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For every child, the right to Education

Syria continues to face a complex and protracted humanitarian crisis characterized by recurrent shocks, including hostilities, displacement, disease outbreaks, climate-related events, and infrastructure disruptions. While humanitarian partners maintain response capacities, the operating environment remains highly volatile, requiring strengthened preparedness systems and agile emergency response mechanisms at sub-national level.

UNICEF, in line with its Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs) and UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2026–2029, is supporting national and local implementing partners to enhance readiness for sudden-onset and escalating emergencies. Given the evolving risk landscape – including cross-border movements, service disruptions, and access constraints – there is a need to institutionalize preparedness and emergency response capacities among partners to ensure timely, principled, and accountable delivery of life-saving assistance. This capacity-building is especially necessary as UNICEF Syria is developing a Contingency Strategy at the Field Office level by developing Contingency Programme Documents with local and national NGOs, to improve UNICEF Syria capacity to respond efficiently to future emergencies while supporting the response capacities of the national and local authorities.

To date, UNICEF has supported implementing partners through ad hoc emergency response orientations, sector-specific technical trainings (WASH, Education, Child Protection, and Nutrition), and on-the-job capacity strengthening during emergency activations. However, a structured, comprehensive, and standardized capacity-building package tailored to implementing partners is not yet in place. Lessons learned from recent emergency responses have highlighted gaps in preparedness, anticipatory action, rapid needs assessment, coordination, and reporting.

Existing documentation and resources that will inform the consultancy include:

• UNICEF Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs);
• UNICEF Emergency Procedures and preparedness guidance;
• Country-level contingency plans and risk analyses;
• After-action reviews and lessons learned from recent emergency responses;
• Partner assessment reports and capacity assessments;
• Relevant cluster strategies and inter-agency emergency response frameworks;
• Existing capacity-building documentation shared by the Regional Office.

How can you make a difference? 

The overall purpose of this consultancy is to design, pilot, and finalize a comprehensive, standardized, and context-specific capacity-building training package on preparedness and emergency response for implementing partners of UNICEF Syria Country Office.

The specific objectives of the assignment are:

1. To conduct a structured capacity needs assessment within the first phase of the consultancy (through desk review and consultations with UNICEF sections and selected implementing partners) to identify key gaps in preparedness and emergency response knowledge, capacities, and systems.
2. To develop a standardized and context-adapted training package on preparedness and emergency response, aligned with UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs), Emergency Procedures, and relevant inter-agency coordination frameworks. The package should be tailored to the Syria operational context, and adaptable for delivery across sectors covered by UNICEF in Syria (WASH, Health, Nutrition, Education, Child Protection, Social Protection, Adolescents and Youth, Social Behavioral Change). The package should be in both Arabic and English and shall include:

• A facilitator guide;
• Participant handbook;
• PowerPoint presentations;
• Practical exercises, simulations, and case studies;
• Pre- and post-training assessment tools;
• Training evaluation tools.

LOCATION (GEOGRAPHIC AREA/ DUTY STATION): (In person/Damascus)

On-site working days: 46 days 

Field Missions/Travel: 4 days

DURATION: 3 Months  

The selected consultant will work for a period of 50 workdays within 3 months. It is envisaged: 50 workdays in the country. The exact schedule of the activities will be agreed with the consultant based on the consultancy implementation progress. The deadline for submission of final deliverables to UNICEF is by the end of the contract.

SUPERVISOR: The consultant will be supervised and report to the UNICEF Emergency Specialist with regular de-briefing with the UNICEF Chief of Field Operations and Emergency and Deputy Representative when appropriate about the progress of the consultancy.

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT (TASKS, SMART DELIVERABLES, DEADLINES): 

1. Inception Phase (10 working days)

• Draft a work plan
• Conduct consultation meetings with UNICEF and selected implementing partners to identify gaps, needs and priorities
• Review the existing documentation and conduct a desk review of national and international resources
• Propose an appropriate training concept note for the capacity-building, including key course areas, learning outcomes, and learning methodology

Deliverables:

• Concept Note, including the following chapters:

  • Draft work plan.
  • Report of the consultation meetings and workshops
  • Desk review findings
  • Proposed training concept note

Budget:

• Daily fees × number of working days

2. Drafting of the package for Preparedness and Emergency Response Capacity-building (31 working days)

• Develop the package for capacity building, including the different blocks and activities and the assessment approaches
• Present the draft to UNICEF for feedback

Deliverables:

Preparedness and Emergency Response Package for UNICEF Implementing Partners including:

• Agenda
• Participant handbook
• PPT Presentations, and relevant learning materials.
• Activities
• Pre-training and post-training assessments
• Training evaluation tools

Budget:

• Daily fees × number of working days

3.  Training of UNICEF implementing partners in one location (TBD) (4 working days)

Deliverables:

• Training completed and implementing partners’ staff certified

Budget:

• Daily fees × number of working days
• DSA x 4 days

4. Finalization of the package for Preparedness and Emergency Response Capacity-building (5 working days)

• Gather lessons learned from the first round of training
• Finalize the package for capacity building, including the different blocks and activities and the assessment approaches
• Present the final product to UNICEF SCO and RO
• Produce a final report documenting the methodology, stages of work, challenges and recommendations for the country-wide roll-out of the capacity-building

Deliverables:

Final Preparedness and Emergency Response Package for UNICEF Implementing Partners including:

• Training Concept note
• Agenda
• Participant handbook
• PPT Presentation, and relevant training material
• Activities
• Pre-training and post-training assessments
• Training evaluation tools
• Debriefing/introduction/training sessions for relevant UNICEF staff to continue rolling out the training package. 

Budget:

• Daily fees × number of working days

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

Minimum requirements:

• Academic qualifications:
  Advanced university degree or equivalent in economics, Social Policy, International Relations, political science, international development/development studies, or another relevant technical field.

  A first-level university degree with an additional 2 years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• Work experience / Technical competencies:

  • Minimum 5 years of experience in preparedness and emergency response in Syrian or comparable context is required
  • Proven experience in developing curricula and competency-based training programmes in humanitarian response (experience developing full curricula packages, assessments, and practicum frameworks is highly desirable).
  • Demonstrated knowledge of key preparedness and emergency response approaches and best international practices is required
  • Experience working in Syria or conflict/post-conflict settings is an asset.

•  Additional requirements:

  • Strong analytical and research skills, with demonstrated ability to conduct reviews, assessments, and comparative analyses of academic or professional training programmes.
  • Proven ability to engage and collaborate effectively with implementing partners
  • Excellent facilitation and capacity-building skills, with experience training adults and humanitarian workers.
  • Ability to adapt international best practices to local institutional, cultural, and policy contexts.

• Language requirement:

  Fluency in English and Arabic (written and spoken) is required.

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:  

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.

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.