Consultant: Digital Learning Technical Advisor (01.01.2026 - 31.10.2026, 123 working days) UNICEF RRO Poland, Warsaw.

Warsaw

• Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
• Location: Warsaw
• Occupational Groups:
  • Education, Learning and Training
  • Information Technology and Computer Science
  • Childrens rights (health and protection)
  • Project and Programme Management

Teacher preparedness for multicultural classroom environments and Polish as a second language instruction remain priority areas for UNICEF RRO’s work in 2026. The purpose of this consultancy is to provide strategic advisory support to the Polish Government in these two critical areas, with particular emphasis on ensuring that all digital learning programs implemented by UNICEF and its partners are systematically integrated into national programs and establishing robust frameworks for their long‑term sustainability.

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For every child, the right to LEARN

Since March 2022, UNICEFs Regional Response Office in Poland has provided strategic support to the Government of Poland in responding effectively to the unprecedented refugee influx through national and subnational partnerships, coordinating humanitarian, development, and community‑based stakeholders to strengthen the education system and ensure the integration, well‑being, and inclusion of Ukrainian refugee children.

As of 2025, approximately 190,000 refugee children from Ukraine are enrolled in the Polish education system, representing a presence in 58% of Polish schools. This means that the majority of teachers across Poland are now working in multicultural classrooms that include refugee and migrant students. Over the past three years, UNICEF has collaborated closely with the Polish Government on comprehensive programs designed to prepare teachers for work in multicultural environments, support students affected by war and displacement, manage integration challenges, and equip educators to teach Polish as a second language.

Language proficiency remains the most significant barrier to effective integration of refugee children within both the Polish educational system and broader society. Limited proficiency in Polish constitutes a critical obstacle, impeding daily communication, academic progress, and children’s ability to demonstrate and develop their full potential, potentially contributing to long‑term developmental delays and educational inequity.

SCOPE OF WORK

UNICEF will provide strategic technical advisory services to the Government of Poland to integrate digital learning within the Friendly School Programme. This includes embedding innovative digital pedagogy and evidence‑based strategies into national education frameworks, coordinating with key institutions such as the Educational Research Institute, Education Development Center, and the Ministry of National Education. The consultant will develop a technological roadmap for migrating UNICEF and partner‑developed resources to the ZPE platform, lead the migration process ensuring quality and accessibility, and establish sustainability frameworks to maintain relevance and usability of digital resources. Additionally, a national outreach strategy will be designed to maximize the impact and utilization of these resources across programmes implemented between 2022 and 2025. In parallel, UNICEF will strengthen system‑level approaches for Polish as a second language by conducting an evidence synthesis study on current practices and comparative European models. Based on this research, the consultant will formulate strategic policy recommendations for a comprehensive national framework for Polish language instruction. This work will involve multi‑sectoral collaboration with government, academia, and civil society, and the establishment of an inter‑ministerial advisory body to guide systemic reforms and ensure cohesive, evidence‑based strategies for high‑quality Polish language education.

DELIVERABLES / MILESTONES

• Digital Learning Integration within the Friendly School Programme (Jan‑Oct 2026, 53 working days)
  • Provide strategic technical advisory services to the Government of Poland on the Friendly School programme, with particular emphasis on digital pedagogy, innovative learning technologies, and evidence‑based digital education strategies. At least 30% of consultant time embedded in MoNE and/or ORE.
  • Facilitate high‑level coordination meetings with the Educational Research Institute – National Research Institute (IBE‑PIB), Education Development Center (ORE), Ministry of National Education, and civil society organizations to ensure systematic integration of UNICEF’s digital resources, global expertise, and evidence‑based practices across all programme components. 10 coordination meetings on a monthly basis; 2 workshops conducted in Q2 and Q3 of 2026 with action points/recommendations acted upon.
  • Develop a comprehensive technological roadmap for migrating UNICEF and partner‑developed digital resources onto the ZPE (Integrated Educational Platform) governmental platform, ensuring seamless integration within the Friendly School Programme infrastructure.
    • Milestone 1: Initial Assessment and Stakeholder Engagement – Complete inventory of digital resources and conduct stakeholder consultations with ZPE platform administrators and Friendly School Programme coordinators (March 2026).
    • Milestone 2: Technical Analysis and Gap Assessment – Assess resources against ZPE platform specifications and identify integration challenges and required modifications (May 2026).
    • Milestone 3: Roadmap Development and Validation – Develop detailed migration roadmap with timelines, integration protocols, and obtain stakeholder approvals (June 2026).
    • Milestone 4: Pilot Testing Framework – Design pilot testing strategy, establish success criteria, and develop contingency plans (July 2026).
    • Milestone 5: Final Roadmap Delivery – Finalize roadmap documentation, deliver training materials, and establish monitoring framework (August 2026).
  • Lead the technical migration process of all UNICEF digital learning resources to the ZPE platform, ensuring quality assurance, accessibility standards, and user‑centered design principles. Migrate 60 e‑learning resources by September 2026.
  • Establish sustainability frameworks to ensure all digital resources developed within the Friendly School programme remain technologically current, accessible, and pedagogically relevant for long‑term utilization. Framework in place by September 2026.
    • Milestone 1: Sustainability Framework Design – Develop comprehensive sustainability framework outlining maintenance protocols, update cycles, and quality assurance standards for digital resources (April 2026).
    • Milestone 2: Technical Maintenance Plan – Establish technical maintenance protocols to ensure digital resources remain compatible with evolving platform technologies and accessibility standards (May 2026).
    • Milestone 3: Pedagogical Review Mechanism – Create systematic review processes to assess and update content for continued pedagogical relevance and alignment with teachers training plans (June 2026).
    • Milestone 4: Long‑term Monitoring System – Implement monitoring and evaluation system to track resource usage, identify update needs, and ensure sustained quality and relevance (July 2026).
  • Design and implement a national outreach and promotion strategy to maximize the impact and utilization of high‑quality digital learning resources developed by UNICEF and partners across programmes implemented between 2022‑2025.
    • Milestone 1: Strategy Development and Planning – Conduct stakeholder analysis, develop comprehensive outreach and promotion strategy with target audiences, key messages, and communication channels (February 2026).
    • Milestone 2: Communication Materials and Campaign Design – Create promotional materials, digital content, and marketing assets showcasing UNICEF and partner‑developed learning resources from 2022‑2025 programmes (March 2026).
    • Milestone 3: Multi‑Channel Campaign Implementation – Launch national outreach campaign through governmental institutions, schools, educational networks, social media, and partnerships to promote digital learning resources (April – October 2026).
    • Milestone 4: Impact Assessment and Optimization – Monitor campaign reach and resource utilization, gather user feedback, and refine promotion strategy to maximize impact and adoption (April – October 2026).
• Polish as a Second Language: System‑Level Strengthening and Policy Development
  • Lead the development of a comprehensive evidence synthesis study examining existing research on Polish as a foreign language instruction from multi‑stakeholder perspectives (students, teachers, education system), incorporating best practices and comparative analysis from European educational systems, in partnership with governmental institutions, academic bodies, and NGOs. Evidence synthesis in place by October 2026.
    • Milestone 1: Research Framework and Partnership Establishment – Establish research partnerships with governmental institutions, academic bodies, and NGOs, and develop comprehensive study methodology incorporating multi‑stakeholder perspectives and European comparative analysis framework (January 2026).
    • Milestone 2: Data Collection and Evidence Synthesis – Conduct systematic review of existing research on Polish as a foreign language instruction, gather insights from students, teachers, and education system stakeholders, and analyze best practices from European educational systems (March 2026).
    • Milestone 3: Final Study and Dissemination – Complete comprehensive evidence synthesis study with findings and recommendations, validate results with partners, and disseminate report to key stakeholders and policymakers (May – October 2026).
  • Spearhead the formulation of strategic policy recommendations for developing and implementing a comprehensive, high‑quality national framework for Polish language instruction, leveraging multi‑sectoral collaboration with governmental institutions, academia, and civil society organizations.
    • Milestone 1: Multi‑Sectoral Consultation and Analysis – Conduct consultations with governmental institutions, academia, and civil society organizations to identify policy gaps, priorities, and opportunities for Polish language instruction framework development (May 2026).
    • Milestone 2: Policy Recommendations Development – Formulate strategic policy recommendations for comprehensive national framework based on evidence synthesis study, stakeholder input, and best practices from multi‑sectoral collaboration (June 2026).
    • Milestone 3: Validation and Advocacy – Present policy recommendations to key decision‑makers, facilitate validation workshops with partners, and develop advocacy strategy for framework adoption and implementation (September 2026).

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Minimum Master’s Degree in one of the following fields is required: education, economics, psychology, sociology, or another relevant technical field.
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education is required, including on digital transformation agenda, formal and non‑formal education.
• Proven experience in coordinating and mobilizing the private sector and working closely with governments.
• Strong knowledge of the Polish political and education context and understanding of development issues.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or other international organizations is considered a strong asset.
• Excellent written communication and organization skills; should be at ease in presentation and meetings with high‑level stakeholders.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Polish languages.

UNICEF COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self‑awareness and ethical awareness
• Promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does
• Complies with UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• UNICEF welcomes applicants 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.
• 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. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
• 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.
• UNICEF encourages applications from all eligible candidates. 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.