CHIEF OF UNIT

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Education (ADG/ED), the direct supervision of the Director of the UNESCO Office in Santiago de Chile and Regional Bureau for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and in close collaboration with the Senior Education Specialist responsible for the Education 2030 lead and coordination, the incumbent, within the broad regional reference framework of the Right to Education,  will be expected,  as Chief of Unit, to lead and manage the Unit on Teacher Development,  a key working area in a region characterized by Middle-Income Countries and education reform processes.  His/her responsibilities will support the efforts of the Regional Office to refocus its programmes and strategies to respond to education needs and trends, in light of UNESCO’s mandate to lead and coordinate the Regional Programme for Education 2030 (E2030) within the framework of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG-4 (Education).

The expected results of his/her work relate to the products and impact of interventions in the area of Teachers as a critical component of the regional programme i.e. the “Regional Strategy on Teachers”, and the provision of high level advisory services, directly and through a multi-disciplinary team of staff and experts, with a particular focus on teachers and school leadership at all levels of the education system, the teaching profession, teacher-related policies, teacher education and training, including the use of ICTs through pre- and in-service teacher training.  He/she will be expected to perform the following essential responsibilities\:

• Manage and lead the UNESCO's Regional Strategy on Teachers in response to country requirements relating to teachers and school leadership, teaching profession, teacher-related policies, including accreditation, evaluation and certification, minimum teaching standards, teacher education and training programmes, use and application of ICTs into teaching and learning, and the application of research from the Latin American Laboratory for Assessment of the Quality of Education (LLECE), hosted by UNESCO Santiago.
• Supervise, manage and lead a multi-disciplinary team of staff and experts to respond timely and effectively to requirements of both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in teacher-related issues and on a demand-driven basis, through a Results Based Management (RBM) approach. Coordinate and ensure high quality synergies with other UNESCO transversal areas e.g. education for sustainable development (ESD), inclusive education, TVET, global citizenship education (GCED), HIV & AIDS education, etc.
• Contribute substantively and strategically to the design and implementation of the Regional Education Programme E2030, working in collaboration with other sections of the Office while ensuring alignment with UNESCO’s strategic planning documents (C/4 and C/5) and compliance with the SDGs. Ensure and maintain a consistent collaboration through the Regional Strategy on Teachers with UNESCO Offices and Institutes in the region and with the relevant Sections/Units at HQs.
• Contribute to the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive communication and resource mobilization strategy with particular reference to the assets, potential and outreach of the Unit under his/her supervision.

Education

Work Experience

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible relevant professional experience in the field of teacher education and training, education policy, both at national and at least 3 years at the international level.
• Experience in managing staff and teams.
• Proven experience in formulating, implementing and monitoring teacher-related policies, strategies and programmes in areas such as accreditation, certification, teaching standards and school-based leadership.

Skills/Competencies

• Demonstrated skills in resource mobilisation through negotiation and effective engagement with development partners and donors.
• Proven ability to draft high quality, clear, concise documents and reports.
• Excellent coordination, interpersonal and communication skills.
• Demonstrated leadership, management and organisational skills.
• Very good IT skills.

Languages

• Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English and very good knowledge of Spanish.

Education

Work Experience

• Familiarity with the work and functioning of the UN System including key mechanisms such as the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), UN Country Team (UNCT), Delivering As One and other joint UN Programming and UN inter-agency initiatives.
• Experience in a field duty station with proven experience in providing expert advice in teacher related policies and education and training, preferably in the LAC region.

Skills/Competencies

• Capacity to build, develop and maintain partnerships and collaborate with a range of partners and to ensure high level coordination and cooperation among staff and stakeholders.
• Good knowledge of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Languages

• Good knowledge of French.