[Hiring] Report Writer Consultant - Private Sector Engagement in Education @AGORA

Role Description

UNICEF’s fundamental mission is to uphold the rights of every child, everywhere. Guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Sustainable Development Goals, the Strategic Plan 2026–2029 places equity at the centre of its education work. The education programme offer is designed to ensure that every child and adolescent has access to quality, inclusive, and resilient learning opportunities. It prioritises three key transitions in a child’s learning journey:

• Readiness for school
• Acquisition of foundational and transferable skills
• Preparation for life and work

These transitions underpin UNICEF’s focus on equitable access, improved learning outcomes, and continuity of education in emergencies and fragile contexts.

Education systems are facing converging pressures:

• Learning outcomes remain off-track, with millions of children and young people not acquiring the foundational and transferable skills needed for today’s economies.
• Public financing for education is increasingly strained.
• System capacities are misaligned with the pace of demographic, technological, and labour-market change.

With sharp cuts in aid from many donors, sustainable progress for children requires new approaches and partnerships, particularly with the private sector. The Strategic Plan commits to expand engagement with the private sector through:

• Fundraising
• Partnerships
• Advocacy
• Innovation

UNICEF seeks to produce a report that provides a clear, evidence-based articulation of this opportunity. Specifically, the report will:

• Outline the linkages between improved education outcomes and long-term economic and consumer-market growth.
• Identify practical entry points for the private sector to engage as financiers, users, and brokers of education solutions.
• Recommend approaches to guide and strengthen public-private collaboration at global and country levels.

The report will serve as a foundation for UNICEF’s agenda on next-generation engagement with the private sector in education.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in preferred disciplines: Education policy, International development, Economics/development economics, Public policy or public administration, Business administration, Social sciences with education/development focus.
• Proven track record (at least 8 years or more) in writing, editing, and managing high-quality reports for international audiences.
• Prior experience in engaging with private sector stakeholders.
• Fluency in English is required; knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.
• Strong understanding of private sector engagement in education (e.g., CSR, PPPs, EdTech, skills development).
• Familiarity with global education agendas (e.g., SDG 4) and key stakeholders.
• Excellent project management skills and deadline-driven delivery.
• Strong communication and synthesis abilities for policy and business audiences.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Requirements

• Experience in multi-stakeholder coordination, including private sector partners is preferred.
• Prior involvement in advocacy or report launches is preferred.

Benefits

• UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does.
• Commitment to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
• Reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.