Project Officer (Education) at UNESCO

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

• The international community has set an ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It calls for an integrated approach to development. Education and training are central to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
• The vision of the Incheon Declaration  about Education 2030 is fully captured by Sustainable Development Goal 4 “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. Education 2030 devotes considerable attention to technical and vocational skills development, specifically regarding access to affordable quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); acquisition of technical and vocational skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship; elimination of gender disparity and ensuring access for the vulnerable – see also SDG 8 “Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all”.
• Under the overall authority of the Director of the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for West Africa (in Abuja, Nigeria) and the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Specialist, the incumbent will act as the focal point for the overall coordination of the BEAR III project and technical backstopping of TVET, which will also focus on coordination and building partnerships for scaling up of TVET interventions.

Specific tasks and responsibilities:

Coordination and Monitoring

• Coordinate the implementation of the BEAR III project in cooperation with concerned Field Offices and HQ;
• Contribute to set up a collaborative framework between the Regional Office, HQ, concerned Field offices, 4 member states and implementing partners;
• Based on the programme framework, coordinate with National Projects Officers in beneficiary countries, Field offices and the section in charge of TVET at HQ in preparing and updating country programmes documents and work plans for all four participating countries;
• Propose and monitor with Field Offices appropriate adjustment/action in their respective work plans on a regular basis, in line with the overall Programme results framework, priorities and strategic approaches;
• Provide technical expertise to  BEAR III-related  activities  and  programmes  in  close collaboration with concerned UNESCO Field Offices and HQ;
• Conduct reviews and analysis of lessons learned and achievements of BEAR III project activities implementation;
• Contribute to policy analysis and advise governments, ministries and colleagues on programmes development, resources and best practices related to TVET in relation with BEAR III areas of actions;
• Leverage on the good practices and knowledge acquired from the BEAR III beneficiary countries to develop, where appropriate, a programme to share with Non-BEAR III countries in the region;
• Lead the planning and implementation of BEAR III regional activities in cooperation with concerned Field Offices, HQ and UNESCO-UNEVOC.

Communications, Analysis and Reporting

• Prepare briefings, reports, articles and presentations regarding BEAR III;
• Draft documents related to BEAR III project progress and implementation, including BEAR III quarterly progress reports for each country, the annual progress reports and the regional implementation plan for BEAR III, including a work plan for cross-country activities, and the coordinating strategy with the four BEAR III beneficiary countries;
• Prepare consolidated analytical reports on BEAR III country programmes against results matrix for donor reports and provide quality assurance on individual country inputs.

Representation and Coordination with Partners

• Establish and maintain communication with stakeholders and possible partners at regional level in relation with BEAR III;
• Represent UNESCO in conferences and meetings concerned with strategies, policies or programmes in the field of TVET, particularly in relation with BEAR III;
• Identify funding opportunities and partners and develop project proposal for submission and follow-up and maintain working relations with stakeholders and possible partners with a view to ensure sustainability of BEAR III and scale-up of its achievements;
• Develop and strengthen partnerships by engaging with partners working in the area of TVET and skills on BEAR III and other countries in the region;
• Identify and develop opportunities for resource mobilization for other countries in the region to implement projects similar to BEAR III.

Coordination of Project Activities in Nigeria

• Maintain  regular  relations  with  national  counterparts  and  key  stakeholders  in  Nigeria  (Ministries,  TVET providers, regional and local authorities, private sector, etc.);
• Draft  terms  of  reference,  manage  contracts  and  provide  inputs  regarding  BEAR  III  project  activities implementation in Nigeria;
• Ensure a quality achievement of the programme outputs in line with UNESCO qualitative standards and BEAR III results matrix;
• Design a detailed work plan and regularly monitor its implementation in Nigeria.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in education, economics and/or the social sciences.

Work Experience

• Minimum 4 years of progressively responsible relevant experience in the field of education, of which preferably minimum 2 years acquired at international level.
• Experience in the field of TVET, teacher training or labour market analysis.
• Experience working on issues related to youth skills development and employment.
• Experience in coordinating programmes cycle including  planning, management, monitoring and evaluation in the field of TVET.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong analytical skills.
• Strong organization and coordination skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with proven ability to maintain effective working relations within a multi-cultural environment.
• Ability to build and maintain partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Good IT skills, including knowledge of MS software (Word, Excel etc.).

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Work Experience

• Experience and understanding of capacity development in education and training.
• Experience in coordination of a multi-country project.
• Experience within UN agencies and understanding of the UN System.

Skills and Competencies 

• Good knowledge of the changing labour market and the world of work in particular in Africa.

Languages

• Working knowledge of French.
• Knowledge of other UNESCO Official languages (Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish).