Individual Consultant – Final Review, MAWHIBA-UNESCO Online STEM Oasis Project

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Lebanon.

📋 Description

• Develop and execute an external final evaluation of the MAWHIBA–UNESCO Online STEM Oasis initiative.

• Evaluate the implementation and results achieved in relation to the established objectives and planned outcomes in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and the Syrian Arab Republic.

• Analyze the online STEM portal, selected videos and quizzes, outreach materials, stakeholder networks, and national consultations.

• Measure relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability proportionately using OECD-DAC criteria.

• Perform a desk review of project documents, workplan, budget, progress reports, financial records, contracts, deliverables, and consultation materials.

• Examine platform usage and engagement data, accounting for data-quality limitations.

• Review approximately 20–30 STEM videos and quizzes and assess selected portal functionalities where access is granted.

• Conduct remote interviews and, if beneficial, small-group discussions with UNESCO, Mawhiba, national partners, and other adult stakeholders.

• Incorporate aspects of gender equality, human rights, accessibility, inclusion, informed consent, confidentiality, and data protection into the review process.

• Cross-check evidence, document gaps and limitations, prepare country-specific findings, and develop a synthesis across countries.

• Create a brief inception report, conduct a preliminary findings debrief, draft a review report, and produce a final review report containing actionable prioritized recommendations.

• Coordinate stakeholder interviews with support from UNESCO and oversee the home-based assignment.

• Address consolidated feedback while ensuring impartial analysis and evidence-based conclusions.

• Disclose any conflicts of interest and ensure the secure handling of data.

⛳️ Requirements

• Advanced university degree in education, STEM education, evaluation, social sciences, or a related discipline.

• Minimum of seven years of relevant professional experience in project reviews, evaluations, or applied program research.

• Experience in designing and executing at least two comparable reviews or evaluations.

• Proven qualitative and quantitative methodological expertise in a minimum of two assignments.

• Experience in document review, stakeholder interviews, monitoring data analysis, and evidence triangulation.

• Capability to develop a review matrix, evaluate evidence quality, and articulate methodological limitations.

• At least one assignment related to education, STEM learning, or digital learning.

• Ability to evaluate the relevance, accessibility, and usefulness of educational resources and interpret platform usage data.

• Familiarity with education systems and implementation contexts in the Arab region.

• Professional experience in at least one of Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, or the Syrian Arab Republic.

• Experience in integrating gender equality, inclusion, and human rights considerations into at least one review, evaluation, or research assignment.

• Understanding of informed consent, confidentiality, safeguarding, and personal data protection.

• Excellent analytical writing and communication skills in both English and Arabic.

• Ability to conduct stakeholder consultations in Arabic and prepare reports and presentations in English.

• Confirmed availability for approximately 22 working days over a period of 8–9 calendar weeks.

• No prior involvement in the design or implementation of the MAWHIBA–UNESCO Online STEM Oasis project.

• Must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest.

• Submission of a CV, two recent review/evaluation reports, two professional references, a technical proposal, a separate financial proposal in USD, availability and independence confirmation, conflict-of-interest disclosure, and academic qualification evidence is required.

• Desirable: experience with extracurricular STEM initiatives for adolescents, online learning platforms, digital educational content, learner engagement data, multi-country projects, remote consultations, UNESCO/UN assignments, and UNEG norms and standards.

🏝️ Benefits

• Consultant contract for a 1-month assignment.

• Approximately 22 working days across 8–9 calendar weeks.

• Home-based remote assignment.

• Remote meetings and presentations.

• Payment proposal provided in USD, encompassing assignment costs.

• Opportunity to contribute to the closure, sustainability planning, and future programming of UNESCO and Mawhiba projects.

• Encouragement for applications from individuals belonging to minority groups, indigenous groups, and persons with disabilities.

• All applications will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.