Associate Programme Specialist (Communities of Practice)

OVERVIEW

Post Number : 3ARIEP0013PA

Grade : NO-B

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Argentina

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Project Appointment

Duration of contract : 1 year

Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 19-APR-2020

 

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

 

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

As the only specialized organization with the mandate to support educational policy, planning and management, the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) plays a unique role within the United Nations system. IIEP was established in 1963 as an integral part of UNESCO. It supports ministries of education around the world and other key actors to plan and manage education systems through its programmes of training, technical assistance, policy research and knowledge sharing. Follow this link for more information about IIEP’s global role.
This position is located in IIEP’s Buenos Aires Office.

 

Under the overall authority of the Director of IIEP and immediate supervision of the Head of Office of IIEP Buenos Aires, and within the framework of IIEP’s mandate and Medium-Term Strategy, the incumbent will coordinate the Community of Practice and support the Technical Cooperation activities of IIEP Buenos Aires.

The incumbent will advise on the strategic development of the Community of Practice, manage its implementation, lead the interaction with users, and report on the delivery of results against objectives as well as support the design, implementation and quality control of technical cooperation projects. The incumbent will provide support, leadership and guidance to consultants working on the community of practice and technical cooperation projects and during their involvement in missions related to these.  The incumbent will assist the Head of Technical Cooperation with administrative and financial management of these projects. More particularly, the incumbent will:

1)    Coordinate the Community of Practice of IIEP BA (currently called “RED de Especialistas en Política Educativa”): 

• In cooperation with the Head of Technical Cooperation, develop the agenda of the project and adopt strategies for its implementation.
• Identify and design the thematic content of the RED.
• Plan the RED’s activities and develop strategies for their continuous improvement.
• Monitor the user’s participation in the RED (especially that of representatives from Ministries of Education) and encourage communication and interaction among these. 
• Support the identification of focal points in Ministries of Education, and establish and maintain a direct contact with these.
• In the thematic groups of the RED, select and supervise the moderators, monitor members’ activity and coordinate the development of new strategies to encourage interaction among group members.
• Manage the design and development of the platform and supervise the work of programmers, designers, etc. 
• Coordinate the work groups (Mesas de Trabajo) by managing the communication with interested Ministries, preparing both the thematic content as well as logistic aspects of the work groups, moderating these in cooperation with the Head of Technical Cooperation and following up with participants if required. 
• Coordinate the technical dialogues (Diálogos Técnicos Regionales) by identifying technical topics of interest to the education ministries of the region, as well panellists from technical teams of ministries of education, and elaborate summaries of the technical dialogues.
• Identify potential needs for technical cooperation that may emerge during work groups, technical dialogues as well as any other interaction within the RED.

 

2)    Support the design, implementation and quality control of technical cooperation projects:

• In cooperation with the Head of Technical Cooperation, identify, conceptualize and design both regular and extra-budgetary projects in accordance with IIEP´s Medium Term Strategy and Member State needs.
• Participate in the supervision and coordination of projects and provide the necessary support to guarantee quality and efficiency of projects.
• Participate in the implementation of field missions to different countries of the region in accordance with project requirements.
• Develop the input for project and other reports in accordance with the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan of IIEP and participate in the regular updating of information in project portfolio management system.

3)    Support the management of technical cooperation projects:

• Support the Head of Technical Cooperation in the administrative and financial management of projects.
• Contribute to the identification and mobilization of resources for projects through Member States, U.N. agencies, foundations, donors, and other development organizations  
• Participate in the supervision of consultants and interns working on technical cooperation projects.
• Develop input for the communication tools and materials as well as digital platforms of IIEP.

 

4)    Participate actively in team meetings within IIEP and maintain good working relations and cooperation with the research and development and training teams, as required by the institute.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial) Communication (C) Accountability (C) Innovation (C) Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C) Planning and organizing (C) Results focus (C) Teamwork (C) - For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

•   Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in education, public policy, public management, economics, statistics, or in related fields of social sciences.

Work experience

•    Minimum two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in designing and implementing projects in the field of educational planning and/or management.

Skills and competencies

•    Excellent understanding of the educational systems of Latin America and the education policy agenda of the region.
•    Advanced knowledge of the theory and practical application of the techniques used in education planning.
•    Knowledge of Communities of Practice (CoP) and professional networks on-line and off-line.  
•    Ability to communicate with high-ranking public servants with tact and diplomacy.
•    Ability to work d in a multicultural environment and develop positive collegial relationships.
•    Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
•    Ability to work proactively and adapt to changing circumstances.
•    Strong oral and written communication skills, including capacity to write clear prose.
Languages

•    Excellent knowledge of Spanish and English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Work experience

• Experience in education policy-making and/or policy implementation.
• Experience in building partnerships with diverse audiences.
• Experience in building and sustaining Communities of Practice (CoP) and professional networks on-line and off-line.

Languages

•    Knowledge of Portuguese.

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

 

UNESCO salaries consist of a net base salary plus a post adjustment sum which varies from duty station to duty station. Other benefits include 30 days annual leave, maternity and paternity leave, an education grant, a family allowance, medical insurance and a generous pension plan. 

For more information about the benefits and entitlements for International Professional Staff, please follow this link ICSC website.

ASSESSMENT

 

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include a written test followed by a competency-based interview.

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