Organization Mission

The UNESCO Office for the Caribbean serves twenty Caribbean English and Dutch-Speaking Small Island Developing States to pursue peace, eradicate poverty, sustainable development and inter-cultural dialogue through its five programmes in Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, and Communication and Information.

The Member States and Associate Members of the Office”s regional mandate are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Saints Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.

Dr Anna Paolini is Director and Representative of the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean since July 2022.

Context

The UNESCO Office for the Caribbean is currently finalizing its Office Strategy for the period 2025–2029. The Strategy outlines the Office’s vision, strategic priorities, and its contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the SIDS Operational Strategy, and the evolving Caribbean Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (MSDCF). The current version of the strategy requires updates, integration of new global developments such as SIDS4 outcomes and the finalization of its implementation, monitoring, and results framework.

We are looking for 3 enthusiastic, committed Online Volunteers to support this process. The assignment is unpaid and ideal for someone seeking valuable professional experience. Preference is given to candidates who are knowledgeable about the Caribbean region, who are currently studying or recently graduated or retired with a background in development, policy, or international cooperation.

Key Responsibilities

The UNESCO Office for the Caribbean is currently finalizing its Office Strategy for the period 2025–2029. The Strategy outlines the Office’s vision, strategic priorities, and its contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the SIDS Operational Strategy, and the evolving Caribbean Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (MSDCF). The current version of the strategy requires updates, integration of new global developments such as SIDS4 outcomes and the finalization of its implementation, monitoring, and results framework.

We are looking for 3 enthusiastic, committed Online Volunteers to support this process. The assignment is unpaid and ideal for someone seeking valuable professional experience. Preference is given to candidates who are knowledgeable about the Caribbean region, who are currently studying or recently graduated or retired with a background in development, policy, or international cooperation.

Each Online Volunteer will be assigned a specific and clearly defined set of tasks. However, as the work is interconnected, some collaboration across tasks will also be necessary to ensure consistency and coherence throughout the Strategy document.

Task distribution – 3 Online Volunteers

Online Volunteer 1 – Policy Research and Strategic Alignment

1. Conduct background research and policy analysis to support the revision of strategic priorities, alignment with global and regional frameworks (e.g. SIDS Strategy, MSDCF), and identification of cross-cutting themes such as gender, inclusion, and resilience.
2. Update the contextual analysis: Integrate the outcomes of recent regional meetings (e.g. SIDS4 and ABBAS).
3. Align with updated global and regional frameworks: Ensure full alignment with the UNESCO SIDS Operational Strategy (2023–2029), and other strategic documents.
4. Analyze MSDCF transition and ensure future alignment: Considering the upcoming transition from the current MSDCF (2022–2026) to a new one:
• Reference the current MSDCF (2022–2026) in a strategic and concise manner, acknowledging it as the existing cooperation framework without requiring detailed alignment.
• Reframe the language in the Strategy to reflect that the MSDCF is under review and a new version is expected during the Strategy’s implementation period.
• Propose transitional and adaptable wording that anticipates the upcoming MSDCF cycle.
• Clearly state that the Strategy may be updated or adjusted once the new MSDCF is adopted, ensuring flexibility in programming.
• Identify any risks, gaps, or areas that may require attention during the transition to the next cooperation framework.
• Suggest how the Office Strategy could be updated once the new MSDCF is adopted.

Online Volunteer 2 – Strategy Development and Planning

5. Review and refine strategic priorities: Confirm relevance of existing priorities (Youth, Environmental Resilience, Digital Transformation) and ensure integration of cross-cutting areas (Gender, Disability, Inclusion).
6. Define implementation modalities: Clarify how each area of work will be implemented in collaboration with partners and stakeholders.
7. Update the monitoring and evaluation framework: Build or revise the monitoring framework in line with CORE Manager and UNESCO’s Results-Based Management approach.
8. Develop an indicative budget framework: Include a basic resource allocation plan, aligned with current and anticipated funding sources.

Online Volunteer 3 – Consultation and Finalization

9. Conduct internal and external consultations: Organize consultations with programme sectors and national commissions to validate priorities and actions.
10. Editing and quality assurance: Ensure consistency, clear language, and eliminate redundancy across the document
11. Final validation and approval: Submit for internal validation and approval by the Officer-in-Charge, Programme Specialists, and Headquarters (if applicable).

Required Skills and Experience

o Excellent written English and communications skills, with attention to clarity and consistency
o At least 3 years of relevant experience in editing, writing or reviewing technical, academic, or policy documents
o Strong understanding of international development or social policy
o Ability to write in a clear, concise, and reader-friendly way
o Familiarity with Caribbean development and SIDS is a strong asset