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For every child, the right to get education!

Pakistan faces one of the world’s most acute education crises, with over 25 million children out of school and millions more attending school without acquiring even basic literacy and numeracy skills. The burden of this learning crisis falls disproportionately on girls, children with disabilities, and those in rural, crisis-affected, or low-income communities, reinforcing cycles of exclusion and inequity.

In this context, digital learning represents a transformative opportunity to expand access to quality, inclusive, and interactive education. When designed and deployed effectively, digital solutions can break barriers of geography, gender, poverty, and disability—providing flexible, self-paced, and scalable learning pathways that reach learners in schools, non-formal education centres, and emergency settings.

UNICEF Pakistan has positioned itself as a key partner to government in this transformation. Building on the UNICEF Global Digital Learning Strategy (2023), the Digital Learning Landscape Analysis for Pakistan (2023), and UNICEF’s Digital Education Strategy 2025–2030, the Country Office is committed to shaping a national Digital Learning Roadmap. This roadmap will unify fragmented efforts into a coherent vision for systems, platforms, content, and devices—ensuring interoperability, inclusivity, and sustainability across formal, non-formal, and emergency education systems.

The Landscape Analysis identified critical gaps: weak digital infrastructure, low user readiness, fragmented systems, and uneven content quality. Yet it also highlighted opportunities: growing access to mobile devices, increasing youth demand for digital skills, and the potential of frontier technologies such as AI. It underscored the urgent need for interoperable learning management systems (LMS), localized and inclusive content (foundational learning, digital skills, climate education, SEL), and cost-effective, low-barrier access models.

Momentum is already underway. Pakistan was recently selected for a strategic partnership with Google for Education in Punjab, targeting out-of-school children and embedding foundational pedagogy into classrooms in low-performing districts. At the same time, initiatives such as the Learning Pioneers Programme are piloting digital and AI-enabled approaches to accelerate foundational learning at scale.

Importantly, digital learning also has a resilience dimension. Pakistan’s education system is highly vulnerable to climate shocks, floods, heatwaves, and emergencies that regularly disrupt schooling. Without resilient, alternative learning channels, children—particularly the most marginalized—lose months or years of learning. Digital learning, if integrated systemically, offers a climate-smart and crisis-ready solution, ensuring continuity of education when physical access to schools is interrupted.

Yet to realize this potential, Pakistan urgently needs dedicated technical leadership to guide the design, contextualization, and scaling of digital learning. Without a clear vision and strong system-level coordination, digital initiatives risk remaining fragmented, inequitable, and underutilized

How can you make a difference? 

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide strategic and technical leadership to operationalize UNICEF Pakistan’s Digital Learning Roadmap and position digital learning as a driver of equity, resilience, and improved learning outcomes. The consultant will provide strategic and technical leadership for the design, contextualization, implementation, and monitoring of UNICEF Pakistan’s Digital Learning Roadmap, with a core focus on improving access and learning outcomes for out-of-school children (OOSC), children in school but not learning, and other hard-to-reach and marginalized learners. The consultant will focus:

• Translate global strategies and national analyses into a contextualized roadmap tailored to Pakistan’s realities.
• Ensure digital solutions strengthen both formal and non-formal education pathways, particularly for out-of-school children, underserved in-school learners, adolescent girls, children with disabilities, and learners in emergencies or climate-affected areas.
• Support the design and rollout of interactive, inclusive, and self-paced digital content aligned with national curricula and adaptable for multiple platforms.
• Provide technical oversight for flagship initiatives, including the Google for Education partnership in Punjab, ensuring scalability, sustainability, and integration into government systems.
• Promote climate-resilient and crisis-responsive digital learning models, capable of maintaining continuity of education during floods, school closures, or other shocks.
• Build government and partner capacity in digital education planning, implementation, and monitoring, embedding inclusive EdTech practices in policy and practice.
• Drive multi-stakeholder collaboration with government, EdTech firms, telecoms, CSOs, and academia to secure investment, innovation, and accountability.

In consultation with UNICEF output leads across provinces, the consultant will ensure that digital learning in Pakistan evolves from isolated pilots to a coherent, system-wide, and resilient strategy, expanding equitable access to quality education and safeguarding learning for every child—especially in times of crisis and disruption.

Objectives

1. Vision and Roadmap Development

• Lead the development and refinement of a national Digital Learning Roadmap for Pakistan, guided by the UNICEF Digital Learning Landscape Analysis (2023), the UNICEF Digital Education Strategy 2025–2030, national education policies, and international best practices.
• Provide technical leadership and oversight for flagship initiatives, including the Google for Education partnership in Punjab, ensuring operationalization, scalability, and integration into provincial and national education systems.

2. Inclusive and Quality Digital Solutions

• Design inclusive digital learning strategies and quality assurance frameworks tailored to the needs of out-of-school children, adolescent girls, children with disabilities, crisis-affected learners, and underserved in-school learners across all provinces.
• Advise on the integration and deployment of scalable and inclusive digital learning systems, including LMS platforms, devices, and localized content verticals (e.g., foundational literacy/numeracy, life skills, climate, digital skills), leveraging frontier technologies such as AI where appropriate.

3. Resilience, Access, and Innovation

• Promote climate-resilient, blended, and remote learning models that are cost-effective, flexible, and adaptable to reach marginalized learners, particularly in emergencies, remote settings, and disaster-prone areas.
• Convene and coordinate diverse stakeholders—government, EdTech firms, telecom providers, CSOs, and academia—to leverage technology, innovation, and investment toward system-wide improvement and equitable access.

4. System Strengthening and Evidence Generation

• Strengthen national and provincial capacities for digital education planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, embedding inclusive EdTech practices and safeguarding standards into education systems.
• Facilitate evidence generation, learning, and adaptive scaling by developing M&E frameworks and documenting effective models to inform national policies and strategies, with a focus on reaching the hardest-to-reach learners.

If you would like to know about the work assignment and expected results from this consultancy, please review the complete TORs here:  Digital Learning Consultant, Education.docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Education:

Advanced university degree (Master’s or above) in Education Technology, ICT4D, Instructional Design, or a closely related field. Bonus points for PhD or additional certifications in digital inclusion or EdTech leadership.  

Work Experience & Skills:

Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in digital learning, with demonstrated success in reaching OOSC or underserved populations. Experience in Pakistan or a similar LMIC context.

Technical expertise in LMS, content design, device rollout, and inclusive digital pedagogy and AI for learning. Previous consultancy with UNICEF, World Bank, or global EdTech initiatives.

Demonstrated experience working with LMS platforms, content repositories, digital devices for education, integration with education information systems (e.g., EMIS), and AI-enabled tools for learning. Familiarity with QA standards and tools for digital learning, including experience with the Google suite of education platforms and tools.  

Proven ability to design or implement digital learning solutions for out-of-school children, children with disabilities, girls, and learners in hard-to-reach contexts (e.g., emergencies, rural areas, non-formal education settings). 

Familiarity with the Pakistan education sector, provincial contexts, and UNICEF’s Global Digital Learning Strategy. Critical understanding of the key challenges and recommendations mentioned in the UNICEF Digital Learning Landscape Analysis conducted by EdTech Hub and ability to apply its findings. 

Google Certified Trainer or Google Certified Educator (level 2).

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English (verbal and written) is required. Knowledge of another local language is an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks: 

• Duration of the assignment is 12 months.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• Applicants must submit a financial quotation indicating the consultant fee against monthly deliverables as part of the application.
• Consultant will be based in Islamabad, will be required to travel within the country as and when required.
• Consultant needs to produce a copy of their health insurance coverage at the time the contract is awarded.

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.