E T Consultant

At the World Bank, a member of the World Bank Group (WBG), you’ll join a diverse, global community working across cultures, disciplines, and borders to address the world’s most pressing development challenges. With 1.2 billion young people reaching working age in the decade ahead, the challenge of job creation has never been greater. Through partnerships across 145 countries and more than 182 offices worldwide, we work with governments, private sector, development partners and other stakeholders to invest in people, strengthen markets, and deliver scalable, data-driven solutions that generate more and better jobs and improve lives. For more information, visit https://www.worldbank.org/en/who-we-are/ibrd 1. Background and Context The World Bank has an overarching goal of contributing to social cohesion by improving the conditions for growth and job creation and reducing social and territorial disparities. Human Development, including Education and Skills, plays a central part in this strategy. The World Bank in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP) unit has a long-term and expanding engagement in the education and skills sectors, including through the implementation of a variety of lending operations, reimbursable advisory services, analytical and economic sector work, and dedicated country engagement. In Jordan, the World Bank’s Group Education and Skills program has grown to become the second largest education portfolio in the MENA Region. Policy dialogue has intensified in the context of the recovery efforts from the Covid-19 pandemics as well as the launch of Economic Modernization Vision and the Public Sector Modernization which gave a new impetus to education reforms in the country to boost human capital accumulation. The World Bank plays a role in assisting the government of Jordan upgrading the education sector, most notably in terms of improving learning outcomes across the education lifecycle and enhancing sector governance. As part of its Country Partnership Framework (CPF, 2024-29), the World Bank is providing support to the education sector through both lending and Technical Assistance with a view to assist the Government of Jordan in improving human capital outcomes and revitalizing education system for future jobs, including the investment and expansion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The current portfolio of WB education related activities in Jordan includes the following:

• Jordan Education Reform Support Program for Results in the amount of US$300 million, approved in 2017; focusing on Early Childhood Education (ECE), teaching and learning environment, student assessment and system strengthening.
• Modernizing Education, Skills and Administrative Reforms (MASAR) Program for Results in the amount of US$400 million, approved in 2024, co-led with the SPJ GP; focusing on ECE, TVET and sector governance.
• Private Sector Employment and Skills Project in the amount of US$112 million, co-led with the SPJ GP, approved in 2021, focusing on skills development and incentivizing employment in the private sector
• A digital skills curriculum (G1-12) component in the Youth, Technology and Jobs Project , led by the FCI GP.
• A digital student assessment component in the People-Centric Digital Government Project , led by Governance GP.
• An active policy dialogue and technical assistance activities targeting institutional restructuring of the education sector, and digital transformation. The MENA Education Unit is looking for an Extended Term Consultant to support the Bank’s Education engagement and growing portfolio in Jordan. Based in the World Bank’s office in Amman, Jordan, the successful candidate will work in close collaboration with the Task Team Leaders, the Jordan Country Office and the broader MENAAP team. 2. Objectives of the Assignment The Extended Term Consultant will:
• Support the management, monitoring, and reporting of Trust Funds and donor‑financed activities, including close coordination with donors (especially EUD), financial and results reporting, and compliance with World Bank policies and procedures.
• Manage the day-to-day implementation of the EUD grant focused on strengthening digital transformation, EdTech strategies, data systems, and governance/decentralization.
• Provide technical and operational support to the implementation and preparation of the World Bank's education and skills Operations in Jordan (MASAR, PSES).
• Contribute to policy dialogue, coordination, and knowledge management with government counterparts and development partners in Jordan
• Contribute to business development and knowledge generation in Jordan and other countries as needed. 3. Scope of Work and Responsibilities Under the supervision of the Task Team Leaders (TTLs) and the Country Lead, and in close coordination with the Jordan Country Office and relevant Global Practices, the ETC will undertake the following tasks: 3.1 Technical Operational Support
• Provide technical and operational support to the implementation of the Modernizing Education, Skills, and Administrative Reforms (MASAR) Program for Results and its accompanying Investment Project Financing (IPF), across all Results Areas (ECE, TVET, and system governance).
• Support preparation and/or implementation of ongoing and new World Bank education operations in Jordan, including analytical work, technical assistance, and trust fund activities (PROSPECTS, SPN, ELP)
• Contribute to the design, coordination, and follow up of digital transformation initiatives under MASAR, including EdTech, education data systems, AI enabled tools, and digital public infrastructure for education.
• Support institutional and governance reforms related to education sector restructuring, decentralization, and inter ministerial coordination, including alignment with Public Sector Modernization reforms.
• Provide hands on support to Task Team Leaders on operational deliverables, including technical notes, implementation support missions, DLI/DLR related documentation, and coordination with government counterparts. 3.2 EUD Grant – Digital Transformation in Education (EdTech) and Governance Reform Lead the design, management, and implementation of the European Union Delegation (EUD) grant focusing on:
• The development and operationalization of EdTech initiatives, including pilots, innovation hubs, and proof of concepts linked to MASAR activities.
• Education sector governance reform and decentralization at the Field Directorates level.
• Supporting Trust Fund management requirements, including work planning, results monitoring, donor reporting, and inputs to financial and implementation reporting, in line with World Bank and donor guidelines.
• Managing day to day implementation of grant financed activities, including close coordination with the EUD and government, ensuring alignment with MASAR priorities and national reform agendas.
• Leading procurement, contracting, and management of consultants and firms financed under the grant including preparation of TORs and technical specifications, and oversight of consultants’ deliverables.
• Ensuring timely delivery of grant outputs and results, compliance with World Bank and donor requirements, and effective coordination with government counterparts and partners. 3.3 Business Development Cross Cutting Analytics
• Identify and help develop new technical assistance, trust funds, and lending opportunities in education, skills, and human capital.
• Draft concept notes, proposals, technical briefs, and background notes for internal and external use.
• Support donor coordination, including engagement with the EU, bilateral partners, and multilateral agencies.
• Contribute to analytical work and cross cutting diagnostics relevant to education reform, digital transformation, and skills development. 3.4 Policy Dialogue, Coordination, and Knowledge Management
• Support the Education and Skills team and the Jordan Country Office in maintaining policy dialogue with government counterparts (Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, Higher Education Institutions, TVET institutions) and development partners.
• Contribute to the organization, facilitation, and documentation of thematic groups, EDPG, joint reviews, and coordination platforms.
• Prepare high quality briefs, presentations, talking points, and background materials for World Bank management, government counterparts, and development partners.
• Support documentation and dissemination of lessons learned and good practices from Jordan and comparable countries, including South South exchanges and learning events.
• Contribute to policy notes, case studies, and analytical outputs relevant to Jordan and the broader MENA education portfolio. 4. Deliverables Indicative deliverables include, but are not limited to:
• Contributions to ISRs, Aide-Memoires, PADs, Management Letters, and other Jordan operational documents (GCFF reports, TFs)
• Mission preparation and follow-up materials (concept notes, agendas, minutes, back-to-office notes, action matrices).
• Periodic implementation progress report for the EUD grant and portfolio updates for internal use.
• Technical inputs to project documents and analytical pieces (technical notes, policy briefs, case studies, research papers). This could include contributions to regional or global knowledge products.
• Presentations and briefing materials for the Government, development partners, and World Bank management. Specific deliverables and timelines will be agreed with the TTLs and reviewed periodically. 5. Reporting and Supervision The ETC will report directly to Jordan Task Team Leader(s) in the MENAAP Education Unit. The ETC will work as part of the broader education team and is expected to maintain close coordination with relevant country program teams, government counterparts, and other partners. Performance will be evaluated in accordance with World Bank ETC performance review procedures. A mandatory performance evaluation will be completed by the supervising manager at the end of each contract period, based on the duties and responsibilities outlined in these TORs. 6. Duration, Location, and Travel
• Appointment type: Extended Term Consultant (ETC), Grade Level 2.
• Expected duration: The assignment is for 1 year.
• Location: Amman, Jordan.
• Travel: Occasional travel within Jordan (field visits and regional meetings) and, as needed, to MENAAP countries or HQ for missions and knowledge events, subject to Bank policies and budget availability.