National Consultant for Development of a Home Visiting Programme and Implementing of Portage Training for Families with Children with Disabilities, Muscat, Oman, Remote work, 14 months

Contract Duration - 14 Months

Working arrangement - Muscat, Oman, Remote work with travel

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

                                                         TERMS OF REFERENCE

To further strengthen services for children with disabilities and their families, the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) has requested technical support from UNICEF Oman to adapt and institutionalize the Portage Home Visiting Programme within the national social service system. Portage is an internationally recognized early intervention and home-visiting approach that equips parents and caregivers with practical skills to support the development of children with developmental delays and disabilities within their home. The programme focuses on empowering caregivers through coaching, individualized developmental planning, regular home visits, monitoring of child progress and the implementation of developmentally appropriate activities across key domains, including communication, cognition, socialization, self-help, and motor development. The programme emphasizes family participation, individualized goal setting, and continuous assessment to promote children's developmental progress and inclusion.

Under the supervision of UNICEF Oman and in close collaboration with the MoSD, the consultant will provide technical assistance for the design and development of a Portage-based home visiting programme for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities and conduct ToT.

The assignment will contribute to strengthening Oman’s disability-inclusive social service system by empowering families and caregivers, enhancing the capacities of the social workforce and ensuring that children with disabilities receive timely, family-centered developmental support within their communities.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  TMC0005312 External ToR.pdf

Minimum Qualification required:

Education:

Masters degree in disciplines:

• Disability Inclusion

• Child Development and Early Intervention

• Special Education

• Social Work and Case Management

• Programme Design and Capacity Development

Work experience:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or higher) in Disability Studies, Child Development and Early Intervention, Special Education, Social Work and Case Management or a related field.

• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the design, implementation of programmes for children with disabilities, early intervention, family support or community-based services.
• Extensive, demonstrable experience in developing training curricula, training materials, and delivering ToT programmes for frontline service providers

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:

• Knowledge of disability rights frameworks, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and international best practices in disability inclusive programming.
• Experience with the Portage Home Visiting Programme or similar family-centered early intervention models.

Language Requirements:

Excellent written and spoken English and Arabic is required.

Desirables:

• Previous work experience with UN agencies, international organizations or development partners is highly desirable.

• Experience in the Middle East and North Africa region, preferably in GCC countries, is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter
• A separate financial proposal  TMC0005312 Financial proposal.xlsx

Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not downloadable on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers.   

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.