Position

Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) Liaison Officer

Assignment country

Nepal

Duty stations

Kathmandu

Work location

On UN premises

Expected start date

01/11/2026

Duration

12 months

(with possibility of extension)

Sustainable Development Goal

4. Quality education

Host entity

UNICEF

Modality

Onsite

Type

National

Volunteer category

Expert UCoS from Apr2026

Work schedule

Full-time

Number of Assignments

1

Advertisement end date

20/10/2026

Details

Mission and objectives

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. In all of its work, UNICEF takes a life-cycle based approach, recognizing the particular importance of early childhood development and adolescence. UNICEF programmes focus on the most disadvantaged children, including those living in fragile contexts, those with disabilities, those who are affected by rapid urbanization and those affected by environmental degradation. UNICEF was created with a distinct purpose in mind: to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. We advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future. We promote girls’ education – ensuring that they complete primary education as a minimum – because it benefits all children, both girls and boys. Girls who are educated grow up to become better thinkers, better citizens, and better parents to their own children. We act so that all children are immunized against common childhood diseases, and are well nourished: no child should suffer or die from a preventable illness. We work to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among young people because it is right to keep them from harm and enable them to protect others. We help children and families affected by HIV/AIDS to live their lives with dignity. We are UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Context

The initiative is being implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) and the Department of Education (DOE), in collaboration with provincial and local governments and key technical partners. The programme focuses on adapting and testing a Structured Pedagogy-informed ECED package and related teacher support mechanisms to improve the quality of early learning experiences and children’s readiness for basic education. Through a Test-Learn-Adapt (TLA) approach, the programme will generate evidence on effectiveness, affordability, and scalability to inform government policy, planning, budgeting, and future expansion. Given the programme’s strong emphasis on government ownership and implementation through government systems, close coordination and engagement with federal, provincial, and local government stakeholders is critical. The UN Volunteer (UNV) will support UNICEF’s Education Section in facilitating coordination, communication, stakeholder engagement, and follow-up with government counterparts and partners to ensure effective implementation, learning, and institutionalization of the programme. The UNV will also support the organization of consultations, technical meetings, field visits, and documentation of key actions and decisions related to the SCALE partnership. The Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) is the lead institution responsible for the implementation of Nepal’s School Education Sector Plan (SESP) and serves as the counterpart to the Joint Financing Partners (JFPs), including UNICEF, under the education Sector Wide Approach (SWAp). The Development Assistance Coordination Section (DACS), located within the Planning and Monitoring Division of MoES, serves as the focal point for development partner coordination, sector dialogue, aid effectiveness, and oversight of key SWAp mechanisms.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the UNICEF Education Specialist (ECD) and in close coordination with the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), Curriculum Development Center (CDC), Department of Education (DOE), Provincial Education Training Centres (PETCs), local governments, and programme partners, the UN Volunteer will support the coordination, stakeholder engagement, and implementation processes related to the SCALE Innovative Partnership and other ECED related support.

Specific responsibilities include

Government Coordination and Liaison

Facilitate regular communication and coordination between UNICEF and government counterparts at federal, provincial, and local levels.

Support engagement with MoES, CDC, DOE, ERO, PETCs, local governments, and other relevant stakeholders involved in programme implementation.

Follow up on agreed actions, decisions, and commitments arising from meetings, consultations, and field visits.

Support the organization and documentation of steering committee, technical working group, and coordination meetings.

Support Programme Planning and Implementation

Assist in coordinating programme activities related to the development, testing, and implementation of the Structured Pedagogy-Informed ECED Package.

Support coordination of activities related to teacher training, coaching systems, package validation, and learning activities.

Facilitate communication between UNICEF, consultants, implementing partners, and government counterparts during implementation.

Track implementation progress against agreed milestones and workplans.

Support Test-Learn-Adapt (TLA) Processes

Support the organization of consultation workshops, learning reviews, pause-and-reflect sessions, and TLA discussions.

Assist in consolidating implementation feedback, lessons learned, and stakeholder inputs to inform programme adaptation.

Support documentation of decisions related to programme refinement, affordability, scalability, and implementation feasibility.

Support Political Economy and Stakeholder Engagement

Assist in stakeholder mapping and maintenance of engagement plans with key government and non-government actors.

Monitor and document emerging policy, institutional, and implementation developments relevant to programme objectives.

Support relationship-building with key stakeholders involved in ECED, foundational learning, teacher development, and local education planning.

Support Knowledge Management and Documentation

Prepare meeting notes, briefs, presentations, and summaries of consultations and programme activities.

Maintain records of key programme decisions, implementation updates, and stakeholder engagements.

Support compilation of reports, proofreading of Nepali documents, success stories, lessons learned, and evidence products generated through the programme.

Support Capacity Building and Field Activities

Support the organization of training, orientation, and consultation events at federal, provincial, and local levels.

Participate in field monitoring visits and provide follow-up support on implementation issues identified during visits.

Coordinate with PETCs and local governments to strengthen ongoing coaching, mentoring, and peer-learning mechanisms.

Monitoring, Reporting and Administrative Support

Assist in tracking programme activities, deliverables, and key performance indicators.

Support preparation of periodic updates, briefing notes, and progress reports for UNICEF and partners.

Facilitate coordination of logistical and administrative arrangements for meetings, workshops, missions, and field activities as required.

Cross-Cutting Responsibilities

Promote principles of equity, inclusion, gender equality, disability inclusion, and child rights throughout programme implementation.

Support effective coordination among government institutions, development partners, implementation partners, and technical experts.

Undertake any other related tasks assigned by the supervisor in support of successful implementation of the SCALE programme. Effective government coordination and ownership mechanisms established and maintained across federal, provincial, and local levels.

SCALE programme activities coordinated and implemented in accordance with agreed workplans and timelines.

Test-Learn-Adapt (TLA) processes effectively facilitated and implementation learning systematically documented.

Stakeholder engagement, policy dialogue, and inter-agency coordination strengthened to support programme implementation and scale-up.

Knowledge products, meeting records, progress updates, and programme documentation developed and maintained.

Training, orientation, field support, and capacity-building activities effectively coordinated and supported.

Programme monitoring, reporting, and follow-up mechanisms strengthened to support evidence-informed implementation.

Government systems and institutional capacities strengthened to support sustainability, scale-up, and integration of programme approaches.

Eligibility criteria

Age

18 – 80

Required experience

7 years

Nationality

Candidate must be a national, legal resident or hold refugee status in the country of assignment.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience

10 years

Languages

English, Level

Fluent, Required Nepalese, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level

Master’s degree in Education, Public Administration, Public Policy, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Management, or a related field.

Competencies and values

Strong interpersonal, diplomatic, and relationship-management skills.

Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with senior government officials and decision-makers.

Excellent coordination, facilitation, negotiation, and consensus-building skills.

Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with capacity to translate policy priorities into actionable programme support.

Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and deliver results within tight timelines.

Strong organizational and follow-up skills with attention to detail.

Commitment to teamwork, integrity, professionalism, accountability, and respect for diversity.

Demonstrated commitment to UNICEF values and principles, including child rights, equity, inclusion, and gender equality.

Ability to work effectively in a multi-stakeholder environment and maintain productive partnerships

Skills and experience

Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in education sector management, public administration, policy development, programme management, institutional coordination, or related fields.

Prior experience working with government offices, preferably within the Ministry of Education and Sports, Department of Education, provincial education ministries, local governments, or related public institutions.

Proven experience in education sector planning, policy implementation, programme management, teacher development, ECED, foundational learning, or education system strengthening.

Demonstrated experience coordinating with federal, provincial, and local government institutions and facilitating multi-stakeholder engagement processes.

Experience engaging with development partners, UN agencies, donors, civil society organizations, and technical working groups.

Strong understanding of Nepal’s education sector governance, federal structure, planning and budgeting processes, and institutional arrangements.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and report preparation.

Well-established professional networks within government education structures and related institutions.

Strong drafting, report-writing, proofreading and presentation skills, particularly in Nepali.

Area(s) of expertise

Education

Driving license

–

Other information

Volunteerism is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken of free will, for the general public good, for which monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.

Living conditions and remarks

The UNV will be based in Kathmandu and will be provided with a desk and workspace within UNICEF. Upon initiating the assignment, the UNV, the Chief of education and the UNICEF supervisor (Education Specialist, ECD) will jointly agree on a workplan. The UNV is expected to work 5 days a week (Monday to Friday), while if changes in Government holidays, work hours may need to change accommodating Sunday

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Reasonable accommodation

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

In addition to duty station-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.

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