Institutional Planning, Monitoring & Reporting Consultant, Montreal

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.