The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has opened applications for an International Consultant for the Development of Foundational Learning (FLN) Policy and Implementation Plan in Nigeria.
The consultancy is based in Abuja and will run for six months. The successful consultant will work closely with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education (FME) and relevant government agencies to support the development of a Foundational Learning Policy and its implementation guidelines.
The position is office-based and is classified as a consultancy role under UNICEF’s Education category.
Applications close on 28 July 2026.
About the UNICEF Consultancy
The consultant will work under the overall supervision of UNICEF’s Chief of Education and report directly to the Education Manager (Learning).
The primary responsibility will be to lead and support the Federal Ministry of Education and its agencies in developing a comprehensive Foundational Learning Policy and implementation guidelines.
The assignment is particularly focused on improving foundational literacy and numeracy, strengthening learning quality, and supporting evidence-based education reforms in Nigeria.
The consultant will be expected to bring extensive knowledge of education policy, curriculum development, teacher professional development, instructional approaches, and foundational learning.
Key Responsibilities
The selected consultant will contribute to Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen foundational learning by supporting government-led education reform initiatives.
Key areas of responsibility include:
- Supporting the development of Nigeria’s Foundational Learning Policy.
- Developing implementation guidelines for the policy.
- Working closely with the Federal Ministry of Education and relevant agencies.
- Providing technical expertise on improving learning quality.
- Supporting curriculum and learning-material development initiatives.
- Contributing to teacher professional development strategies.
- Advising on quality pedagogy and teaching and learning approaches.
- Supporting the development and scale-up of effective foundational literacy and numeracy interventions.
- Providing evidence-based recommendations to government and other stakeholders.
- Translating education research and evidence into practical policy recommendations.
- Contributing to education sector planning and strategy development.
- Supporting approaches for improving learning among children in basic education.
- Working effectively with government and development partners within tight deadlines.
Required Qualifications and Experience
UNICEF is looking for an experienced education professional with advanced academic qualifications and substantial experience in education reform.
Applicants should have a Master’s degree or higher in one of the following areas:
- Education Development
- Foundational Learning
- Sustainable Development
- Education Policy
- Teacher Training
- International Relations
- A related discipline
Candidates must also have at least eight years of professional experience focused on improving learning quality.
Experience should ideally include work related to:
- Curriculum development
- Learning materials development
- Teacher professional development
- Quality pedagogy
- Teaching and learning approaches in basic education
- Foundational literacy and numeracy
- Development and implementation of education reforms
- Scaling effective education interventions
Applicants should have demonstrated experience supporting government-led education reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa or a comparable context to Nigeria.
Technical Skills and Expertise
The successful candidate should have strong knowledge of current global education issues and best practices.
UNICEF particularly values experience in:
- Education sector planning and strategy development
- Out-of-school programming
- Foundational learning in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Nigeria’s education landscape
- Competency-based education standards
- Instructional design in low-resource environments
- Multilingual education settings
- Evidence-based education policy
Strong written and oral communication skills are also essential because the consultant will work with government officials and a broad range of stakeholders on complex and potentially sensitive education issues.
Additional Experience That Will Be an Advantage
While not necessarily mandatory, UNICEF considers several areas of experience desirable.
These include:
- Knowledge of Nigeria’s political landscape and recent education developments.
- Familiarity with Nigeria’s education system.
- Experience working with UN agencies or international development organizations.
- Understanding of UNICEF’s programmatic areas.
- Experience providing concise, practical, evidence-based advice.
- Ability to work within tight deadlines.
- Flexibility to respond to changing government and UNICEF requirements.
- Strong report-writing and presentation skills.
Language Requirement
Applicants must demonstrate fluency in English.
Given the role’s focus on Nigeria and engagement with government stakeholders, strong communication skills in English will be particularly important.
Contract and Duty Station
Position: Consultant for the Development of FLN Policy and Implementation Plan
Job Number: 594660
Organization: UNICEF
Contract Type: Consultant
Duty Station: Abuja, Nigeria
Working Arrangement: Office-based
Contract Duration: Six months
Functional Area: Education
Position Level: Consultancy
Applicant Eligibility: International candidates only
Documents Required to Apply
Qualified candidates are expected to submit their applications through UNICEF’s online recruitment portal.
Applicants should provide:
- An up-to-date UNICEF Talent Management System (TMS) profile and CV.
- A cover letter.
- A separate financial proposal using the required UNICEF template.
Applicants should ensure that all required documents are complete and submitted before the closing date.
Application Deadline
Deadline: 28 July 2026, W. Central Africa Standard Time
The vacancy was advertised on 22 July 2026.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.
UNICEF also emphasizes that it does not charge applicants any processing, recruitment, interview, appointment, or training fees. Candidates should never provide bank account information in response to a supposed UNICEF recruitment request.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply through the official UNICEF Careers recruitment portal and review the complete Terms of Reference before submitting their application.
