Middle
Application deadline (Midnight UTC±0 (UTC) Time) : 31/07/2026
UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
OVERVIEW
With more than 50 years of experience developing the capacity of member states, IIEP- UNESCO is the only specialized organization with the mandate to support education policy, planning and management in the UN system. For decades, IIEP-UNESCO has been working with UNESCO Member States to develop more inclusive systems, in particular by helping them to become more responsive to gender issues, crises and conflicts, and climate change.
Through a Programme funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), IIEP-UNESCO in Africa is strengthening its commitment to supporting countries in making their systems more inclusive for children and young people with disabilities. Indeed, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the IIEP-UNESCO in Africa have signed an agreement for the joint development of a programme on inclusive education for children and youth with disabilities in West Africa. This programme, entitled "Planning for inclusive education.
Regional Programme in West Africa”, has the following development objective: ’Education systems in West Africa are inclusive, ensuring that girls, boys, young women and young men with disabilities have the same opportunities for access and learning as all other children and young people".
It is being implemented in eight (8) West African countries (Cabo Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Sierra Leone) and consists of four components: Component 1: Hybrid Training; Component 2: Knowledge sharing; Component 3: Evidence generation; Component 4: Technical support for analysis and planning. Within the component 2 of the Programme, a Community of Practice with a focus on Disability-Inclusive Education Sector Planning is being implemented from February 2026, the CoP-DIESP.
The IIEP-UNESCO in Africa aims to hire a consultant to support the continued development and implementation of the regional programme’s Community of Practice.
Long Description
Mid-February 2026, the IIEP-UNESCO in Africa launched the Community of Practice on Disability-Inclusive Education Sector Planning (CoP-DIESP), operating in 3 languages (English, French and Portuguese).
Within the component 2 of the regional Programme “Planning for Inclusive Education”, the Community of Practice on Disability-Inclusive Education Sector Planning is designed as a platform for education planners, education practitioners, Organisations of Persons with Disability members, civil society organisations’ members, experts, researchers, donors, across the globe, to share, learn and exchange experiences, good practice and information about promoting and improving education analyses and planning focusing on disability-inclusion, co-create knowledge, and advance inclusive education systems.
Activities include online forums, a shared resource library and live events on relevant themes (global webinars and thematic working sessions). CoP-DIESP members are currently 410, from 93 countries from all over the world.To support the institute’s efforts to implement, strengthen and grow this unique Community of Practice, the IIEP- UNESCO in Africa is looking for a consultant community manager, with knowledge about key themes in disability-inclusive education, to join the team for a eleven-month period.
This consultancy will strengthen the CoP-DIESP, foster networking, exchange and peer- learning amongst education planners. Moreover, this will contribute to other IIEP-UNESCO in Africa activities, including capacity strengthening, technical assistance and applied research.
ASSIGNMENTS
The consultant Community Manager of the Community of Practice on Disability-Inclusive Education Sector Planning (CoP-DIESP), under the overall leadership and supervision of the Head of the IIEP-UNESCO in Africa, will closely work with the Project Officer in charge of coordinating the regional programme “Planning for Inclusive Education”, the IIEP in Africa Technical Cooperation and Communication Teams, and the IIEP KGeM Team in Paris, to ensure the day-to-day running of the CoP:
- Recruitment and onboarding of participants
- Design and implementation of activities following established planning
- Animation of the community (encouraging member participation, communicating with members to drive engagement, etc.)
- Management of the CoP’s online space (creation, posting, and translation of content and exchange spaces, management of users)
- Content moderation of forums and other exchange spaces
- Systematization and archival of information shared by participants
- Amplification of the messages and learning which emerge from the CoP
- Sourcing and curation of resources relevant to the CoP
- Event organisation
Within these responsibilities, the consultant will be in charge of a range of activities to implement and optimize the CoP. More specifically, the Community Manager for the Community of Practice in Disability-Inclusive Education Sector Planning will undertake the following tasks:
- Contribute to the planning, development and management of the CoP
6. Support the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the CoP
a) Participate in data collection efforts to support the monitoring and evaluation of CoP activities and outcomes
b) Prepare a mid-year review report which includes: output from a mid-term review survey launched through the CoP-DIESP platform and a write-up of all CoP activities, reporting on the extent to which objectives and targets are being met
c) Contribute to discussions within the IIEP-UNESCO in Africa and with the KGeM team on the results and impact of the CoP
7. Contribute to the identification, preparation, and facilitation of collaborations (support from IIEP-UNESCO, South-South collaborations and peer learning)
The consultant will report to the Project Officer coordinating the regional programme “Planning for Inclusive Education”, who is also the CoP leader.
The global supervision of the contract will be ensured by the Head of the IIEP-UNESCO in Africa office.
The consultancy will be for a 11-month period and is scheduled to start on 1st September 2026 and end on 31 July 2027. An average engagement of 3 days per week is expected during that period. It is expected that the consultancy will be carried out remotely. Payment is conditional on the satisfactory completion of deliverables in a timely manner, according to the anticipated completion dates indicated above unless otherwise agreed with the project leader.
Deliverable 1 (due date: 06 November 2026)
Activity report for September and October 2026, with clear reference to the outputs/outcomes, and Month Work plan for November and December 2026
Deliverable 2 (due date: 08 January 2026)
Activity report for November and December 2026, with clear reference to the outputs/outcomes, and Month Work plan for January and February 2027
Deliverable 3 (due date: 05 March 2027)
Activity report for January and February 2027, with clear reference to the outputs/outcomes, and Month Work plan for March and April 2027
Deliverable 4 (due date: 07 May 2027)
Activity report for March and April 2027, with clear reference to the outputs/outcomes, and Month Work plan for May and June 2027
Deliverable 5 (due date: 02 July 2027)
Activity report for May and June 2027, with clear reference to the outputs/outcomes, and Month Work plan for July 2027
Deliverable 6 (due date: 06 August 2027)
Activity report for July 2027, with clear reference to the outputs/outcomesAmong the expected deliverables, to be included in the bi-monthly workplans and reports, there will be the following:
- Community engagement calendar.
- Bi-monthly activity reports and analytics dashboard.
- Mid-year review (January 2027).
- Report related to the establishment phase (August 2027).
COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)
- Communication (C)
- Accountability (C)
- Innovation (C)
- Knowlegde sharing and continuous improvement (C)
- Planning and organizing (C)
- Results focus (C)
- Teamwork (C)
For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework .
EDUCATION
- Master degree or equivalent in education, social sciences, communications or related fields.
WORK EXPERIENCE
- Demonstrated professional experience (at least 3 years) in disability-inclusive education
- Demonstrated experience (at least 1 year) of working with ministries of education and development partners in low- and middle-income countries
- Demonstrated experience of using communication and presentation skills with multi-national audiences
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent interpersonal communication and relationship management skills
- Proven skills in community facilitation and discussion moderation
- Skills in writing, content creation, and storytelling to engage and retain community members
- Ability to analyze data and use performance metrics to measure community engagement and impact
- Ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Ability to use innovative and engaging formats while adhering to brand guidelines
LANGUAGES
- Excellent command (written and oral) of English or French
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience of managing communities of practice or knowledge networks, ideally education or disability-inclusion related
- Professional written and oral proficiency in the other language
- Proficiency in Portuguese
- Proven experience in a facilitation or moderation role
- Experience in managing international projects in a multicultural environment
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.
- lndividuals 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.
- UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the hiring process.