If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Purpose for the job

Under the overall guidance and direction of the Chief, Education Section the Education Specialist supports the Chief in managing the Section, contributing to knowledge development/innovation and developing and preparing Quality Pre-primary and Primary education programs/projects. The Specialist provides authoritative technical guidance/operational support throughout all stages of programming to facilitate the management and delivery of results on strengthening national education systems to improve learning outcomes and to promote universal access to and equitable and inclusive primary/early childhood education especially for children who are marginalized, disadvantaged and excluded in society.

The Specialist contributes to achievement of concrete and sustainable programs/projects results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM) and UNICEF's Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

Key technical skills needed

• Data analysis and implementation research skills, build capacities for early learning assessments and reporting on results for pre-primary and primary learning
• Technical support for collaborative early learning sector analysis, National PPE action planning, evidence generation on interventions that work for inclusive quality early learning outcomes
• Skills in writing analytical papers for Pre-primary and Primary Education, including economic analyses, case studies, policy briefs and other relevant documentation to build the evidence base for advocacy, resource mobilization, policy development and influencing implementing partners to take up and implement proven PPE and Primary education interventions at scale
• Technical leadership in support of the Quality Education Working group, strengthening partnerships with a broad range of government and NGOs within Education Sector and a multi-sectoral ECD framework.

Impact of Results

The strategic and effective advocacy, planning and formulation of education programs/projects and the achievement of sustainable results, contribute to the achievement of goals and objectives to improve learning outcomes and equitable, inclusive and universal access to education in the country. Achievements in education programs and projects, in turn, contribute to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to provide program services for mothers and children that promote greater social equality in the country.

Key Functions, Accountabilities and Related Duties and Tasks

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

 

1. Management and advisory support to the Chief
2. Program development and planning
3. Program management, monitoring and quality control of results
4. Advisory services and technical support
5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building
6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

1. Management and advisory support to the Chief

•  Provide advice to the Chief in establishing the annual work plan including developing strategies and determining priorities/targets and performance measurements. Coordinate work progress monitoring and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards and report to Chief critical issues for timely action.

• Provide technical assistance/advice to colleagues in the Section on all aspects of programming and implementation to enable colleagues to achieve program/performance objectives
• Perform the full duties of the Chief in his/her absence.

2. Program development and planning

3. Program management, monitoring and quality control of results

•  Plan and/or collaborate with monitoring and evaluation initiatives to establish benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators, to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results in education programs.

• Participate in major monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to engage stakeholders to take required action/interventions to achieve results.
• Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in program and management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
• Monitor programs/projects to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Plan, monitor and control the use of program resources (financial, human, administrative and other assets) certifying/verifying compliance with organizational rules, regulations and procedures, donor commitments and standards of accountability and integrity. Ensure timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
• Submit/prepare program/project reports to donors and other partners to keep them informed on program progress and critical issues.

 

4. Advisory services and technical support

•  Provide technical advice to key government officials, NGO, UN system and other country office partners on policies, strategies, best practices and approaches on education and other related issues to support program development planning, implementation, and delivery of results.

• Coordinate/ensure the availability of technical experts (with Regional Office/HQ) to ensure timely support throughout all stages of programming/project processes.
• Participate in strategic discussions to influence policy and agenda setting for combating poverty and all forms of discrimination against women/children by advising on and advocating strategies and approaches to promote universal access to an equitable and inclusive education for children in the country.
• Prepare policy papers, briefs and other strategic program materials for management use, information and consideration.
• Participate in country discussions on education emergency preparedness, programming and contingency planning to ensure proactive and appropriate responses are in place to meet onset of emergencies nationally or other designated locations.

 5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building

 

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships through networking and advocacy with local/national governments, UN system agency partners, donors, internationally recognized institutions, NGOs, funding organization, research institutes and private sector to reinforce cooperation and/or pursue opportunities to promote goals and achieve sustainable and broad results on education.
• Prepare communication strategies and implementation plans and activities for maximum communication impact and outreach to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances for sustainable results and support fundraising for UNICEF and Country Office education programmes and emergency interventions.

• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on education and related issues to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda setting. Collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues UNDAF planning and preparation of programs/projects including emergency preparedness.

 

6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Promote critical thinking and innovative approaches and good practices for sustainable education programs/projects initiatives through advocacy and technical advisory services.

• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, introduce and implement best and cutting-edge practices on education management and information systems. Institutionalize and disseminate best practices and knowledge learned.

• Contribute to the development of policies and procedures and introduce innovation and best practices to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programs and projects.

• Organize/plan/implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on education and related programs/projects.

Qualifications

1.  Education

• An Advanced University Degree in education, economics, psychology, sociology or other social science field is required.

2.  Work Experience

• Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible relevant work experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education at the international level, some of which preferably in a developing country is required. Experience working in the UN system agency or UN organisation is an asset. Familiarity with emergency response is an asset.

3.  Language

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset

Competencies

1. 1. Core Values
   2. Core competencies
   3. Functional Competencies:

• Leading and supervising (I)
• Formulating strategies/concepts (II)
• Analyzing (III)
• Relating and networking (II)
• Deciding and initiating action (II)
• Applying Technical Expertise (III)

 

Technical competencies:

Technical competencies must be demonstrated in the following areas:

• Good understanding of the overall global development context, including issues such as: poverty, conflict, and the impact of these factors on education and vice-versa; and inter-sectoral approaches to address such issues in collaboration with other sectors (including Social Policy, Child Protection, Nutrition, WASH, Health and Communications within UNICEF).
• Good knowledge of global developments in education and international engagement strategies, including the application of the equity lens and human rights perspectives to programming.
• Good ability to support policy dialogue: translation of analytical findings and evidence into development programmes and policy discussions around equity and learning with partners, including government, development partners, CSOs and academia in relevant areas.
• Good education sector planning knowledge/ability, including the range of modalities for delivering education, linkages between different sub-sectors (e.g. ECD, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Inclusive Education), cost-effectiveness and efficiency issues, key institutional structures, components and processes, as well as governance issues.
• Good education and policy sector analysis capacity, including understanding of the core education data sets, indicators, tools for analysis of equity, determinants of student access and learning, budget, cost and financing, education system management, political economy and application to education policy and strategic planning.
• Good ability to support engagement with partners (e.g. Sector Wide Approaches, Global Partnership for Education, Education in Emergency Clusters, Education Provider Forums, Delivering as One, Inter-sectoral partnerships such as in ECD), as well as networking with other key partners.
• Good understanding of gender and inequity issues in relation to education and development and the application of gender/equity analysis to policy and planning in education.
• Good understanding of policies and strategies to address issues related to resilience: risk analysis and risk management, education in conflict situations, natural disasters, and recovery for CO and RO based post and where relevant

 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.