of risks and bottlenecks with recommendations.

SCOPE OF WORK

1. Technical assistance to programme implementation
   • Provide technical inputs to terms of reference, workplans, and technical products under each component, for review and decision by UNESCO and the MoE.
   • Support regular progress check-ins with MoE component focal points and monthly programme reviews convened by the MoE and UNESCO, by preparing implementation status summaries and technical analysis of issues for discussion.
   • Support the MoE in planning school-level activities, including model school visits and outer island travel.
2. Technical support to programme governance and stakeholder engagement
   • Participate in meetings of the Technical Committees and the Project Steering Committee in a technical support capacity, and support meeting preparation, documentation and follow-up, including technical presentations and analysis on implementation progress, technical issues and risks across the three components. The MoE and UNESCO remain responsible for convening, managing and overseeing these bodies; the consultant has no decision-making role.
   • Support UNESCO and the MoE in their engagement with the Local Education Group (LEG) by preparing technical presentations and briefs. This support is provided to UNESCO and the MoE and does not imply any representational role.
3. Technical analysis, monitoring and reporting
   • Review implementation against the programme workplan on a monthly basis and advise UNESCO and the MoE on delays, bottlenecks and risks, with recommendations.
   • Compile and analyse indicator data provided by the responsible MoE units, KTC, and model schools against the programme monitoring and evaluation framework.
   • Prepare the monthly implementation review reports and final report, drawing on inputs from MoE component focal points.
4. Communications and knowledge management
   • Support the documentation of programme results and stories of change, in consultation with the MoE and UNESCO.
   • Support the dissemination of programme products to schools, MoE divisions, and stakeholders.
   • Document lessons learned and feedback from model schools to inform standards development and the scale-up of programme interventions.

DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINE

The contract fee will be paid in six (6) equal instalments, each released upon UNESCO’s acceptance of the corresponding deliverable. All deliverables must be supported by documented evidence demonstrating that the work has been undertaken, that outputs are complete, and that they meet the required quality standards. Where requested by UNESCO, the consultant shall submit a daily timesheet with each monthly implementation review report, recording the days worked and the tasks undertaken, including the technical assistance provided under each component, to support verification of the report and payment.

DURATION

The assignment will be undertaken over six (6) months from the date of contract commencement. The contract may be extended subject to programme needs and satisfactory delivery of outputs. Travel to outer islands and model schools may be required, subject to programme needs and prior UNESCO approval. Where travel is required, related travel costs will be covered separately from the contract fee, in accordance with the applicable rates.

ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS

The consultant will be based at the Ministry of Education in South Tarawa, within the UNESCO Project Office and is expected to use their own laptop and mobile phone for the assignment. The consultant will maintain regular communication with UNESCO and the MoE focal point, providing updates on progress, risks, challenges, and emerging issues. The consultant will work closely with the MoE divisions responsible for programme implementation. The consultant will have no managerial, supervisory, representational, procurement, approval or financial authority on behalf of UNESCO, the MoE or the programme. The consultant will not supervise or direct MoE staff, consultants or suppliers; represent or speak on behalf of UNESCO or the MoE; take part in procurement decisions; approve activities, deliverables, payments or expenditure; or commit funds. The consultant will maintain the confidentiality of programme information and declare any actual or potential conflict of interest.

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

• Communication (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Planning and organizing (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

First-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in Education, Project or Programme Management, Public Administration, Development Studies, ICT, or a related field. An advanced university degree is an asset.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Minimum five (5) years of professional experience in technical assistance, advisory or implementation support to education or development programmes. Demonstrated experience providing technical support to multi-stakeholder, donor-funded programmes with government, including workplanning, progress monitoring, and reporting. Experience working with or within the Government of Kiribati, preferably the Ministry of Education, including familiarity with government approval and procurement processes. Experience working with UN agencies, GPE, or other development partners is desirable. Experience in ICT in education, teacher development, or education data systems is desirable.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Ability to deliver high-quality technical outputs to agreed deadlines. Strong analytical, report writing and presentation skills, including the ability to analyse monitoring data and present technical information clearly to government and partner audiences, and good minute-taking skills.

LANGUAGES

Fluency in written and spoken English and Te Kiribati.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline. To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted. The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications. Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course. Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of personnel 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. 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. The statutory retirement age at UNESCO is 65 years. UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the hiring process.