Call for Syrian Experts: Education in Emergencies, Early Childhood Development & Youth Skills (Syria)

**Contract Type:** Individual Consultancy; Project-Based
**Eligibility:** **Syrian nationals or non-Syrian consultants currently residing in Syria only**

Trust Consultancy & Development (TCD) is seeking experienced consultants to join its roster of experts in **Education in Emergencies (EiE), Early Childhood Development (ECD), youth skills development and education systems** to support upcoming evaluations, assessments, research, Third-Party Monitoring (TPM), programme design and advisory assignments in Syria.

Selected consultants will be included in TCD's consultant roster and may be considered for future short-term consultancy opportunities based on their technical expertise, geographical experience, availability and the requirements of specific assignments.

**Primary geographic scope:** Syria

## About the Call

Trust is expanding its roster of experts with strong technical and practical experience in **education in emergencies, early childhood development, formal and non-formal education, youth skills and transition to employment**.

We are particularly interested in experts with **recent, first-hand knowledge of Syria's education context**, including barriers to access and learning, education-system capacity, children and youth affected by conflict and displacement, and approaches to strengthening inclusive and resilient education services.

## Areas of Expertise

Applicants should have strong experience in one or more of the following:

1. **Education in Emergencies (EiE)**, including access, continuity of learning, education preparedness and response, and education in conflict-affected settings;
2. **Early Childhood Development (ECD)**, including early learning, school readiness, parenting programmes, community-based ECD and integrated approaches to child development;
3. **Formal and non-formal education**, including remedial, catch-up, accelerated and alternative learning programmes;
4. **Youth skills and life skills**, including transferable skills, employability, entrepreneurship, digital skills, career readiness and pathways from education to employment;
5. **TVET and skills development**, particularly linkages between education, vocational training and labour-market opportunities;
6. **Education quality and learning outcomes**, including teaching quality, teacher development, curriculum, learning assessment and learner-centred approaches;
7. **Inclusive education**, including education for children and youth with disabilities and other groups facing barriers to participation;
8. **Gender and education**, including barriers affecting girls and young women and approaches to equitable participation and learning;
9. **Education protection and wellbeing**, including safe learning environments, psychosocial wellbeing, social-emotional learning and referral mechanisms;
10. **Education systems and institutional strengthening**, including education planning, governance, capacity development and coordination;
11. **Community and parental engagement**, including participation of parents, caregivers, communities and local organizations in education and ECD;
12. **Education research, monitoring and evaluation**, including needs assessments, baselines/endlines, learning assessments, evaluations, tracer studies and mixed-method research.

## Qualifications & Experience

Applicants should have:

- **Syrian nationality and current residence in Syria, or be a non-Syrian consultant currently based in Syria**;
- A relevant university degree in education, early childhood development, psychology, sociology, youth development, development studies, education policy or another relevant field;
- At least **5 years of relevant professional experience**; senior/lead experts should preferably have **10+ years**;
- Recent professional experience related to **education, ECD and/or youth skills in Syria**, preferably within the last three years;
- Demonstrated experience conducting or contributing to **education/ECD assessments, evaluations, research, programme design or technical advisory assignments**;
- Strong understanding of Syria's **education context, institutions, children and youth, and barriers to access, participation and learning**;
- Experience engaging with education authorities, schools, teachers, ECD centres, youth, parents/caregivers, communities, NGOs and other relevant stakeholders;
- Strong research, analytical, facilitation and report-writing skills;
- Arabic fluency; professional English is strongly preferred.

## International Organization & Donor Experience

Previous experience with **UNICEF, UNESCO, UNHCR, World Bank, ILO, UN agencies, Education Cannot Wait (ECW), Global Partnership for Education (GPE), EU-funded programmes, GIZ, international NGOs or other organizations working on education, ECD and youth development** is a strong advantage.

Experience with relevant international approaches and standards, including **Education in Emergencies, INEE standards, ECD, life skills, inclusive education, youth skills and education-system strengthening**, should be clearly highlighted.

Applicants should indicate relevant assignments, including the **client, assignment, year, role and main responsibilities**.