PROGRAMME SPECIALIST

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Education (ADG/ED), and the direct supervision of the Director of the UNESCO Office for Iraq, the incumbent plays the role of a programme specialist managing a programme of work. He/she advises and reports on regular and extra-budgetary programme design, guidelines, resources and progress. He/she advocates organizational involvement and participation in mainstream educational activities and will supervise or guide colleagues on particular thematic areas, evaluating progress and performance.  He/she will work under close guidance and in collaboration with the Professional Education Specialists in the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in the Arab States (Beirut).

The incumbent works within the frameworks of UNESCO’s Medium Term Strategy (C/4), the approved Programme and Budget (C/5) and global development plans such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The incumbent of the post will undertake the following responsibility\:

1. Programme Design, Management and Assessment\:

• As part of the UNESCO Office for Iraq's Education team, design, develop, coordinate, monitor and implement the Office's Field Education Strategy and ensure overall coordination of its corresponding programmes, projects and activities. Identify focus areas within national priorities, and when requested by national authorities, align these priorities with Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and development partners approaches and strategies, identify and operationalize inter-sectoral collaboration opportunities in close cooperation with others.  Recommend programme and project approaches, plans, expansion and changes and develop, propose and advocate C/5 thematic inclusions;
• Plan, coordinate and implement significant aspects of the work programme, ensuring a comprehensive sector-wide approach  for the strengthening and development of the education system in Iraq and its alignment with the Education 2030 agenda. Contribute both in terms of substantive aspects, as well as the promotion of cross cutting values (peace, learning to live together, learner well being, gender equality, nexus humanitarian/development), as a reflection of the priorities of Sustainable Development Goal 4 and the region’s Education Support Strategy 2014 to 2021;
• Represent the UNESCO Office for Iraq in UNDAF planning and implementation processes related to education and lead the definition of expanded joint programming with other UN agencies in this field. Represent the Office in the education cluster of the Humanitarian Country Team.

2. Policy Advice\:

• Provide policy advice and technical assistance to Ministries of Education and of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the federal government and well as of the Kurdistan regional government on their priorities and at their request;
• Remain aware of advancements and best practices among development partners and advise the government, stakeholders and colleagues on policy formulation, project development, programmes, resources and best practices and emerging trends.

3. Networking, Communication, Knowledge Management and Partnerships\:

• Plan, develop and implement outreach strategies, aimed at expanding and communicating programmes, UNESCO projects and increasing visibility, resources and partnership;
• Leverage relationships within and across teams at UNESCO while building external partnerships and mobilizing resources with a view to increase the depth and reach of activities. Identify opportunities for increased collaboration on education initiatives and strategies within UNESCO goals.

4. Resources Mobilization\:

• Mobilize extra budgetary resources for expanded UNESCO assistance to education in emergencies as well as longer-term education reform in Iraq in priority areas defined with the government, by consulting partners,  conceiving and preparing project proposals and by engaging with the donor community.

5. Project, Activities and Team Member Management and Assessment and Evaluation\:

• Carry out project management, including backstopping, technical, financial and human resources management. Supervise project consultants, experts, and other service providers, and follow through on the dissemination of results;
• Coordinate and supervise staff, as relevant, of the UNESCO Office for Iraq Field Office’s Education team including, identifying human and technical resource needs, recruitment and performance management, ensuring coherent work processes and outputs.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in education policy, science, engineering, economics, or related field.

Work Experience

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of education and training, of which at least 3 years acquired at the international level. 
• Proven experience in providing policy advice in the field of education.
• Experience in fundraising and resource mobilization.

Skills and competencies

• Excellent coordination and interpersonal skills;
• Analytical skills and ability to collect, synthesize and analyze information from various sources;
• Proven ability to identify emerging development trends and educational needs;
• Ability to provide policy advice and assistance to policy and decision makers;
• Demonstrated ability to plan strategically, and to translate strategy into priorities and action;
• Ability to coordinate and negotiate with partners, network and  different stakeholders;
• Ability to manage staff and teams, and to maintain effective working relationships in a multicultural environment;
• Very good IT skills, knowledge of Media and Information Literacy (MIL).

Languages

• Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English.