External Vacancy Announcement: Chief Education, (P-5), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia #13192

UNICEF Ethiopia is looking for a seasoned professional who will be accountable for the development, design, planning, implementation and management of the Education programme within the country programme. If you have the required profile, you are highly encouraged to apply. Taking up this assignment is motivating and rewarding.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Hope

Purpose:

To develop, manage and administer the sectoral or inter-sectoral programme. Promotes intersectoral partnerships in order to ensure that progress in education benefits to other programmes, in particular Health, Nutrition, Water and Environmental Sanitation, and similarly, progress in other sectors benefits to education.

How can you make a difference?

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primary, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of duties and key results.

1. Programme Planning, Development and Management.

Manage effectively programme, sectoral or inter-sectoral collaborative partnerships in planning, development and management by supervising, coordinating, or supporting the timely completion of the Situational Analysis and its periodic update through accurate and complete monitoring and analysis and the timely preparation or finalization of sectoral input. Ensure timely submission.

Through links with the Extended Education Cluster (Global & Regional), monitor developments at the international, regional and provincial levels; develop methodologies and new approaches for improving Education programme effectiveness, capitalizing on the partnerships with knowledge institutions.

Provide seasoned technical recommendations and advice on major programme directions and on introduction of new initiatives in the country, within the framework of UNICEF’s Education Strategy, in consultation with strategic partners.

2. Promotion of UNICEF Global Goals.

Promote the organization goals of UNICEF through advocacy and policy dialogue in the Education sector, by actively engaging in communication, networking and participation at every opportunity inside and outside UNICEF, leveraging the strength of UNICEF mission, goals and programmes. Exploit the four core partnerships in education with key players – UNESCO, World Bank, Un Agencies and other members of UNGEI – to accelerate progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals 2 and 3.

3. Knowledge Management.

Ensure effective knowledge management by drafting or finalizing sectoral documents and reports such as the Country Programme Recommendation and Plans of Action as well as through sharing with the Extended Education Cluster on implementation experience, lessons learned knowledge gained and information / data exchange.

Conduct orientation and training programmes to help build capacity of Government counterparts.

Strengthen partnership with the stakeholders, including knowledge institutions strengthened to further

understanding of barriers to and opportunities for advancing the 3 priorities themes (the “3Es”) and build capacity of Government, counterparts and all other education actors (parents, communities, teachers, education administrators and planners…).

4. Rights-Based Programming through Results-Based Approach.

Promote rights-based Education Programming through the formulation of appropriate goals, strategies and approaches. Bring coherence, synergy and added value to sectoral or programme management processes using a results-based management approach to planning and design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Exploit efficiently the four core partnerships as well as selective partnerships on specific issues and themes or regional concern, such as education and HIV, abolition of school fees… in order to formulate common advocacy position, develop policy guidance and influence allocation of resources on behalf of education. Support maintenance of information system for monitoring gender/sex disaggregated data.

5. Sectoral Work Plan Development, Implementation, and Monitoring.

Responsible for development of the sectoral work plan, which reflects UNICEF contribution as part of the coordinated support of external partners to national efforts to achieve the MDGs 2 and 3, as well as implementation and monitoring of assigned programme/sectoral activity, ensuring compliance with programme strategies and approaches; provide training, support and guidance to sectoral team.

6. Programme Delivery, Evaluation and Reporting.

Ensure programme, sectoral or inter-sectoral efficiency and delivery through a rigorous and transparent approach to evaluation. Participation in major evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sector review meetings with government counterparts with involvement of all stakeholders. Ensure the preparation of annual Education sector status reports with contribution of all major partners.

7. UNICEF and Government Accountability.

Coordinates with Operations and Supply staff on supply and non-supply assistance activities ensuring proper and timely UNICEF and Government and all implementing partners accountability; and to orientate and train Government and UNICEF implementing partners in UNICEF supply and non-supply policies and procedures.  Certifies disbursements of funds, monitors and submits financial status reports to management in compliance with the regulations and guidelines.

8.  Communication, Collaboration, Networking and Partnership.

Provide technical and policy advice to the Senior Programme Officer (Programme Coordination) on Education programme or sectoral strategies, planning and implementation; provide interpretation of guidelines, global strategy and organizational policy, contributing to the development of new guidelines through the programme cycle.

Ensure exchange of information, experience, identify new strategies and courses of action to accelerate/improve delivery of services and achieve Education programme requirements and objectives.

Conduct field visits to monitor programmes and collect information. Conduct periodic programme reviews with Government counterparts and other partners.

Collaborate with other in-country partners to engage with and support the Government in developing a national education sector support plan or other appropriate plans and priorities

Coordinate with Regional Advisers and HQ Officers. Collaborate with other Project or Programme Officers to ensure the integration of the project/sectoral programme with other sectors.

Collaborate with the Operations Section and Government authorities to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of Education project or sectoral planning and implementation, to coordinate financial and supply management requirements as well as to ensure accountability.

Interact with Government and other partners, NGOs, UN and bilateral agencies in the different stages of EDUCATION programme implementation to follow up on agreements and recommendations. Provide technical support and guidance on appropriate technical, financial and institutional capacity building measures to achieve Education programme goals.

In line with the Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) in Humanitarian Action, strengthen partnerships with the Education humanitarian actors within the Inter-Agency Standing Committee. (IASC), for preparedness, contingency planning and response.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in the combination of the selective disciplines relevant to the following areas: Education; Primary Education, Economics, Social Sciences, or a field(s) relevant to international development assistance.
• A minimum of ten (10)years of relevant professional experience at national and international levels in field programmes relevant to Education programmes. 
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Core Competencies

· Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)

· Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (3)

· Works Collaboratively with others (3)

· Builds and Maintains Partnerships (3)

· Innovates and Embraces Change (3)

· Thinks and Acts Strategically (3)

· Drives to achieve impactful results (3)

· Manages ambiguity and complexity (3)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.