OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

IMPORTANT: APPLICATION PROCEDURES

In place of the Employment History Form, please upload required documents. The whole package needs to be uploaded as a single PDF document (CV, Technical and financial proposal):
1)    an updated curriculum vitae 
2)    a technical proposal including an approach and methodology for the assignment (maximum 3, A4 pages)
3)    a financial proposal: The amount to be charged for the copy-editing of reports, which should be quoted in US dollars, GBP or Euros as a rate per page of 320 words.
 

The assignment will be carried out remotely.
 

Please reflect how your profile and experience meet the mandatory requirements for this assignment.
 

Please submit your supporting documents in English.
 

UNESCO places great emphasis on ensuring that the objectives of the work assignment, as described in the Terms of Reference, are met. Accordingly, in evaluating the proposals for the assignment, attention will focus first and foremost on the technical elements. From those proposals deemed suitable in relation to the criteria set forth in the Terms of Reference, UNESCO shall select the proposal that offers the Organization best value for money.

 

Only complete applications will be considered.

UNESCO is inviting written proposals from Individuals for the work assignment described in Annex A.
 

ANNEX A

1. BACKGROUND

The Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report is an editorially independent, evidence-based annual report hosted and published by UNESCO. Established in 2002, its current mandate derives from the 2015 World Education Forum and focuses on monitoring education in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the implementation of the strategies outlined in the Education 2030 Framework for Action. Accordingly, each report has two parts: 

•    a monitoring part reviews the SDG 4 targets, education in the other SDGs and education finance.
•    a thematic part focuses on a relevant theme in the international education agenda, which is selected by the GEM Report’s Advisory Board; the last six themes in the GEM Report series have been: education and the other SDGs (2016), accountability (2017/8), migration and displacement (2019), inclusion (2020), non-state actors (2021/2) and technology (2023).

Alongside the annual report, the GEM Report team publishes summary, youth, gender and regional editions, policy papers, background papers, and three online resources on inequality in education, monitoring of SDG 4 progress, and descriptions of national education systems.
 

Long Description

2. OBJECTIVES

The consultant will carry out standard copy-editing tasks in the English versions of the Report and related outputs.

This work will involve close collaboration with the editor of the GEM Report, in close liaison with the Director, Publications Manager and the proofreader.


3. TASKS

The Consultant’s tasks consist of copy-editing the report and all other material produced by the team as detailed below. The estimated word counts below are based on the 2023 cycle and are to be considered as a rough estimate. These are provided as an indication of the workload, and to enable applicants to provide an accurate cost estimate and are based on 320 words per page.

The GEM Report (600 pages). 
Summary Report (60 pages).
Youth Report (20 pages).
Gender Report (60 pages). 
1 x Spotlight Report (120 pages).
3 x Spotlight Country reports (30 pages).
Regional Reports (140 pages). 
6 x Policy papers: (16 pages each).
 

Specifically, the consultant will be responsible for the following tasks/duties:

•    Ensure that text is in line with the United Nations and GEM Report style guides, 
•    Make in-depth grammar and stylistic corrections (verb–subject agreement, dangling participles, incorrect or unclear use of pronouns, etc.) and punctuation for correctness and consistency;
•    Check that word usage is appropriate.
•    Eliminate abbreviations where possible and ensure that essential abbreviations are spelled out at the first mention.
•    Delete excessive italic, boldface and quotation marks.
•    Check spelling and use of Member States’ names;
•    Check other proper names (for cities, international conventions, conferences, nongovernmental organizations, named individuals, etc.).
•    Check that hyphens and capital letters are used consistently. 
•    Edit chapter titles, subheadings and table and figure legends for brevity, consistency and parallel construction, and check numbering if appropriate.
•    Check for and eliminate or query discriminatory language. Check for consistency in use of terms.
•    Check formatting of chapters, sections, subsections, paragraphs, lists (e.g. with bullet points) and table and figure captions for consistency.
•    Ensure that references and sources are accurately and consistently stipulated, in the correct order. 
•    Insert sequence letters into text once the Word documents are final (ex: UNESCO, 2023a).
•    Ensure that all cross-references to chapters, sections, subsections, tables and figures are correct and in the correct format (in bold where necessary).
•    Check that illustrations, photos, graphs and tables are correct and sources are clearly referenced.
•    Ensure that the Word document is sent to the graphic designers in the correct format (consistent line spacing and paragraph/table formatting).
•    Update the glossary and list of abbreviations of the main report.
•    Suggest sentences to be used as Pull Quotes throughout the text (approximately one per page of 320 words suggested as big or small Pull Quote).
•    In collaboration with the editor and publications manager, update the GEM Report Style guide in the case of new rules and terminology.
 

Long Description

Long Description

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education 
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Education in English, communications, journalism, writing, international affairs or similar
 

Work experience
At least 10 years of work experience in journalism, copy-editing UN, academic and other reports.
 

Skills/Competencies
Experience working on education issues and the United Nations is a plus.
Attention to detail and ability to follow and adhere to the UN Style Guide
Ability to multitask under pressure while proactively communicating progress and any emerging constraints and maintaining a high level of responsiveness;
Ability to work independently, often within tight timelines, to meet strict deadlines;
Experience working in an international, multi‐cultural environment.
 

Languages
Fluency in writing and communicating in English required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.
 

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS