Education Officer (Data Management)

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Education Officer (Data Management)

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The New York Declaration of September 2016 and the development of the Global Compact for Refugees (GCR) have established a framework for the international community for a holistic approach to supporting and sustainably strengthening refugee hosting communities and service provision. UNHCR's refugee education strategy emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning with safe access, quality and sustainability of accredited education service provision. The Education Officer (Data Management) is responsible for managing the monitoring and evaluation functions related to UNHCR's education response, including overall programmatic objectives outlined in UNHCR¿s Education Strategy such as national system inclusion, as well as specific projects such as the Educate a Child (EAC) and the youth education programme, under the oversight of the Senior Education Officer. The incumbent will ensure that progress and results of the education programme are monitored, communicated and assessed in a timely, efficient and results-based manner.  S/he ensures that the monitoring and reporting of the programme is aligned to existing monitoring and evaluation related policies, guidance and tools of UNHCR.

The incumbent will develop mechanisms to measure comprehensive enrolment in primary, secondary and non-formal education programming supported by UNHCR, including liaising closely with the Assoc. Education Officer (Monitoring and Accountability) on the DAFI programme and tertiary education initiatives implemented directly by Country Operations. S/he will be responsible to improve UNHCR's existing methods to collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data pertaining to access, equity and quality of education. In collaboration with UNHCR HQ, regional and country-level colleagues, as well as external stakeholders, s/he will identify measures to improve statistical estimates on out-of-school refugee populations including estimating gaps between needs and available opportunities. The incumbent will work in close collaboration with teams in the Division of Resilience and Solutions (DRS), particularly the Economic Inclusion Team and M&E and data management teams. They will also liaise closely with, the Division of International Protection (DIP), the Division of Programme Support and Management (DPSM), as well as the Division of External Relations (DER), the Division of Information Systems and Telecommunications (DIST) and Bureaux and Country Operations, as appropriate.

The incumbent will provide tailored advice to country operations and undertake regular missions to programme countries including for capacity building on M&E. S/he will ensure that the implementation of the education programme is in line with project specific guidelines and donor requirements in terms of quality of the education interventions. S/he will ensure the alignment of M&E functions across the Education Section and strengthen overall reporting mechanisms of the education programme by overseeing the piloting and institutionalisation of the Refugee Education Management Information System (REMIS) including the development and refinement of joint data collection and analysis mechanisms where applicable. Tracking retention in school at all levels and informing programming on strategies to improve retention will be an important focus. The incumbent will improve the collection of education statistics, and pilot models to measure the impact of education of refugees both in countries of asylum and upon return into countries of origin. The incumbent will be responsible to reinforce planning and programming based on improved availability of statistics among others on the transition from primary to secondary and from secondary to tertiary education and to provide guidance to field operations in this respect. S/he will support country offices to monitor and address the specific programmatic challenges and thematic needs operations identify such as access for girls, drop out or measuring learning outcomes.

The Education Section is based in Copenhagen, Denmark, while most DRS staff are based in Geneva. The incumbent of the position will: (i) foster strong links with the Geneva-based colleagues through regular communication and collaboration with DRS and other divisions in Headquarters through consistent phone and written communication and participation at meetings through conference calls, skype, video links, etc.; (ii) ensure coordinated guidance to country operations and partners, linking closely with colleagues in Geneva; and (iii) build contacts relevant to the programme with internal and external stakeholders in Copenhagen.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability
- The monitoring and evaluation functions of UNHCR's education response are developed and further refined to ensure optimal planning and implementation.
- The multi-year monitoring mechanisms and related information / data collection mechanisms for all components of the education programme are reviewed and strengthened.
- Baselines, benchmarks, risks and assumptions are identified and effectively used to inform programming.
- Progress and results of all components of the education programme monitored, reported and assessed.
- Country Operations and Bureaux are provided with technical advice and support on monitoring and evaluation.
- Lessons learned and good practices are collected, documented, and disseminated.
- Regular statistical and other M&E related progress reports are prepared and shared internally and externally under the overall guidance of the Senior Education Officer and the Senior Education Advisor.

Responsibility
- Manage the monitoring and evaluation functions related to UNHCR's education response.
- Ensure that the progress and results of UNHCR's education programmes are monitored, communicated and assessed in a timely, efficient and results-based manner enabling multi-year results monitoring.
- Oversee the roll-out and implementation of the REMIS and develop and reinforce M&E mechanisms, tools and frameworks related to the education programme in general and the Education Strategy in particular.
- Create effective tools to measure levels of national system inclusion and track progress on a regular basis.
- Develop guidance and training material to support M&E in the field.
- Manage M&E for specific projects such as EAC, the Youth Education Programme and other initiatives.
- Monitor and report on progress and results internally and externally.
- Track and analyse progress towards agreed outputs of all components related to UNHCR's education response by setting-up and refining existing monitoring mechanisms and related information / data collection mechanisms.
- Summarize progress information and data in a timely and user-friendly manner through agreed upon formats such as briefing notes, background materials or others and on an ad hoc basis when and where needed.
- Support UNHCR¿s internal monitoring and results-based management efforts and regularly measure progress towards UNHCR¿s standards and strategic priorities.
- Identify potential risks or challenges emerging from monitoring information and inform the Senior Education Advisor and other relevant stakeholders.
- Define and communicate required reporting details (timing, format, content, etc.).
- Provide M&E support and capacity building to country operations, in particular to education officers and education focal points and Bureaux/Divisions by remote support and by undertaking regular missions.
- Provide advice and guidance on monitoring tools, templates and approaches for the education programme.
- Ensure the effective roll out and implementation of the REMIS and the use of harmonised M&E tools across all operations.
- Support education focal points in effectively applying the country level results and monitoring framework for education.
- Provide guidance on the selection of outputs and indicators in Country Operations Plans, data collection tools and minimum data sets for education as well as on data collection, compilation and analysis.
- Conceptualise and carry out adapted M&E trainings at regional and field level as needed.
- Assess interest in, and if in demand, establish a Community of Practice on Refugee Education M&E.
- Conduct field assessments with specific M&E related objectives through desk reviews and country missions as appropriate.
- Ensure visibility of accurate refugee education data at global level and through research, advocacy and communications initiatives and engagement with internal and external stakeholders
- Ensure refugee education data is included in global statistical publications by liaising with UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report, UNESCO Institute for Statistics contributing to the International Observatory on Equity and Inclusion in Education and efforts to monitor SDG 4, in particular Target 4.5.
- Conceptualise, collate data and produce annual UNHCR publication on the state of refugee education.
- Strategically promote inclusion of refugees in national Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) with governments.
- Represent the UNHCR Education Section in relevant research, advocacy, and public information events.
- Support research initiatives in the field of refugee education data.
- Ensure effective Knowledge and Information Management including the documentation of good practices and lessons learned.
- Conceptualise, validate, implement and maintain an effective Knowledge and Information Management System for UNHCR¿s education programme overall.
- Design a template for documenting lessons learned and good practices on education considering cross-sectoral linkages amongst others with Livelihoods, Comprehensive Solutions, Community Based Protection, Child Protection, SGBV, and Gender programming.
- Encourage submission of lessons learned and good practices from the field, compile and, if necessary, edit lessons learned documents received from regional/ country based education officers and other relevant stakeholders.
- Circulate lessons learned documents among HQ, regional and country-level colleagues for comments, feedback and sharing and utilize the information to inform reports on progress and impact with the aim of creating a repository of good practices.

Authority
- Manage the monitoring and evaluation functions at Headquarters level in consultation with the Senior Education Officer and the Senior Education Advisor.
- Strengthen and refine monitoring mechanisms and related information / data collection mechanisms for education and align them with other sectors.
- Produce accurate refugee education data and information for internal and external distribution.
- Create a system of a repository of good practices, compile and issue lessons learned documents.
- Assess the needs for and coordinate regular thematic/regional evaluations of the education programme.
- Represent the UNHCR Education Section in relevant research, advocacy, and public information events.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Undergraduate degree in Law, Political Science, Gender Studies, Social Anthropology, Socio-economics or other related fields plus minimum 6 years of professional experience in monitoring and evaluation, programme management, project management, knowledge management or results based management, out of which 2 years in the field. Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's) plus 5 years or Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus 4 years of previous relevant work experience may also be accepted.
- Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation approaches in humanitarian settings and/or development settings.
- Knowledge of project and results based management.
- Demonstrated solid knowledge on education and its impact to protecting and identifying solutions for refugees.
- Knowledge of the UN and UNHCR¿s mandate generally, and policies and procedures related to education.
- Demonstrated strong analytical / research skills, critical thinking.
- Demonstrated organizational skills: the ability to work independently with minimum supervision and productively in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent written and spoken English skills.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Experience in developing guidelines and/or training materials is an asset.
- Proficiency in written and spoken French is highly desirable. C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
X001L3 - Analytical Thinking Level 3
X005L3 - Planning and Organizing Level 3
X008L3 - Stakeholder Management Level 3 <p>The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.</p>
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See below for this postion's Operational Context
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For those people applying for High Risk Duty Stations, we strongly encourage them – before deciding to apply- to read the country specific security and welfare country profiles which can be found on the Intranet under Support Services - Duty of Care (https://intranet.unhcr.org/en/support-services/duty-of-care.html). Ensuring staff are better informed is part of the increased attention UNHCR is paying to Duty of Care.

Staff after having applied to High Risk Duty Stations will have access to country specific information webinars with Field Safety Section (FSS) and Staff Welfare Section (SWS) colleagues and provided with a tool to test their psychological preparedness for serving in High Risk Duty Stations. Applicants who applied for a position in a High Risk country will receive, after the deadline for applications has expired, a joint invitation from the Staff Welfare Section (SWS) and the Field Safety Section (FSS) to participate in these webinars. During the Webinars, latest updates on security and well-being will be provided, and FSS and SWS will address questions raised by participants. Applicants are highly encouraged to benefit, when applicable, from all measures as they provide most up-to-date security and well-being information helpful to assess staff’s readiness to serve in a High Risk Duty Station. A Staff Welfare Officer will also be available, if and when required, to discuss with interested applicants the results of the psychological preparedness tool as well as readiness for assignment in High Risk Duty Stations.

University degree in law, political science, gender studies, social anthropology, socio-economics or other related field

-Minimum 8 years (BA degree) or 6 years (MA degree) of professional experience in monitoring and evaluation, programme management, project management, knowledge management or results based management, out of which 2 years in the field.

-Expert knowledge of monitoring and evaluation approaches in humanitarian settings and/or development settings

-Expert knowledge of project and results based management

-Demonstrated solid knowledge on education and its impact to protecting and identifying solutions for refugees

-Knowledge of the UN and UNHCR¿s mandate generally, and policies and procedures related to education

-Excellent written and spoken English skills

-Demonstrated strong analytical / research skills, critical thinking

-Demonstrated organizational skills: the ability to work independently with minimum supervision and productively in a fast-paced environment

-Flexible work attitude: the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and to handle requests or issues as they arise

-Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: the ability to successfully and effectively communicate with people in a multi-cultural environment

- Given the support required to francophone countries, proficient written and spoken French is highly desirable. The New York Declaration of September 2016 and the development of the Global Compact for Refugees (GCR) have established a framework for the international community for a holistic approach to supporting and sustainably strengthening refugee hosting communities and service provision. UNHCR's refugee education strategy emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning with safe access, quality and sustainability of accredited education service provision. The Education Officer (Data Management) is responsible for managing the monitoring and evaluation functions related to UNHCR's education response, including overall programmatic objectives outlined in UNHCR¿s Education Strategy such as national system inclusion, as well as specific projects such as the EAC and the youth education programme, under the oversight of the Senior Education Officer. The incumbent will ensure that progress and results of the education programme are monitored, communicated and assessed in a timely, efficient and results-based manner.  S/he ensures that the monitoring and reporting of the programme is aligned to existing monitoring and evaluation related policies, guidance and tools of UNHCR. Position located in Copenhagen. - The incumbent will develop mechanisms to measure comprehensive enrolment in primary, secondary and non-formal education programming supported by UNHCR, including liaising closely with the Assoc. Education Officer (Monitoring and Accountability) on the DAFI programme and tertiary education initiatives implemented directly by Country Operations. S/he will be responsible to improve UNHCR's existing methods to collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data pertaining to access, equity and quality of education. In collaboration with UNHCR HQ, regional and country-level colleagues, as well as external stakeholders, s/he will identify measures to improve statistical estimates on out-of-school refugee populations including estimating gaps between needs and available opportunities. The incumbent will work in close collaboration with teams in the Division of Resilience and Solutions (DRS), particularly the Economic Inclusion Team and M&E and data management teams. They will also liaise closely with, the Division of International Protection (DIP), the Division of Programme Support and Management (DPSM), as well as the Division of External Relations (DER), the Division of Information Systems and Telecommunications (DIST) and Bureaux and Country Operations, as appropriate,.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the September 2018 Compendium is Thursday 18 October  2018 (midnight Geneva time).