Chief Education (NO4), FT, Brasília, Brazil, post# 68000 (For Brazilians Nationals)

UNICEF Brazil is looking for an established Education professional to lead our programme portfolio in Education covering UNICEF flagship initiatives and partnerships in the sector. We are looking for a well-established senior professional, with experience in leading programmes and partnerships for large scale, sustainable impact for Brazil’s most vulnerable children and adolescents. This is an exciting opportunity to join UNICEF Brazil’s to lead the Education team as part of a broader, multi-layered team working across thematic areas, geographies and issues. The position is based in Brasilia and has overall accountability for leading, managing and coordinating UNICEF’s flagship Education programmes and related partnerships, including Busca Ativa Escolar, Trajetorias de Successo Escolar, Deixa que eu Conto, as well as the 1Mio initiative and UNICEF’s work on re-imagining education in the post-pandemic context. The position will also contribute to cross-sectoral programming to address the needs of Brazil’s most vulnerable children and adolescents, including in the areas of Early Childhood Development, Violence Prevention and Response and Adolescent Development and Well-Being..

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.

Since 1950, UNICEF has supported the most important transformation for children and adolescents in Brazil. Currently, UNICEF Brazil is implementing its 2017-2022 Country Programme, which concentrates efforts towards boys and girls most excluded, vulnerable and exposed to extreme forms of violence, mainly in the Amazon and Semiarid regions and the peripheral areas of large cities, through the Municipal Seal of Approval and Urban Centres initiatives. In most recent years, UNICEF programming has included two emergency response, one in the context of the Venezuelan Migration Crisis in the North of the country and one to address and mitigate the impact of the COVID pandemic on the most vulnerable children and adolescents.

For information of the work of our organization in Brazil, please visit our website: UNICEF Brazil  

For every child, Education

Job Context

Under the direction and guidance of the Brazil Deputy Representative for Programme, the Education Manager provides strategic guidance and overall coordination of the country office Education Programme Portfolio. The incumbent will be responsible for the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of education interventions, including strategy, programming, advocacy and fund-raising for education initiatives, with a focus on delivering lasting, equitable education results for Brazil’s most vulnerable children and adolescents.  The incumbent will also be responsible to nurture and guide the education officers and focal points both at Brasília as well as at the territory zonal offices.

Purpose of the Position

How can you make a difference?
The Education Manager is responsible for designing, managing and supervising all stages of education programs/projects from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of results on strengthening national education systems to improve learning outcomes, universal access to and equitable and inclusive primary/early childhood education and renewed involvement in secondary education, especially for children who are marginalized, disadvantaged and excluded in society. S/he leads a group of professional and support staff to develop and manage the education programme in country.

Key Accountabilities and Duties & Tasks

1. Managerial leadership

- Establish the Section’s annual work plan with the education team; set priorities/targets and performance measurement. Monitor work progress and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards.

- Establish clear individual performance objectives, goals and timelines; and provide timely guidance to enable the team to perform their duties responsibly and efficiently. Plan and ensure timely performance management and assessment of the Team.

- Supervise team members by providing them with clear objectives and goals and direction and guidance to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.

2. Program design and strategy development

- Provide technical assistance and operational support to ensure that current comprehensive and evidence-based data are available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy advocacy, intervention and development efforts on education programs and to set program priorities, strategies, design and implementation plans.

- Keep abreast of national/regional/international development priorities on education to leverage UNICEF position and competencies with donors, national governments, communities and constituents to advocate/promote education initiatives and policies.

- Supervise the development of education programs/projects (as a full component of the CO and/or UNDAF programs). Establish plans of action, program goals and results, using results-based planning methodology and terminology (RBM).

- Guide/coordinate the timely preparation of program recommendation and related documentation for inclusion in the Country Office Program recommendation ensuring alignment with the overall UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.

- Collaborate with national/global colleagues/partners/allies to develop partnerships framework to address specific needs and to leverage resources for enhancing education programs/projects. Ensure synergy, integration, coherence, and harmonization of programs/projects with UNICEF Strategic Plans and priorities, donors’ development strategies/policies, national priorities/competencies and UN System development interventions/initiatives.

3. Program management, monitoring and quality control of results

- Plan and/or collaborate with monitoring and evaluation initiatives to establish benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators, to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results on education programs.

- Participate in major monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to engage stakeholders to take required action/interventions to achieve results.

- Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in program and management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.

- Monitor programs/projects to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.

- Plan, approve, monitor, certify and control the use of program resources (financial, human, administrative and other assets) certifying/verifying compliance with organizational rules, regulations and procedures, donor commitments and standards of accountability and integrity. Ensure timely reporting and liquidation of resources.

- Submit/prepare program/project reports to donors and other partners to keep them informed on program progress and critical issues.

4. Advisory services and technical support

- Provide technical advice to local/national government officials, sector stakeholders and civil society on strategies and best practices to influence the design and implementation of public policies and delivery of results on education programs and related issues.

- Participate in strategic discussions to influence policy and agenda setting for combating all forms of discrimination against children by advising on and advocating strategies and approaches to promote universal access to and equitable and inclusive education for children in the country.

5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building

- Build and strengthen strategic partnerships through networking and advocacy with local/national governments, UN system agency partners, donors, internationally recognized institutions, NGOs, funding organizations, research institutes and private sector to reinforce cooperation and/or pursue opportunities, leverage funds, to promote goals and achieve sustainable and broad results on education programs.

- Prepare communication strategies and implementation plans and activities for maximum communication impact and outreach to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances for sustainable results and support fund raising for UNICEF and Country Office programs on education.

- Participate and/or represent UNICEF in policy discussions and planning on education and related issues to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated at national level, as well as in the UN inter-agency development planning and agenda setting process. Collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues the UNDAF planning and preparation of programs/projects including emergency preparedness.

6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

- Promote critical thinking and innovative approaches and good practices for sustainable education programs/projects initiatives through advocacy and technical advisory services.

- Keep abreast, research, benchmark, introduce and implement best and cutting edge practices on education and management. Institutionalize and disseminate best practices and knowledge learned.

- Contribute to the development of policies and procedures and introduce innovation and best practices to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programs and projects.

- Organize/plan/implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on education and related programs/projects.

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

Education

- An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in education, economics, psychology, sociology or other social science field is required.

Experience

- A minimum of eight (8) years of professional progressive work experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education, at the national and/or international level, is required.  

- A track record in delivering equitable, sustainable education results for the most vulnerable children and adolescents.

- Previous work experience at supervisory/ managerial level is a requirement.

- Past work experience in a developing country context is considered an asset. 

- Familiarity with emergency response is considered an asset.

Language

- Fluency in Portuguese and English is required. Knowledge of an additional UN Language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish) is considered 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...

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

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:

Candidates must be Brazilian citizens or have a valid work permit.

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

All candidates who wish to apply to this Vacancy Announcement are requested to prepare and submit their application in English.