Institutional Planning, Monitoring & Reporting Consultant

JOB DETAILS

Type of contract : Consultant Contract

Level : Level 2 - Middle

Hiring Unit : Institute for Statistics (UIS)

Duty Station : Montreal

Work location : Remote

Duration of contract : 4 months

Hiring open to : External candidates

Application deadline (Midnight UTC−4 Time) : 28/07/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW

The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) is the official and trusted source of internationally comparable data on education, science, culture and communication and information. As the official statistical agency of UNESCO, UIS produces a wide range of indicators in UNESCO's fields of competence by working with national statistical offices, line ministries and other statistical organizations. The UIS Director serves as UNESCO's Chief Statistician.

Effective institutional planning, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting are essential to UIS accountability, organizational performance and informed management decision-making. These functions ensure that UIS priorities, work plans, budgets and results frameworks remain aligned with UNESCO's Medium-Term Strategy (C/4), Programme and Budget (C/5), results-based management requirements, Governing Board decisions, donor commitments and United Nations accountability standards.

UIS currently faces a temporary gap in dedicated Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Reporting capacity. To ensure continuity of these critical functions, UIS seeks an experienced individual consultant for a period of four months. The consultant will provide hands-on operational support for priority planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting processes; maintain the associated institutional tools and systems; and ensure an orderly transfer of responsibilities and documentation at the end of the assignment.

ASSIGNMENTS

The overall objective of the consultancy is to ensure the timely delivery of UIS institutional planning, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting functions during the four-month interim period. More specifically, the consultant will undertake the following responsibilities:

Institutional Planning and Results Architecture

• Coordinate the technical consolidation and quality assurance of UIS annual and biennial work plans, ensuring clearly formulated results, realistic indicators and measurable targets.
• Ensure consistency between work plans and related planning instruments, including financial forecasts, budget envelopes, procurement plans, organizational and staffing information, the integrated calendar of surveys and data releases, and monitoring and evaluation plans.
• Support senior management in translating UIS strategic priorities, UNESCO C/4 and C/5 commitments, and Governing Board decisions into operational planning instruments.
• Provide technical advice to UIS sections and units on theories of change, results chains, indicator selection, target setting and performance measurement.

Long Description

Results-Based Monitoring and Management Analytics

• Coordinate the relevant quarterly, mid-year or annual programme monitoring cycle falling within the consultancy period.
• Consolidate and quality-assure information on implementation progress, achievement of results and indicators, budget execution, delays, risks, mitigation measures and required management actions.
• Maintain and improve the UIS management dashboard and other concise analytical products used by senior management to track institutional performance and delivery.
• Maintain the UIS SharePoint corporate platform used for institutional planning, programme monitoring, knowledge management and reporting, ensuring that information is current, clearly structured and accessible to authorized users.

Audit, Risk and Accountability Follow-Up

• Track and report on internal and external oversight recommendations, agreed management actions and associated deadlines.
• Coordinate the update of the UIS risk register and support the integration of risk management considerations into planning, monitoring and management reporting tools.
• Prepare concise status updates for senior management on outstanding audit actions, institutional risks and proposed follow-up measures.

Long Description

Evaluation Coordination and Organizational Learning

• Support the planning and coordination of evaluations or evaluative exercises arising during the consultancy period, in accordance with UNESCO's Evaluation Policy.
• Provide substantive inputs to evaluation terms of reference, management responses and follow-up matrices, as required.
• Document and disseminate relevant lessons learned through briefs, presentations or internal knowledge-sharing products.

Corporate, Statutory and Donor Reporting

• Coordinate and draft UIS inputs to priority UNESCO statutory reports, UIS Governing Board documentation, institutional progress reports and senior management briefs due during the consultancy period.
• Support the preparation and quality assurance of narrative and financial reporting to donors and partners, ensuring consistency with institutional and project results frameworks.
• Collaborate closely with the Resource Mobilization and Donor Relations function and relevant project managers to strengthen the timeliness, coherence and quality of donor reporting.

Long Description

Resource Mobilization and Fundraising Support

• Work closely with the Resource Mobilization and Donor Relations function to provide programme management support to resource mobilization and fundraising activities.
• Support the confirmation and prioritization of the UIS donor pipeline, including the review of prospective donors, funding opportunities, engagement status, next steps and responsibilities.
• Develop a framework and outline for an external-facing UIS annual report, presenting institutional results, impact and forward priorities across the Institute's critical pillars (education; science, technology and innovation; culture; and communication and information), including a proposed structure, content plan, indicative production timeline and roles, designed to serve both public accountability and donor and partner engagement purposes.
• Ensure resource mobilization efforts are aligned with UIS work-plan priorities and budget needs, including by identifying and costing funding gaps to inform donor engagement and proposals.

Long Description

Advisory Support, Documentation and Handover

• Provide day-to-day advice and practical support to UIS managers and project teams on results-based management, planning, monitoring, reporting and the use of relevant project management tools.
• Develop and deliver an induction programme for UIS teams on effective programme management, covering results-based planning, roles and accountabilities, work-plan management, budget monitoring, risk management, implementation follow-up and results reporting.
• Update or develop practical templates, guidance notes and process documentation needed to ensure continuity of PM&E and reporting functions.
• Maintain a clear record of pending actions, deadlines, decisions and responsibilities, and prepare a comprehensive handover package at the end of the assignment.
• Perform any other related duties assigned by the supervisor within the scope of the consultancy.

CONTRACT DURATION

The consultancy is expected to cover a period of four months, for an estimated total of up to 80 working days. It will include a two-week mission to Montreal during Month 3, timed to coincide with the UIS Planning Days. The detailed sequencing of activities may be adjusted in the inception note to reflect UIS corporate deadlines and operational priorities, without changing the overall scope of the assignment. Travel will be arranged in accordance with applicable UNESCO rules and procedures.

Long Description

Methodology

The consultant will undertake the assignment through a combination of document review, consultations and direct operational support. The methodology will include:

• Review of UIS strategic, planning, budget, monitoring, evaluation, risk, audit and reporting documentation, including existing tools, calendars, templates and prior reports.
• Consultations with the UIS Director, the Senior Executive Officer, section and unit heads, the Administration and Finance team, the Resource Mobilization and Donor Relations function, project managers and other relevant personnel.
• Hands-on coordination of the planning, monitoring, reporting, risk and audit follow-up processes falling within the four-month assignment period.
• A two-week mission to Montreal during Month 3 to support and facilitate UIS Planning Days, including the end-of-year review of programme and budget implementation, identification of corrective actions, and adjustment of institutional, section and project work plans.
• Direct support to the Resource Mobilization and Donor Relations function to confirm and prioritize the donor pipeline and prepare selected concept notes and funding proposals.
• Regular progress meetings with the supervisor, normally on a weekly basis, to agree priorities and address emerging requirements.
• Progressive transfer of knowledge, tools, files and outstanding actions to designated UIS personnel.

DELIVERABLES

The tentative activities and deliverables are described below:

• Activity 1 – Institutional planning and results support (20 days, End of Month 1) Progress report. Completion of one week induction mission in Montreal. Quality-assured UIS work plan and results framework; updated integrated planning calendar; documented links to budget, procurement and operational plans; and an updated SharePoint planning repository.
• Activity 2 – Programme monitoring, team induction and donor pipeline confirmation (20 days, End of Month 2) Progress report. Completed institutional monitoring cycle; consolidated performance data; updated management dashboard; concise progress report; programme management induction package and sessions for UIS teams; and a confirmed and prioritized donor pipeline with documented opportunities, engagement status, next steps and responsibilities.

Long Description

• Activity 3 – Montreal Planning Days, year-end review, work-plan adjustment and accountability follow-up (20 days, End of Month 3) Progress report. Completion of a two-week mission to Montreal; facilitation and technical support to UIS Planning Days; consolidated end-of-year review of programme and budget implementation; documented management decisions and corrective actions; adjusted institutional, section and project work plans; updated risk register and agreed management action tracker; and priority corporate or statutory reporting inputs, as required.
• Activity 4 – Resource mobilization support, final reporting and handover (20 days, End of Month 4) Final report. Drafted and quality-assured concept note(s) and/or funding proposal(s) for priority opportunities agreed with UIS; final status and handover report; updated PM&E and reporting tools, templates and guidance; pending-action calendar; transfer of editable files; and handover briefing.

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

• Communication (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowlegde sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Planning and organizing (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in economics, statistics, public policy, international development, international affairs, education, social sciences, monitoring and evaluation, management or a related field.
• A first-level university degree combined with at least two additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• Certification in results-based management, monitoring and evaluation or project management, such as PMP or an equivalent certification, would be an asset.

Work Experience

• Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in institutional planning, budget monitoring, results-based management, programme/project management, and/or corporate and donor reporting.
• Experience supporting organization-wide planning and performance management in a complex international or UN system environment.
• Experience coordinating corporate, statutory, project or donor reporting and translating complex information into management products.
• Experience with resource mobilization, donor pipeline management or proposal writing is an asset.
• Experience with planning/monitoring tools, dashboards or SharePoint is an asset.
• Experience supporting senior management or executive offices is an asset.
• Experience with oversight recommendations, risk management or evaluation coordination is an asset.
• Experience in statistics, education, science, culture or communication programmes is an advantage.

Long Description

Skills and Competencies

General

• Professionalism – strong knowledge of institutional planning, M&E, results-based management and reporting, with strong analytical ability.
• Communication – excellent written and oral skills; able to liaise with technical and managerial staff.
• Teamwork – strong interpersonal skills in a multicultural environment.
• Planning and organizing – able to coordinate multiple processes, meet deadlines and manage competing priorities.
• Accountability and client orientation – responsive to institutional and user needs.

Technical

• Advanced command of results-based management tools, theories of change, indicators and performance measurement.
• Strong strategic planning and analytical skills, linking programme planning with budget implementation.
• Strong programme/project management skills, with ability to coordinate institution-wide processes.
• Strong facilitation and capacity-development skills.
• Excellent drafting, synthesis and quality-assurance skills.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and SharePoint; dashboard/analytics experience is an asset.

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of English, both written and spoken, is required.
• Working knowledge of French is desirable.
• Knowledge of another official United Nations language would be an asset.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should complete the on-line application, download and complete the Employment History form (Word file). At the end of the Word file, insert extra pages with the following required information:

Part 1: Technical Proposal

• An up-to-date curriculum vitae;
• A statement of understanding of the assignment, indicating how the candidate's qualifications and experience make them suitable;
• The proposed methodology and detailed work plan for carrying out the assignment, including any inputs that may be required from UNESCO.

Long Description

Part 2: Financial Proposal

• Daily rate and estimated level of effort, quoted in EUR/USD/CAD/GBP;
• Estimated travel costs and related expenses;
• Any other relevant cost elements.

Only complete applications received by the deadline will be considered. Responses to the mandatory pre-screening questions form an integral part of the application; candidates who do not meet the eliminatory criteria will not be considered further. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.

To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted.

The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications.

Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course.

Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of personnel shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
• UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
• lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
• All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
• UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the hiring process.