UNICEF seeks to recruit a chief education, P-5, Fixed Term Appointment, Khartoum, Sudan

Contexte

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children’s rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.

Sudan, surrounded by the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Libya and South Sudan, positioned next to East, West, South and North Africa, is surrounded by complex conflicts in an unpredictable, volatile and rapidly evolving region. Sudan is by size the third biggest country in Africa, with a diverse population of around 42 million people. Sudan’s children make up half of the total population, and the past two decades have seen their lives significantly improve: fewer girls and boys are dying before their fifth birthday, primary school attendance is increasing, immunization coverage is high and the country remains polio free. Still, millions of children continue to suffer from protracted conflict in Darfur, the Kordofans, and Blue Nile, from seasonal natural disasters, malnutrition and disease outbreaks, and from under-investment in basic social services. More than three million of Sudan’s school aged children are not in the classroom. UNICEF has been in Sudan since 1952 and continues with a presence in 12 of Sudan’s 18 states.

 

How can you make a difference?

The Chief is responsible for managing and leading 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 renewing involvement in secondary education especially, for children who are marginalized, disadvantaged and excluded in society.

The Chief is responsible for leading and managing and establishing the plans of action to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable programs/projects results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM) and UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

This will involve :

• Managerial leadership ;
• Program development and planning ;
• Program management, monitoring and quality control of results ;
• Advisory services and technical support ;
• Advocacy, networking and partnership building ;
• Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building.

 

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

• An Advanced University Degree in education, economics, psychology, sociology or other social science field is required ;
• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible relevant work experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education at the international level, some of which preferably in a developing country is required ;
• Experience working in the UN system agency or organization is an asset ;
• Familiarity with emergency response is an asset ;
• Fluency in English is required; Arabic is a strong asset.

 

Technical Knowledge

Technical competencies must be demonstrated in most of the following areas :

• In-depth understanding of the overall global development context, including issues such as: poverty, conflict and the impact of these factors on education and vice-versa; and inter-sectorial approaches to address such issues in collaboration with other sectors (including Social Policy, Child Protection, Nutrition, WASH, Health and Communications within UNICEF) ;
• Extensive knowledge of global developments in education and international engagement strategies, including the application of the equity lens and human rights perspectives to programming ;
• Strong ability to undertake policy dialogue: translation of analytical findings and evidence into development programmes and policy discussions around equity and learning with partners, including government, development partners, CSOs and academia in relevant areas ;
• Strong education sector planning knowledge/ability, including the range of modalities for delivering education, linkages between different sub-sectors (e.g. ECD, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Inclusive Education), cost-effectiveness and efficiency issues, key institutional structures, components and processes, as well as governance issues ;
• Strong education policy and sector analysis capacity, including understanding of the core education data sets, indicators, tools for analysis of equity, determinants of student access and learning, budget, cost and financing, education system management, political economy and the ability to apply those to education policy and strategic planning ;
• Rigorous programme management in education, including programme design, costing, monitoring and evaluation (including areas like classroom assessment, standardized learning assessment, examinations, impact evaluation) and reporting ;
• Strong ability to engage with partners (e.g. Sector Wide Approaches, Global Partnership for Education, Education in Emergency Clusters, Education Provider Forums, Delivering as One, Inter-sectorial partnerships such as in ECD), as well as networking with other key partners ;
• Strong understanding of gender and inequity issues in relation to education and development and the application of gender / equity analysis to policy and planning in education ;
• Good understanding of policies and strategies to address issues related to resilience for CO and RO based post and where relevant: risk analysis and risk management, education in conflict situations, natural disasters, and recovery.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Our core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. to view our competency framework, please click here.

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

 

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.