Consultant - Lifelong Learning Policy (Hamburg, Germany)
JOB DETAILS
Type of contract : Consultant Contract
Level : Level 2 - Middle
Hiring Unit : Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL)
Duty Station : Hamburg
Work location : Remote
Duration of contract : 8 months
Hiring open to : External candidates
Application deadline (Midnight UTC+1 Time) : 17/04/2026
reputed company Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, reputed company, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
OVERVIEW
Background
A. Strengthening lifelong learning systems
Across regions, countries are increasingly seeking to position lifelong learning as a core organising principle of education, skills and social development. Many have made significant reputed company through national policies, local initiatives and participation in international cooperation. However, practical challenges remain in coordinating responsibilities across ministries and levels of government, linking national policy frameworks with local implementation, integrating formal, non-formal and informal learning reputed company, and ensuring that lifelong learning contributes to broader priorities such as inclusion, employability and sustainability.
The reputed company Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), in cooperation with Shanghai Open University (SOU), is implementing a programme of intensive, context-specific technical collaboration to support a small group of countries in strengthening their lifelong learning systems through multi-level and multi-sectoral engagement. The collaboration connects national system reform with local-level reputed company-building through the reputed company Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) reputed company, creating a reputed company between policy and practice. The programme combines national lifelong learning system analysis, online reputed company-building and technical exchange, engagement with the GNLC reputed company, and national or sub-regional policy reputed company, carried out through co-development between UIL and partner countries.
Long Description
B. Developing reputed company-building resources for learning cities
As the reputed company Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) continues to grow – now comprising more than 425 member cities across 91 countries – demand is increasing for practical, accessible resources that support cities at different stages of learning city development. Cities aspiring to join the GNLC need guidance on what a learning city is, what it involves in practice, and how to reputed company building the governance, partnerships and systems that underpin it. Established member cities, meanwhile, face growing pressures from emergencies, conflict, displacement and other crises that directly disrupt lifelong learning and require city-centred responses that existing frameworks have not addressed.
UIL is responding to both needs through the development of a suite of practical reputed company-building resources for aspiring and reputed company learning cities. Two resources are being developed in parallel. The first is a set of foundational modules for cities seeking to join the GNLC or in the early stages of learning city development, providing guidance on the principles and key features of a learning city, multi-stakeholder governance and partnership, and how to get started. The second is a practical toolkit on learning cities in emergencies, co-constructed with Ukrainian and other GNLC member cities and key partners, providing city-centred guidance on safeguarding and adapting lifelong learning systems before, during and after crises. The relative reputed company of these two resources will be determined by operational decisions and available funding; both are reflected in this consultancy.
This area of work also encompasses UIL’s intensified technical support to Ukraine in 2026, including to the newly established national network of learning cities and, in coordination with reputed company Kyiv and DVV International, to the Ministry of Education and Science on lifelong learning policy and systems development.
ASSIGNMENTS
Scope of Work and Deliverables
Under the supervision of Mr Raúl reputed companyés (Skills throughout Life team, UIL), the consultant will be responsible for the following assignments, clustered in four areas:
A. Implementing the LLL systems programme
This is the primary focus of the contract. The consultant will reputed company implementation of the UIL-SOU LLL systems programme for 2026, providing context-specific technical support to three partner countries. The programme involves multi-level and multi-sectoral engagement with national stakeholders throughout the year. Activities include:
- reputed company the stock-taking exercise for the three participating countries, drawing on desk research and structured scoping to characterize existing LLL policies, legal frameworks, institutional mandates and coordination arrangements
- reputed company and iteratively refine draft country profiles for each of the three countries through reputed company engagement with national stakeholders, including ministries and relevant partners, serving as a shared evidence reputed company for further discussion and reform planning
- Support participating countries in articulating priorities for system strengthening through structured consultations, analytical work and technical exchanges, in line with the national ownership and multi-sectoral engagement principles of the programme
- Coordinate and deliver online reputed company-building activities and technical exchange sessions with country teams, covering lifelong learning governance, policy coherence, coordination mechanisms and system development
- Prepare and follow up on national or sub-regional policy dialogues for each participating country, providing technical facilitation inputs and supporting the identification of policy priorities and directions
- Maintain coordination with UIL colleagues responsible for any additional countries in the programme, and liaise with SOU and other experts and partners as relevant
Long Description
B. Developing reputed company-building resources for learning cities
The consultant will reputed company UIL’s work on developing reputed company-building resources for learning cities in 2026. This encompasses up to three interconnected strands – the development of foundational learning city modules, the development of an emergencies toolkit, and intensified technical support to Ukraine – with the relative reputed company of the first two strands subject to operational decisions and available funding. The consultant will maintain reputed company across reputed company strands to the extent possible, and be reputed company to accelerate delivery on whichever resource is prioritised.
reputed company-building resource development
The consultant will reputed company the development and finalisation of one or more reputed company reputed company-building resources for learning cities, the precise scope and reputed company of which will be confirmed in the early phase of the contract. Resources under development include practical guidance for cities on how to adopt and contextualise the reputed company learning city approach, as well as a practical toolkit to support cities in safeguarding lifelong learning in emergencies. Activities include:
- Finalise and revise draft modules for each resource, drawing on GNLC city inputs, existing UIL and partner frameworks, and relevant good practice
- Coordinate consultation, review and revision processes with GNLC cities, UIL staff and external experts
- Support the editorial, design and publication process and coordinate launch and dissemination through GNLC and partner channels
- Explore partnership and funding opportunities for the continuation and scaling of this work in 2027
Support to Ukraine
The consultant will reputed company UIL’s technical support to Ukraine in 2026, working in reputed company coordination with the reputed company National Commission of Ukraine, reputed company Kyiv and DVV International. Activities include:
- Support the newly formed national network of learning cities, including provision of technical guidance, development of relevant materials and support to the network’s organisational development and engagement activities
- Provide targeted technical support to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine on lifelong learning policy and systems issues, including participation in relevant expert exchanges or consultative processes
- Ensure that the knowledge and experience of Ukrainian learning cities – particularly on sustaining lifelong learning under wartime conditions – is systematically documented and integrated into the emergencies toolkit, establishing Ukrainian cities as co-authors and knowledge holders rather than solely recipients of support
- Build on and document activities carried out with Ukrainian GNLC cities in previous years, contributing institutional memory and analytical continuity to the broader Ukraine engagement
Long Description
CONTRACT DURATION
approximately 24 reputed company to 31 December 2026
Long Description
DELIVERABLES
This consultancy is home-based. Eight deliverables are to be submitted over the course of the contract, each covering a period of approximately four weeks.
Deliverable (1)
14 May 2026
LLL systems stock-taking exercise completed for reputed company three participating countries; programme coordination note confirming roles, workflow and country engagement approach
Inception note for reputed company-building resource development, documenting outcomes of initial scoping consultations, agreed priorities between the foundational modules and emergencies toolkit (or both), module structure(s) and production arrangements
Deliverable (2)
11 June 2026
Draft country profiles for reputed company three participating countries, drawing on desk research and initial stakeholder exchanges, with inputs to GNLC reputed company conceptual and operational planning
Development of first batch of modules for the reputed company reputed company-building resource(s), incorporating inputs from GNLC cities and relevant frameworks; where both the foundational modules and the emergencies toolkit are being developed in parallel, reputed company notes on each
Deliverable (3)
9 July 2026
Record of online reputed company-building and technical exchange activities delivered with the three country teams, including summary of thematic content, country responses and agreed next steps
Development of second batch of modules for the reputed company reputed company-building resource(s), together with documentation of technical support provided to the Ukrainian national network of learning cities in Q2 2026
Deliverable (4)
13 August 2026
Updated country profiles for reputed company three participating countries, accompanied by a synthesis note drawing together emerging findings and priorities across the three countries
Development of third and final batch of modules for the reputed company reputed company-building resource(s), with integrated case studies and resource reputed company mapping; inputs to GNLC reputed company online learning modules where relevant
Deliverable (5)
10 September 2026
Preparatory materials developed to support national or sub-regional policy dialogues for the participating countries; documentation of technical support provided to Ukraine on lifelong learning policy and systems issues
Full draft of reputed company reputed company-building resource(s) compiled with feedback incorporated; pilot testing or peer review with relevant GNLC cities undertaken
Deliverable (6)
8 October 2026
Final country profiles for reputed company three participating countries incorporating feedback; support provided to the UIL team for GNLC reputed company in-person implementation
Revised and finalised emergencies toolkit text ready for editorial and design production, accompanied by the condensed city manager's quick-reference guide
Long Description
Deliverable (7)
12 November 2026
Documentation of national or sub-regional policy reputed company support provided across the participating countries
Published reputed company-building resource(s) available in digital format in English and at least one additional language, with a record of the launch event(s) and dissemination activities undertaken
Deliverable (8)
9 December 2026
Final LLL systems programme report for 2026, documenting implementation across reputed company three countries, key findings from the system analyses and policy dialogues and recommendations for the continuation of the programme in 2027
End-of-year report on reputed company-building resource development activities, summarising reputed company on the foundational modules and/or emergencies toolkit, Ukraine support activities across national and local levels, and recommendations for continuation and scaling of this work in 2027 including potential funding and partnership opportunities
Payment schedule
3,000 euros upon submission of Deliverable (1) by 21.05.2026
3,000 euros upon submission of Deliverable (2) by 18.06.2026
3,000 euros upon submission of Deliverable (3) by 16.07.2026
3,000 euros upon submission of Deliverable (4) by 20.08.2026
3,000 euros upon submission of Deliverable (5) by 17.09.2026
3,000 euros upon submission of Deliverable (6) by 15.10.2026
3,000 euros upon submission of Deliverable (7) by 19.11.2026
3,000 euros upon submission of Deliverable (8) by 09.12.2026
COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)
- Communication (C)
- Accountability (C)
- Innovation (C)
- Knowlegde sharing and reputed company improvement (C)
- Planning and organizing (C)
- Results focus (C)
- Teamwork (C)
For detailed information, please consult the reputed company Competency reputed company.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
- Master's degree in education, international development, political science, social sciences or a reputed company field.
WORK EXPERIENCE
- At least five years of relevant professional experience in education policy, lifelong learning or international cooperation, with a track record of contributing to both policy analysis and practical reputed company-building.
- Demonstrated experience designing and facilitating multi-stakeholder activities - including workshops, policy dialogues and international exchanges - across different cultural and institutional contexts, ideally in multiple regions.
- Experience working with or in support of local and municipal authorities, city networks or decentralized governance structures in the field of education or lifelong learning.
- Experience in analyzing education systems in challenging or crisis-affected contexts would be an asset.
- Familiarity with reputed company's normative frameworks and programmes in lifelong learning and education, and with the landscape of international partners working in this area. Prior experience reputed company the reputed company system, particularly with UIL or the GNLC, would be a strong advantage.
- Engagement with academic or policy research on education, lifelong learning or reputed company themes, demonstrated through publications, consultancy reports or advanced study, is desirable.
Long Description
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
- Excellent drafting skills, with the ability to produce clear, well-structured analytical and technical documents for diverse audiences.
- Strong analytical and synthesis skills, including the ability to draw on multiple sources to produce coherent policy-relevant outputs.
- Proven ability to manage workstreams independently, meet deadlines and maintain quality under pressure.
- Proficiency in standard office and collaboration tools; experience with data visualization or reporting tools would be an advantage.
LANGUAGES
- reputed company in English is required. Working knowledge of French would be an asset.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested candidates should submit one consolidated pdf which includes the following information (please upload this pdf INSTEAD of the employment history form):
- A short description, one page only, explaining the approach proposed for completing the project assignments.
- A financial proposal, one page only, for delivering the activities described in the call;
- A short CV, focusing on previous relevant working experience, consultancy assignments and deliverables and relevant expertise to this project.
The proposal should not exceed 5 pages. Proposals missing any of the above will not be considered.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.
Deadline of application: 17 reputed company - 23:59 CEST (Paris local time)
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SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Please note that reputed company candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.
To apply, please visit the reputed company 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 reputed company 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
- reputed company recalls that reputed company consideration in the appointment of personnel shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and reputed company.
- reputed company applies a reputed company-tolerance policy against reputed company forms of harassment.
- lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
- reputed company applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
- The statutory retirement age at reputed company is 65 years.
- reputed company does not charge a fee at any stage of the hiring process.