Education Manager (Learning), P4, at UNICEF

The Education Manager provides management and advisory support to the Chief of Education, serves as OIC in the Chief’s absence, technical assistance to colleagues and technical support to key government officials and partners. S/he builds and strengthens strategic partnerships, supports the development of policies and procedures, and oversees innovation, knowledge management and capacity building.

Responsibilities include:

• Oversee the learning and quality agenda and provide technical guidance in the design, implementation, and expansion of quality early childhood education, both at the federal and state levels.
• Coordinate, advocate for, and oversee scaling and implementation of evidence-based and workable Foundational Literacy and Numeracy models.
• Oversee and coordinate the development, documentation, evidence generation, and implementation of effective teacher professional development systems, plans and programs.
• Design and coordinate the development of the skills development strategy and support field offices in its implementation.
• Lead the design of programmes on formative assessment and ensure that results of systemic assessment are used to inform teacher development and curriculum design
• Design appropriate teaching and learning materials in support of curriculum implementation
• Advise on workplan priorities, programme development, planning, management, monitoring and evaluation, and quality control.
• Formulate programme proposals aligned with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, Country Programme and other key frameworks and manage the use of programme resources.
• Prepare communication strategies, implementation plans, policy papers, briefs, and other knowledge products; and
• Represent UNICEF in inter-agency discussions and consultations with key stakeholders.

Technical competencies must be demonstrated in the following areas:

• 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, Gender, Adolescence, WASH, and Communications within UNICEF).
• Strong knowledge of global and regional developments in education and international engagement strategies, including the application of the equity lens and human rights perspectives to programming.
• Strong 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.
• Strong education sector planning knowledge/ability, educational financing, including the range of modalities for delivering education, linkages between different sub-sectors (e.g. ECD, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Inclusive Education, Alternate/Non-formal), cost-effectiveness and efficiency issues, key institutional structures, components and processes, as well as governance issues.
• Strong 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 (public financing of education), and financial management in education systems; political economy; and education policy and strategic planning.
• 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.
• Strong understanding of gender, disability 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 for CO and RO based post and where relevant.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have...

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields: education, economics, psychology, sociology, or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of eight years of professional experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education is required.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered an asset.
• Familiarity/ background with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English language, strong written and verbal skills.  Knowledge of another official UN language or the local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.