Education Project Officer

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Recruitment open to: Internal as well as External

Application Deadline (Midnight Duty Station Time): 28 July 2025 (Pakistan Standard Time)

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. This strategic approach aims to achieve sustainable development and improved learning outcomes for all children by 2028, aligning with the vision of the Balochistan Education Sector Plan (BESP) and addressing key capacity gaps in the education system. The SCG programme specifically targets enhanced access to quality learning at the ECE and primary levels through:

a. Comprehensive policy development.
b. Gender-responsive institutional policies.
c. Professional development of education personnel.
d. Strengthened education sector coordination.
e. Establishment of an integrated Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) framework.

Under the overall authority of the Officer-in-Charge/Head of Office of UNESCO in Pakistan, direct supervision of the Head of Education and the 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. The role involves managing contracts and finances, ensuring compliance with GPE guidelines and UNESCO procedures, and addressing risks proactively to prevent delays or inefficiencies. By producing quality reports, the officer ensures transparency and accountability while supporting evidence-based decision-making.

MAIN TASKS OR SERVICES

Programme Planning and Implementation

• 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.
• 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.
• Facilitating the prioritization of activities, allocating resources efficiently, and addressing logistical needs of the programme team.
• Preparing a variety of procurement-related documents, contracts, communications, guidelines, instructions, etc.
• 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

• Drafting, reviewing, and finalizing contracts, partnership agreements, and amendments in compliance with GPE and UNESCO administrative procedures, ensuring they align with project objectives, timelines, and budgets.
• Monitoring contract execution to ensure adherence to agreed deliverables, timelines, and budgets, tracking compliance with UNESCO regulations and reporting discrepancies for corrective actions.
• Preparing, monitoring, and managing budgets, undertaking budget revisions, ensuring financial resources are allocated appropriately, expenditures align with approved plans, and any deviations are addressed promptly.
• Identifying risks associated with contract implementation and proposing corrective measures to the Head of Education to mitigate potential delays and ensure continuity of activities.
• Fostering exchanges of information, experiences, identifying new strategies of action to improve delivery of services and to achieve the project requirements and objectives.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Monitoring programme activities to ensure alignment with the SCG Programme objectives, Partnership Compact, and Education Sector Plan, identifying and addressing any deviations.
• Collecting, analyzing, and reporting data to assess the effectiveness of programme interventions, identify areas for improvement, and ensure evidence-based decision-making.
• Preparing and submitting quality progress and financial reports for both internal use and external stakeholders, ensuring accurate documentation that meets audit and evaluation requirements.
• Preparing periodic reports, briefs and presentations for sharing with donors and stakeholders, effectively communicating programme progress, challenges, and impacts.
• Supporting the design, as well as the periodic update and revision, of the detailed country project document, work plan and budget.
• Identifying implementation partners and providers of goods and services.
  Developing terms of references for external vendors and partners and in the recruitment of consultants and experts.
• Monitoring implementation of the contracts, assessing the quality of services provided and requesting disbursement of funds.
• Undertaking additional tasks assigned by the Officer-in-Charge/Head of the Office and/or Head of Education, ensuring adaptability to evolving priorities.

Expected Results:

• Timely and Aligned Programme Implementation

A comprehensive work plan for SCG activities is developed, regularly updated, and implemented in alignment with the Balochistan Partnership Compact and Education Sector Plan, ensuring effective coordination with provincial teams and timely execution of interventions.

• Efficient Contractual and Financial Management

All contracts and partnership agreements are executed in full compliance with UNESCO and GPE procedures, with timely disbursement of funds, minimal financial deviations, and clear documentation of lessons learned and corrective actions.

• Enhanced Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

A robust M&E system is operationalized, enabling timely collection and analysis of performance data, resulting in evidence-based decision-making and submission of high-quality progress and financial reports to internal and external stakeholders.

• Strengthened Institutional Coordination and Capacity

Institutional coordination mechanisms are reinforced through regular engagement with stakeholders, efficient resource allocation, and effective support to national and provincial teams, contributing to improved delivery of educational services under the SCG programme.

• Risk Mitigation and Adaptive Programme Management

Key risks to programme delivery are proactively identified and mitigated through early warning mechanisms and adaptive planning, ensuring uninterrupted implementation and achieving targeted education outcomes in Balochistan.

Accountability (C)

Communication (C)

Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)

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

A combination of an advanced degree and practical experience in international development work on education may be substituted for the fields mentioned.

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

2. Proven experience of collaborating with government agencies, international organizations, UN agencies, or other key stakeholders in the education sector.

3. Comprehensive expertise across the project lifecycle, including planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.

4. Familiarity with project management and reporting requirements for donor-funded programmes

Knowledge, Expertise, 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.
• Proven ability in contract and financial management, including budgeting and reporting.
• Excellent skills in project monitoring and evaluation, including data collection, analysis, and evidence-based decision-making.

IT Skills:

Excellent IT skills, including office productivity tools and online collaboration tools.

Language Requirements:

• IT Skills:

  Excellent IT skills, including office productivity tools and online collaboration tools.

  Language Requirements:

  Excellent knowledge of Urdu and English, both spoken and written.

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.
Experience and knowledge of working with UN agencies, or GPE contract management procedures and standards.
Experience in coordinating with multiple stakeholders, including government counterparts, implementing partners, and contractors.
Experience in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) frameworks.

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.

The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as an interview.

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.

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