Senior Advisor for Career Guidance and Counselling

This assignment is focused on creating a strategic and regulatory framework that strengthens the coordination and effectiveness of career guidance services. By providing technical support to the Office for Dual Education and NQF, the Senior Advisor will contribute to building a sustainable career guidance system that promotes employability, skill development, and lifelong learning. The purpose of this assignment is to ensure that career guidance and counselling services across sectors are strategically aligned, effectively coordinated, and accessible to all young people. The advisor will play a central role in developing methodologies, analyses, and indicators that track the impact of career guidance programs, and in proposing new projects to advance career services and policies. Additionally, the advisor will ensure the alignment of services with NQF policies and support the Office for Dual Education in establishing a holistic, cross-sectoral approach to career guidance and counselling.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion and gender parity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified candidates, irrespective of nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNICEF’s office is accessible to a certain extent, and employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations that are needed for ensuring equitable working conditions.

Career guidance and counselling play a crucial role in shaping the future of young people. Significant efforts have been made recently to improve dual education and strengthen the links between the education system and the labour market. The Office for Dual Education and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) has led numerous programmes and initiatives, enabling students to acquire practical skills through work placements and collaboration with the industry.

UNICEF Serbia is supporting the Office for Dual Education and the NQF in enhancing the national approach to career guidance. By coordinating the creation of strategic frameworks, regulatory recommendations and new methodologies, this consultancy will support systemic improvements in career guidance and counselling services, directly benefiting young people in Serbia and aligning with lifelong learning and employment goals under the NQF policies.

Work Assignment Overview:

This assignment is focused on creating a strategic and regulatory framework that strengthens the coordination and effectiveness of career guidance services. By providing technical support to the Office for Dual Education and NQF, the Senior Advisor will contribute to building a sustainable career guidance system that promotes employability, skill development, and lifelong learning.

The purpose of this assignment is to ensure that career guidance and counselling services across sectors are strategically aligned, effectively coordinated, and accessible to all young people. The advisor will play a central role in developing methodologies, analyses, and indicators that track the impact of career guidance programs, and in proposing new projects to advance career services and policies. Additionally, the advisor will ensure the alignment of services with NQF policies and support the Office for Dual Education in establishing a holistic, cross-sectoral approach to career guidance and counselling.

Duration of the assignment: December 2024 – December 2025 (full time)

Seconded to: Office for Dual Education and NQF

Benefits: Private medical insurance, paid annual leave, paid sick leave; exemption from tax on salary

Task description:

1. Coordinate and guide the Task Force for Career Guidance Development
2. Support the development and preparation of the Strategic and Regulatory Framework for Career Guidance and Counselling
3. Provide support for the development of methodologies, analyses and studies on Career Guidance Programs in line with the NQS
4. Provide support in defining the monitoring and impact indicators for assessing the effects of career guidance and counselling programs and services on employment and lifelong learning within the context of NQF policies
5. Prepare project proposals and coordinate with related initiatives
6. Provide technical support and develop resource materials

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Minimum master’s degree in social sciences, with preference given to candidates in doctoral studies or those who have completed a PhD.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in national and/or international projects focused on the development of career guidance and counselling (CGC), the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), and/or lifelong learning initiatives.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in the development and formulation of educational policies in the Republic of Serbia, particularly related to CGC, NQF, and/or lifelong learning frameworks.
• Strong understanding of the legislative and institutional framework related to CGC, NQF, and lifelong learning in Serbia.
• Fluency in Serbian and advanced knowledge of English is essential.

How to apply:

The application must include a financial proposal in RSD as a separate document, providing the following information:

• Monthly fee (all costs included, e.g. pension contribution, usage of mobile phone).

Important notes:

• Please do not forget to specify your name in the financial proposal file while saving (to be uploaded online under the “Financial Proposal” tab).  
• Please do not indicate financials anywhere else in the online application form, please mark "n/a” or “00" under the fee-related questions in the online application form.
• Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

For every child, you must demonstrate UNICEF's core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability.

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.