Creative Associates International is seeking a consultant to serve as Early Childhood Development and Behavioral Support Specialist for a potential project in Türkiye. The Early Childhood Development and Behavioral Support Specialist will be working closely with Creative HQ staff, the Government of Türkiye (GoT) officials, and UNICEF representatives.

About Creative:

Founded in 1977 with a focus on education work, Creative quickly expanded its geographic footprint and technical solutions to include conflict and violence prevention, global education in crisis and conflict, governance, humanitarian assistance, and security sector reform, including disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration. We have worked in some of the most challenging and austere environments across the globe, growing deep local networks, operational know-how, and field-tested solutions. Our successes reflect people working together to realize the positive change they seek.

Description of Project:

UNICEF Türkiye’s 2021-2025 country program prioritizes an integrated approach to early childhood development (ECD), enhancing cognitive, physical, and psychological development in children. The Government of Türkiye (GoT), through the 12th Development Plan (NDP), is committed to scaling up ECD services, and UNICEF supports this by providing technical advisory guidance in the establishment of the early identification and intervention system and enhancing caregivers’ knowledge in early parenting and nurturing care.

If selected for this project, Creative will work closely with UNICEF Türkiye to enhance the knowledge and skills of staff working in the field of early childhood development (ECD) and early intervention, thereby improving access to timely, individualized, and family-centered developmental support for children and their families.

Description of Role:

The Early Childhood Development and Behavioral Support Specialist will be responsible for developing and delivering training on early childhood intervention (ECI) and the most common issues in ECD. They will also be responsible for supervising field staff. This position will be hybrid, combining online work with in-person implementation in Ankara, Bursa, Mersin, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, and Gaziantep.

• Develop and deliver training on early childhood interventions and the most common issues in ECD.
• Conduct training programs to work with families, focusing on behavioral strategies for children who develop differently, supporting children with disabilities, addressing risks of developmental delays, and discussing common issues and developmental habits.
• Provide supervision and case management support to field staff.

• Advanced degree in Psychology, Early Childhood Development, Special Education, or a related field.
• Proven expertise in early childhood intervention (ECI), with a focus on adult learning strategies and caregiver engagement.
• Demonstrated knowledge of behavioral strategies in early childhood, particularly regarding toileting, sleep routines, crying behavior, and developmental variations.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in designing and delivering training programs for adults (parents, caregivers, or professionals) in early childhood development.
• Strong knowledge of family-centered approaches, parenting support programs, and community-based networks.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills, with experience in capacity-building and knowledge transfer.
• Experience in early intervention for developmental delays, with practical skills in linking assessment to support strategies and working with multidisciplinary teams and service providers.
• Strong analytical, coordination, and facilitation skills to strengthen family and community networks.
• Familiarity with evidence-based practices and current research in child development and responsive caregiving.
• Ability to adapt training materials to diverse cultural contexts and varying levels of professional knowledge.
• Demonstrated capacity to provide supervision and case management support to trainers and practitioners.
• UNICEF or other UN experience a plus.
• Preferred skill: professionally proficient in Turkish.