July 24, 2025 – ECDAN is seeking an technical financing consultant that to accomplish the following assignment.
Background and Context
The Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN) is a global network that catalyzes collective action with and for young children and their caregivers by connecting and aligning partners, sharing knowledge and good practice, and advocating for better policies, more resources, and accountability for results. In its refreshed strategy 2024–2028, ECDAN identified unlocking financing for early childhood development (ECD) as a strategic priority. Despite the well-documented benefits of high-quality early childhood development, care, and education, current funding remains inadequate, inequitable, fragmented, unpredictable, unsustainable, and often siloed across sectors and stakeholders limiting access and quality to millions of children worldwide.
To catalyze transformative change to unlock ECD financing, ECDAN will co-organize a Global Financing Forum for Young Children and Their Families in February 2026. The forum will convene key stakeholders and facilitate discussion to address persistent challenges and opportunities in mobilizing and structuring equitable, efficient, and effective financing for ECD.
This high-level convening aims to surface innovative solutions and generate actionable strategies to transform the financing landscape and drive political commitment to increase financial investment for young children across domestic, international, and private sector financing streams. To plan the agenda and sessions for the forum, ECDAN has formed an Early Years Financing Technical Working Group that meets monthly. To support the working group, ECDAN seeks to engage a Financing Technical Consultant to lead the development of a background paper that will frame the key challenges, opportunities, and pathways for action on unlocking early childhood financing.
ECDAN is currently hosted by PATH. PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to health equity. With more than 40 years of experience forging multisector partnerships, and expertise in science, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales up innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges.
Purpose of Consultancy
The consultant will be responsible for preparing a high-quality, evidence-based background paper that will serve as the foundational document for the Global Financing Forum. The paper will map the current ECD financing landscape, identify key gaps and opportunities, analyze promising mechanisms and innovations, and make actionable recommendations for domestic and international stakeholders. The consultant will work in close collaboration with ECDAN’s Secretariat and the Early Years Financing Technical Working Group.
Scope of Work
The consultant will be responsible for carrying out the following activities:
- Landscape analysis:
- Conduct a literature review of global, regional, and national financing models and trends for ECD.
- Analyze existing ECD financing mechanisms, including different sources of funding and funding allocation patterns.
- Analyze key challenges in current ECD financing such as underfunding, inequitable access, inefficiencies, public financing management capacity, and workforce constraints.
- Examine multi-sectoral integration challenges and innovations.
- Technical analysis:
- Review and synthesize evidence on costing and the cost-effectiveness of key ECD interventions.
- Identify and assess innovative and sustainable financing instruments (e.g., results-based financing, blended and braided finance, social impact bonds).
- Evaluate opportunities for private sector and philanthropic engagement in ECD.
- Stakeholder engagement:
- Conduct interviews or consultations with key stakeholders, including members of the Early Years Financing Technical Working Group, government officials, donor agencies, and experts to validate information gathered.
- Present findings to ECDAN Secretariat and Financing Technical Working Group.
- Incorporate feedback into iterative drafts of the paper.
- Paper development:
- Write a comprehensive background paper (20-25 pages) that summarizes the state of ECD financing globally, highlights successful case studies and lessons learned, and maps out gaps and opportunities for increased investment.
- Revise and finalize the paper based on feedback to create a final version.
Key Deliverables
The consultant’s work is expected to result in the following deliverables that will be submitted to and reviewed by the Secretariat.
- An inception report outlining the methodology, timeline, and stakeholder engagement plan
- An annotated outline of the background paper
- A summary report of listing stakeholders consulted and key insights gathered
- First draft of background paper (approx. 20–25 pages, excluding annexes)
- Final background paper incorporating technical feedback
- Slide deck presentation that summarizes key findings
Duration
This consultancy is expected to be carried out over a six-month period, from August 2025 to January 2026. The timeline will be aligned with planning milestones for the Global Financing Forum.
Working Conditions
The Consultant will work directly with ECDAN’s Executive Director, and the Secretariat will connect the consultant to the working group and other partners as needed.
The consultant is expected to provide his/her own working materials including a laptop computer and internet connectivity for producing work, sharing drafts via email, and joining virtual meetings. The consultant is expected to work independently and take initiative but also remain open to feedback and respond to guidance when provided. The consultant will be paid upon completion of deliverables with an accompanying invoice based on the daily rate agreed upon during contracting. No additional costs will be reimbursed or benefits provided.
Qualifications and Experience
In order to effectively deliver on the expectations of this assignment, ECDAN is seeking a consultant who meets the following criteria:
- Advanced degree in economics, public finance, development studies, public policy, or a related field.
- At least 10 years of experience in development finance, including specific expertise in ECD, education, or health financing.
- Proven track record in producing high-quality analytical papers and policy briefs for international audiences.
- Familiarity with innovative financing mechanisms and development partner coordination.
- Strong writing, synthesis, and communication skills.
- Experience working with multilateral organizations, governments, and global networks is highly desirable.
Application Process
To be considered for this consultancy, applicants are requested to prepare a cover letter which outlines their qualifications to take on the assignment and includes the consultant’s daily rate and estimated total days to complete the assignment. The application should also include the consultant’s CV with references. All application materials should be sent to info@ecdan.org.
This position was originally posted by ECDAN and has been curated by PurposePhil Career. To apply, please visit the original listing on the "apply" link below. We are not affiliated with the employer organization of this job ad or consultancy, and provide this curated listing as a service to our users.
