Education Specialist, P-4, MENA Region

This is a Generic Vacancy Announcement for various posts in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Region.

The Education Specialist is accountable for supporting the development, design, planning, implementation and management of the education programme within his/her area of responsibility, in collaboration with other programmers, sectors, governments, and key partners. The Education Specialist provides technical guidance and operational support throughout all stages of programming to facilitate the management and delivery of results. These include strengthening national education systems to improve learning outcomes and promoting universal access to equitable and inclusive primary/early childhood education, especially for children who are marginalized, disadvantaged and excluded in society.

Key Expected Results

1. Contribute toward the 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.
2. Provide leadership and technical support to achieve UNICEF's key priorities in basic education, including early childhood education, primary and secondary education, alternative approaches to basic education and education in emergencies.
3. Participate in sectoral analysis to enhance planning and advocacy around equity issues in education, providing inputs to situation analyses and education sector analyses, in collaboration with government and development partners, academia and other programmes and sectors.
4. Formulate, implement and monitor the sectoral work plan and activities, ensuring alignment with country, regional and global priorities and approaches.
5. Carry out education programme delivery, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting in compliance with established guidelines and procedures.
6. Achieve effective advocacy, communication, knowledge management and networking, in line with country/regional/global contexts and aid effectiveness principles..
7. Provide effective fundraising and resource mobilization for education programmes, leveraging existing resources for UNICEF's support to education where relevant.
8. Provide support to ensure the assessment of emergency preparedness, identification of needs for emergency support, and delivery of coordinated emergency responses.

P-4 Chiefs of Education in Country Offices will achieve the following additional results:

1. Promote government commitment toward equity, learning and innovation in education through advocacy and policy dialogue with the government, local stakeholders, and external partners operating in the education sector.
2. Ensure UNICEF's accountability for the disbursement of funds, including supply and non-supply assistance, as relevant to the country programme context.

P-4 Education Specialists in Country Offices will achieve the following additional result:

1. Promote and monitor government commitment toward equity, learning and innovation in education through advocacy and policy dialogue with the government, local stakeholders, and external partners operating in the education sector.

P-4 Education Specialists in Regional Offices will achieve the following additional results:

1. Lead and support data analysis, strategy development and coordination in the priority areas of the Strategic Plan to help facilitate high quality implementation of regional and country strategies developed in collaboration with technical colleagues and management at country, regional and HQ levels.
2. Provide guidance and support to strengthen the formation of strategic alliances with national partners and influence programme strategies and planning.
3. Enhance the monitoring of results and knowledge management at Regional and Country Offices through capacity development support.
4. Participate in Regional Office review exercises contributing toward programme quality assurance and oversight.
5. Provide support to increase regional financial resources through effective advocacy and leveraging.
6. Contribute toward the monitoring, evaluation and advocacy processes by providing inputs to the collection, analysis and reporting of regional information, with an emphasis on the disaggregation of data to monitor inequities and disparities, including gender.
7. Contribute toward cross-sectoral work, covering areas such as gender, children with disabilities, adolescents, emergencies and resilience, and early childhood development.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Education

• An advanced university degree in education, economics, psychology, sociology or other social science field is required.

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.
• International work experience/developing country experience required, preferably in the Middle East & North Africa Region.
• Experience working in the UN system agency or UN organization is an asset. Familiarity with emergency response is an asset.

Language Proficiency

• Fluency in English required, and good knowledge of Arabic highly desirable.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

Core Values

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

Core Competencies

• Communication
• Working with People
• Drive for Results

Functional Competencies

• Leading and supervising
• Formulating strategies/concepts
• Analyzing
• Relating and networking
• Deciding and initiating action
• Applying Technical Expertise

Remarks

This is a Generic Vacancy Announcement for various posts in the Middle East & North Africa Region, including both Family and Non-Family Duty Stations.

Successful candidates will be placed in a Talent Group. While this does not guarantee a position with UNICEF, as positions become available, successfully placed candidates in the Talent Groups will be reviewed and if found suitable, may be offered placement.

Contracts may be Fixed Term (FT) or Temporary Appointment (TA).

Previous applicants to this GVA need not apply.

HOW TO APPLY:

Visit us at www.unicef.org/employ to register in our system and search for the detailed Vacancy Announcement using key words “GVA”, or “Education” or “MENA”. Closing date 29 January 2016.

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.