The Ugandan Jobline

Job Title:  Education Specialist

Organisation: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Duty Station:  Mbarara, Uganda

Level: P-3

About US:

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is mandated by the UN general assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

Job Summary:  Under the guidance and general supervision of the Adolescent Development Manager (Level 4) the Specialist supports the development and preparation of the Education and skilling programmes for the second decade and is responsible for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reporting the progress of education programmes/projects, particularly the PROSPECT programme funded by the government of Netherlands and implemented in partnership with the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, ILO and UNHCR within the country programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of results on education programmes/projects to facilitate the management and delivery of results on strengthening education outcomes in response to the covid-19 pandemic for refugees and other marginalized adolescents through formal and non-formal pathways, .

The Specialist contributes to achievement of results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), as well as UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance, and accountability framework. More specifically, the incumbent will ensure quality implementation of the UNICEF interventions on education as well as skilling adolescents from foundation to transferable skills under a joint programme “PROSPECT” with UNHCR, ILO, IFC and the World Bank in refugee hosting districts in Uganda, and expansion of this work in other districts of Uganda.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:  

In the execution of this role, the incumbent will provide technical assistance/advice to colleagues on all aspects of programming and implementation to enable colleagues to achieve programme objectives. He/she will provide advice to the ADAP Manager in developing strategies and determining priorities/targets and performance measurement in education and skilling of adolescents through formal and non-formal pathways. He/she will provide support to coordinating work programme monitoring and ensuring results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards and report critical issues for timely action.

Support to programme development and planning

• Support the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis for the education programmes to ensure that current and comprehensive data on education issues, including education humanitarian response, is available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy, advocacy, intervention and development efforts on education programmes.
• Participate in strategic programme discussion on the planning of education programmes. Formulate, design, and prepare programme proposals for the sector, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plans and Country Programme and coherence/integration with the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.
• Help supervisor set priorities, strategies, design, and implementation plans. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance programme management, efficiency, and delivery.
• Ensure timely and quality implementation of UNICEF programme interventions under a joint programming initiative PROSPECT with UNHCR, ILO, IFC and the World Bank in refugee hosting districts in Uganda, including re-programming and developing innovative approaches relevant to education response to COVID-19 in these districts.
• Establish specific goals, objectives, strategies, and implementation plans for the sector using results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for programme review and approval.
• Work closely and collaboratively with internal colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine national priorities to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results, including education refugee response.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and to ensure integration, coherence, and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.

Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Plan and collaborate with internal colleagues and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence, and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector on education programmes.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
• Prepare and assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths, and weaknesses in programme management.
• Identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
• Actively monitor programmes/projects through field visits and surveys, and exchange information with stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems, and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Monitor and verify the optimum and appropriate use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative, and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity, ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
• Prepare regular and mandated programme reports for management, donors, and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and country office partners and donors on interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices and approaches on Skilling and related issues to support programme management, implementation and delivery of results, particularly those under the PROSPECT programme. .
• Arrange/coordinate availability of technical experts with Regional Office/HQ to ensure timely and appropriate support throughout the programming process.
• Participate in education programme meetings including programme development and contingency planning to provide technical and operational information, advice, and support.
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use.

Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders, global partners, donors, and academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity, exchange knowledge/expertise and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results on education programmes, particularly with the other agencies implementing the PROSPECT programme and the with the donor- local Embassy of the Government of Netherlands.
• Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships and support fund raising for education programmes.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions on education and related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF planning and preparation of programmes/projects ensuring organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda setting.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best practices in education management. Assess, institutionalize, and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on education and related programmes/projects.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal applicant must hold a university degree in one of the following fields is required: education, economics, psychology, sociology, or another relevant technical field.
• At least five years of professional experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education- particularly in the field of Skilling of adolescents and Youths is required.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• 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.

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates desiring to serve the United Nations in the aforementioned capacity should express their interest by visiting the UN recruitment website at the link below.

Click Here

Deadline: 13^th December 2021

For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline

Related Jobs