NATIONAL EDUCATION PROJECT OFFICER

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Parent Sector: Education

Duty Station: Islamabad

Standard Duration of Assignment: 1 year (renewable subject to funds availability and satisfactory performance)

Type of contract: Service Contract

Level: SC9

Duration of contract: 1 year

Recruitment open to: Internal as well as external

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 17.02.2025

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

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) supports the implementation of the Balochistan Partnership Compact (2024-2028), which prioritizes policy reforms, increased investment, and gender-responsive actions to ensure equitable and quality learning opportunities for all children. This support is provided through the System Transformation Grant (STG), System Capacity Grant (SCG), and the Girls' Education Accelerator Grant (GEA). The STG is managed by UNICEF and the World Bank as Grant Agents (GAs), while UNESCO serves as the GA for the SCG, focusing on strengthening educational policies, promoting gender equality, building institutional capacities, and ensuring equitable access to Early Childhood Education (ECE) and primary education.

Under the overall authority of the Officer-in-Charge/Head of Office of UNESCO in Pakistan, direct supervision of the Head of Education, and close daily operational coordination with the National Education Coordination Officer (Balochistan), the National Education Project Officer plays a key role in the SCG Programme planning, implementation, and monitoring, ensuring alignment with objectives, timelines, and education sector plans.

More specifically, the National Education Project Officer will be responsible for the following functions:

Programme Planning and Implementation:

1. Developing periodic updating detailed work plans and timelines for SCG Programme activities at the provincial level, ensuring alignment with the overarching Partnership Compact and Education Sector Plan.
2. Working closely with the UNESCO Education team, National Education Coordination Officer (Balochistan), Admin/Finance team, and MEAL team to ensure the timely planning, implementation of activities, resource disbursement, monitoring, and availability of logistics to support programme execution.
3. Facilitating the prioritization of activities, allocating resources efficiently, and addressing logistical needs of the programme team.
4. Preparing a variety of procurement-related documents, contracts, communications, guidelines, instructions, etc.
5. Maintaining a tracking system and database to monitor adherence to contractual/ partnership agreements, performance requirements, and respect of delivery schedules; recommending amendments and extensions of contracts/ partnerships, as necessary; advising parties on contractual rights and obligations; and generating necessary periodic and ad-hoc reports as required, documenting lessons learned and recommendations.

Contract and Financial Management:

1. Drafting, reviewing, and finalizing contracts, partnership agreements, and amendments in compliance with GPE and UNESCO administrative procedures.
2. Monitoring contract execution to ensure adherence to agreed deliverables, timelines, and budgets.
3. Preparing, monitoring, and managing budgets, ensuring financial resources are allocated appropriately.
4. Identifying risks associated with contract implementation and proposing corrective measures to the Head of Education.
5. Fostering exchanges of information, experiences, identifying new strategies of action to improve delivery of services.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting:

1. Monitoring programme activities to ensure alignment with the SCG Programme objectives.
2. Collecting, analysing, and reporting data to assess the effectiveness of programme interventions.
3. Preparing and submitting quality progress and financial reports for both internal use and external stakeholders.
4. Preparing periodic reports, briefs, and presentations for sharing with donors and stakeholders.
5. Identifying implementation partners and providers of goods and services.

Accountability (C)

Communication (C)

Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)

Education
Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) in Project Management, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field from a recognised institution.

Work Experience
Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in project planning, implementation, management and coordination, preferably in the education sector.

Skills and competencies

• Strong organization and coordination skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with proven ability to maintain effective working relations within a multi-cultural environment.
• Effective communication skills for preparing and presenting reports, briefs, and progress updates.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to work effectively, set priorities, and work within tight deadlines.
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation methodologies.
• Ability to draft high-quality, clear, concise documents, and reports.
• Ability to build and maintain partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent presentation skills and ability to communicate effectively.
• Excellent IT skills, including office productivity tools and online collaboration tools.
• Proven ability in contract and financial management, including budgeting and reporting.

Education
Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Education, ICT in Education, Science (STEM) or a related field from a recognized institution.

Work Experience
Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in project planning, implementation, management, and coordination within the education sector.

Languages
Good knowledge of other local languages spoken in Balochistan.

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.

UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.

Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.