Education Specialist at UNICEF

Purpose of the Position

Accountable for planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of Education programme(s) to ensure overall efficiency and effectiveness of the programme management, delivery and accomplishment of programme goals and objectives. Across the Education programme(s), accountable for identifying gender inequalities in education, and for developing innovative approaches and programmes to eliminating these inequalities. Collaborates across the programme(s) to ensure gender mainstreaming. Ensures that monitoring mechanisms are in place to track progress towards disparity reduction goals and targets in Education.
Promotes intersectoral partnerships in order to ensure that progress benefits mutually education and other programmes, in particular Health, Nutrition, Water and Environmental Sanitation.
Contributes to synergize the work of United Nations agencies in Education for all Goals including in humanitarian actions, working closely with the Education cluster within the inter-agency standing committee (IASC).

Key Expected Results

1. Timely sectoral analysis, input, support and collaboration to the Situation Analysis and its periodic update made for effective programme planning, development and management, in a gender-specific framework. Partnership with the stakeholders, including knowledge institutions strengthened to further understanding of barriers to and opportunities for advancing the 3 priorities themes (the "3Es") - Equal access and universal primary completion, Empowerment through girls' education and gender mainstreaming, Emergencies and post-crisis education cluster interventions.
2. Knowledge management effectively promoted through drafting/finalizing key Education sectoral programme documents and reports, sharing good practice, lessons learned, and knowledge/information exchange, with partnerships and collaborative relationships with all stakeholders, capitalizing on the know-how and network of knowledge institutions.
3. Rights-based Education programming effectively promoted, and coherence, synergy and value added to programme management process through results-based management. The four core partnerships as well as selective partnerships on specific issues and themes or regional concern, such as education and HIV, abolition of school fees... exploited efficiently in order to formulate common advocacy position, develop policy guidance and influence allocation of resources on behalf of education.
4. Sectoral work plan and activities formulated, implemented and monitored, ensuring alignment with the defined programme strategies and approaches, and gender mainstreaming across programmes. UNICEF contribution reflected as part of the coordinated support of external partners to national efforts to achieve the MDGs 2 and 3.
5. Programme delivery, evaluation and reporting carried out efficiently and transparently in compliance with the established guidelines and procedures.
6. UNICEF's global goals effectively promoted through advocacy and policy dialogue in the Education sector.
7. Proper and timely UNICEF and Government accountability ensured regarding supply and non-supply assistance as well as disbursement of programme funds for the Education sector. The four core partnerships in education - Education for All Global Action Plan (EFA - GAP), Education for All Fast Track Initiative (EFA - FTI), The United Nations Girls Education Initiative (UNGEI ) and Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Education Cluster for Education in Emergencies - catalyzed to accelerate progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals 2 and 3.
8. Effective communication and networking achieved through partnership and collaboration, focusing on the 3 priority themes (the "Es") and the 2 cross-cutting areas - Early child development and school readiness and Enhancing quality in primary and secondary education - which reflect UNICEF comparative advantage and expectation that donors and partners have on UNICEF ability to help country to achieve the MDGs.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Education
Advanced university degree in one or more of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Education; Primary Education, or a Social Science field relevant to international development assistance.
Work Experience
Five years of progressively professional work experience at national and international levels in field programmes relevant to Education programmes.
Experience working in the UN or other international development organization an asset
Experience in national level development assistance is an asset
Experience with addressing gender disparities an asset
Background/familiarity with Emergency
Language Proficiency
Fluency in English and a second UN language required.
Knowledge of Portuguese, local language an added asset.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking;
Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment;
Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals;
Has good leadership skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear;
Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives;
Analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources;
Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments;
Identifies urgent and potentially difficult decisions and acts on them promptly; initiates and generates team- and department-wide activities;
Demonstrates and shares detailed technical knowledge and expertise.

Remarks

The New and Emerging Talent Initiative (NETI) is an entry point for dynamic professionals interested in an international career with UNICEF. Aside from the qualifications indicated in the job description for this post, all NETI programme applicants must also meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Completion of an advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) at the time of application;
2. Proficiency in English and another official language of the United Nations;
3. Readiness to be assigned to any UNICEF office worldwide, including hardship duty stations;
4. At least 2 years of relevant work experience for functions at the P-2 level, and at least 5 years of relevant work experience for functions at the P-3 level. Relevant experience should include work in developing countries and in multicultural environments.
   All applicants will be required to complete a technical test questionnaire at the time of application. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and will therefore advance to the next stage of the competitive selection process, which involves various additional assessments including a language proficiency test.
   For more information on the NETI Programme, please visit the UNICEF website: www.unicef.org/neti

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 organization.

How to apply:

Click here and submit your application through UNICEF's e-recruitment system.