Education Cluster Coordinator, P-4, Mogadishu, Somalia

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children's rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.

For every child, a champion

UNICEF Somalia played a key role in making sure that child-focused data, with attention to gender and minorities, was included in the country’s first national development plan in 30 years. We have been tackling issues such as child mortality, better access to health services, severe malnutrition, and stronger child rights. We are working with partners to address the alarming food insecurity and malnutrition levels in Somalia. We are supporting community based reintegration programs for children released from armed groups, and are working on developing a social protection policy. We are also conducting robust HACT implementation.

Join our team and help us make sure every child has a champion.

How can you make a difference? 

On behalf of the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Humanitarian Coordinator in Somalia and UNICEF and Save the Children(as co-lead agencies for the IASC Education cluster), and in collaboration with the State Authorities, the main purpose of the Education Cluster Coordinator post is to provide technical leadership and facilitate the processes that will ensure a well coordinated, coherent, strategic, and effective education cluster response in Somalia by a mobilized and adequately resourced group of agencies, organizations, NGOs, local communities etc and  assists the Government of Somalia and state authorities in Education cluster visioning, strategy formulation and the articulation of a ‘Road Map’ to provide adequate Educational responses to emergency-affected populations. The Education Cluster Coordinator will also keep the cluster lead agencies (UNICEF and Save the Children) appraised of strategic issues through regular meetings.

Inclusion of key humanitarian partners:

• Ensure inclusion of key Education humanitarian partners in a way that respects their mandates and programme priorities
• Act as focal point for inquiries on the Education cluster’s response plans and operations.

Establishment and maintenance of appropriate humanitarian coordination mechanisms:

• Ensure appropriate coordination between all Education humanitarian partners (national and international NGOs, the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, etc…), through establishment/maintenance of appropriate Education Cluster/sector coordination mechanisms, including working groups at the national, zonal, and regional levels, 
• Promote Education emergency response actions while at the same time considering Education within recovery and development planning through close interaction with the Education Section; Ensure inter-cluster and programme response planning with other Cluster/sector groups specifically in the areas of protection, school feeding and water and sanitation
• Represent the interests of the Education Cluster/sector in discussions with the Humanitarian Coordinator and other stakeholders on prioritization, resource mobilization and advocacy;

Coordination with national/local authorities, State institutions, local civil society and other actors:

• Ensure that Education humanitarian responses build on local capacities;
• Ensure appropriate links with national and local authorities, State institutions, local civil society and other relevant actors (e.g. peacekeeping forces) and ensure appropriate coordination and information exchange with them.

Attention to priority cross-cutting issues:

• Ensure integration of agreed priority cross-cutting issues in Education assessments, analysis, planning, monitoring and response (e.g. age, diversity, environment, gender, HIV/AIDS and human rights);
• Ensure effective and coherent Education assessment and analysis, involving all relevant partners.

Planning and strategy development:

• Developing/updating agreed Education response strategies and action plans and ensuring that these are adequately reflected in the overall country strategies, such as the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).
• Drawing lessons learned from past Education activities, revising strategies and action plans accordingly;
• Developing an exit, or transition, strategy for the Education interventions and key Cluster/sector partners.

Application of standards:

• Ensure that Education cluster/sector participants are aware of relevant policy guidelines, technical standards and relevant commitments that the Government/concerned authorities have undertaken under international human rights law;
• Ensure that Education responses are in line with existing policy guidance, technical standards, and relevant Government human rights legal obligations.

Monitoring and reporting:

• Ensure adequate monitoring mechanisms are in place (with OCHA support) to review impact of Education interventions and progress against implementation plans. This specifically needs to include an analytical interpretation of best available information in order to benchmark progress of the emergency response over time. That is - monitoring indicators (quantity, quality, coverage, continuity and cost. Target population data including desegregation by sex, age etc...) of service delivery which are derived from working towards meeting previously defined standards.
• Ensure adequate Education impact reporting and effective information sharing (with OCHA support) to demonstrate the closing of gaps.

Advocacy and resource mobilization:

• Identify core Education advocacy concerns, including resource requirements, and contribute key messages to broader advocacy initiatives of the HC, UNICEF and other actors;
• Act as the media spokesperson for the sector;
• Advocate for donors to fund Education actors to carry out priority Education activities in the sector concerned, while at the same time encouraging Education actors to mobilize resources for their activities through their usual channels.

Training and capacity building:

• Promote and support training of Education humanitarian personnel in areas such as Minimum Standards for Emergency Education and capacity building of humanitarian partners, based on the mapping and understanding of available capacity;
• Support efforts to strengthen the Education capacity of the national/local authorities and civil society.

Qualification of Successful Candidate

• Education: Advanced University degree in areas of Education, teacher education, Primary & secondary education, Special education, education strategies, education economics, ECD, Early Childhood education or related field. *First university degree with additional two-years of relevant work experience is acceptable in lieu of an advanced university degree
• Work Experience: Eight (8) years of professional work experience. Four of which should be in direct Education emergency experience of which two would be based in the field at a Team Leader/Education programme management level, 2 years experience of responding to first phases of an emergency and minimum of 2 years experience with either the UN and/or NGO. 
• Language Proficiency: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of the local language of the duty station is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Our core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

This position is classified as “rotational” which means the incumbent is expected to rotate to another duty station upon completion of their tour of duty.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

Remarks

* The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment MUST be available to commence work within 31 days of receiving an offer.

* Please note that this is a non-family duty station.

* Employment is conditional upon receipt of medical clearance, any clearance required, the grant of a visa, and completion of any other pre-employment criteria that UNICEF may establish. Candidates may not be further considered or offers of employment may be withdrawn if these conditions are unlikely to be met before the date for commencement of service.