[Hiring] State Consultant – Comprehensive Skills @AGORA

Role Description

The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical support to the Education Department of Madhya Pradesh to roll out the comprehensive skills package with adolescents in the state. This includes working closely with the government and other stakeholders in the eco-system, and ensuring effective data collection and reporting as per requirements. The consultant is expected to be based in Bhopal and regularly engage with UNICEF and the government.

Madhya Pradesh’s adolescent education landscape analysis reveals challenges and opportunities to improve the learning outcomes of children in the state. This evidence underscores the urgency of embedding 21st-century skills into Madhya Pradesh’s education system. Critical thinking, digital literacy, financial capability, creativity, and resilience are essential competencies for adolescents to thrive in higher education, the labor market, and civic life.

By integrating these competencies into curricula, pedagogy, and assessment, Madhya Pradesh can transform its demographic dividend into inclusive growth. Equipping adolescents with future-ready skills will strengthen human capital, foster innovation, and ensure that every young learner contributes to building a resilient and equitable society.

The comprehensive skills package will have a blended learning approach combining the immediate support of interactive classroom with flexibility of digital learning for continuous reinforcement:

• Interactive sessions: Teacher-led, simple activity-based methods supported by structured lesson plans.
• Self-paced digital learning: Curated course on Diksha/YouTube allowing students to learn concepts at their own pace and revise topics as needed.
• Service-based learning: Self-learning (project-based) helping students strengthen skills in real life.

Key Objectives of the Assignment

The consultant, while working closely with government institutions, will provide technical support for the integration of the comprehensive skills package into the secondary education system. More specifically, they will provide support in the following areas:

• Contextualization of comprehensive skills package (including service-based learning component).
• Development of a capacity building plan for education functionaries including teachers, and facilitate its implementation.
• Logistics support for printing and distribution of learning materials.
• Formation and strengthening of state and district PMUs to guide programme implementation including coordination support for research.

Qualifications

• Post-graduate degree in Education/ Social Sciences/ Humanities/ Policy.

Requirements

• At least 5 years’ experience of work in education sector with at least some of those for 21st century skills development.
• Previous experience of working with education data - data analysis & report writing.
• Experience of working with Education Government system.
• Expertise in using MS-Office application software (MS Word, Excel, Power Point) essential, especially Excel.
• Previous experience of working with the government administration.
• To be based in Bhopal for the assignment. Candidates who are not residents of Bhopal but are willing to relocate to Bhopal for this consultancy will need to do so on their own expense.
• Good verbal and written communication skills in Hindi and English required.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills

• Ability to analyze data, identify bottlenecks to improve systems and provide recommendations.
• Ability to liaison and advocate with state & district level government officers.
• Ability to create a database to address contextual needs.
• Ability to organize, manage and participate within teams.

Desirables

• Previous experience of implementation of large-scale programmes with government desirable.
• Ability to navigate, evaluate, and create digital content.

Benefits

• UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does.
• UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence.

Application Process

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV).
• Cover letter.
• A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template).
• A detailed technical proposal.
• Sample of previous work/document in education in the area of 21st century skills to be submitted to strengthen their application.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes.