Education Specialist (Safe Schools), NOCUNICEF

How can you make a difference?

• Under the overall guidance of the Education Manager, the Specialist supports the development and preparation of the Education (Safety) programmes and is responsible for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reporting the progress of education programmes/projects within the country programme.
• The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of results on education programmes/projects to improve learning outcomes and equitable and inclusive education, especially for children who are marginalized, disadvantaged and excluded in society.
• The Specialist contributes to achievement of results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), as well as UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance, and accountability framework.

Summary of Key Functions/Accountabilities:

• Support to programme development and planning
• Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
• Technical and operational support to programme implementation
• Networking and partnership building
• Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

Requirements
 To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

• Advanced University Degree in one of the following fields: Education, Economics, Psychology, Sociology, or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education is required.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Familiarity/ background with emergency is considered as an asset.
• Fluency in English and another UN language. Fluency in the national language of the duty station is an asset.

Technical competencies:

• Strong 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).
• Strong knowledge of global developments in education and international engagement strategies, including the application of the equity lens and human rights perspectives to programming.
• Ability to support policy dialogue: translation of analytical findings and evidence into development programme and policy discussions around equity and learning with partners, including government, development partners, CSOs and academia in relevant areas.
• 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.
• Education and policy sector analysis capacity, including understanding of the core education data sets and indicators; tools for analysis of equity; determinants of student access and learning; budget, costing, and financial management in education systems; political economy; and education policy and strategic planning.
• Strong programme management in education, including programme design, costing, monitoring and evaluation and reporting.
• Strong 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.
•  Strong understanding of policies and strategies to address issues related to resilience: risk analysis and risk management, education in conflict situations, natural disasters, and recovery
• Indepth understanding of contemporary issues that affect education e.g  providing  and coordinating education in emergencies, addressing impact of climate on education and incorporating climate literacy into the education sector.
• Knowledge of alternative education approaches and learning pathways for out-of-school children (OOSC) including understanding of digital learning as ways of improving access and equity to education etc.  

 For every Child, you demonstrate:

• UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)