Education Officer (School Clustering & Continuous Professional Development), NOB, Temporary Appointment, # 122387- Karachi, Pakistan (364 days)

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.

For every child, Education

Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges. 

UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among others things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, frontline workers and social mobilisers, communities and families, and of course the children and adolescents themselves.  

In particular, UNICEF will work so that:

• Every child survives and thrives — being in good health, immunised, protected from polio and accessing nutritious food.
• Every child learns.
• Every child is protected from violence and exploitation and registered at birth.
• Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

To learn more about UNICEF’s work in Pakistan, please visit the country website www.unicef.org/pakistan and videos on YouTube and Vimeo

UNICEF in partnership with EU, is providing technical assistance to the School Education and Literacy Department (SELD), provincial Government of Sindh (Pakistan) for a EU-funded budget support Development Through Enhanced Education Program (DEEP). The technical assistance program is designed to support education systems reforms prioritized in DEEP covering a wide range of education system components including annual operational planning, management information systems, clustering policy rollout, implementation of the continuous professional development model in the province, improving teachers’ skills for improved children’s learning.

Under the supervision of the Education Manager, the Education Officer will provide professional technical, operational and management support throughout the planning and implementation process of UNICEF Sindh Technical Assistance programme for Education Department of Government of Sindh. The post will support Component 3 Clustering Policy and Continuous Professional Development Implementation in the program, providing technical support to Education department on review and improvement in school clustering model, expanding the cluster policy implementation in terms of cluster based academic and administrative activities as well as development and implementation of continuous professional development model, involving relevant units/wings of education and local Government departments. The post will also be responsible for the work planning and supporting periodic annual and quarterly reviews of the programme.

The post will contribute 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

How can you make a difference?

1. Support to program planning

• Support the preparation, design and updating of the technical assistance plans in consultations with Government counter parts to ensure the plans are responsive to Government needs and are aligned to broader design of the program based on the current and comprehensive data and information available.
• Provide technical and operational support for annual and quarterly Technical Assistance program reviews by executing/administering a variety of technical, program, operational and administrative transactions, preparing related materials/documentations and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support results-based program planning.
• Contribute to the development and rollout of content-based learning cycle modules, training materials and training of teachers in collaboration with technical contractors, Government counterparts and development partners.
• Help supervisor set priorities, strategies and implementation plans of the programme. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance program management, efficiency and delivery.

2. Technical and operational support to program implementation

• Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts and other country and field office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices on education and related issues to support program implementation, operations and delivery of results.
• Conduct regular field visits and surveys and/or exchange information with partners/stakeholders at provincial levels to assess progress and provide technical support, take appropriate action to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.

3. Program management, monitoring and delivery of results 

• Work closely and collaboratively with Country and Field Office education staff, and other internal and external colleagues and partners in the province, to discuss operational and implementation issues related to continuous professional development, provide solutions, recommendations and/or alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and/or decision. Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
• Participate in related monitoring, reporting and evaluation exercises and reviews with other education staff and government counterparts to assess the current plans, and to report on required action/interventions at the higher level of sector management.
• Monitor and report on the use of program resources (financial, administrative and other assets), in collaboration with other staff members, verify compliance with approved allocation/goals, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Report on critical issues/findings to ensure timely resolution by management/stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
• Support in preparing regular/mandated program/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of progress.

4. Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with government counterparts and other stakeholders, through active technical assistance in related meetings, record keeping, and sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate coordination in successful implementation of the continuous professional development model.
• Participate in related meetings/events to collaborate with partners/colleagues. Integrate and harmonize UNICEF position and strategies with the development and planning process as appropriate.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Contribute to identifying, capturing, synthesizing and sharing lessons learned for knowledge development and capacity development of stakeholders.
• Apply innovative approaches and promote good practice to support the development of sound plans, including implementation and progress of continuous professional development for teachers.
• Organize, implement and participate as resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of cluster based, supervisory, district and regional level officials in continuous professional development implementation, management and monitoring.

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

• A University Degree in education, public policy, economics, sociology or other social science field is required.
• A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education is required.
• Relevant experience in education and related areas, in school improvement, dealing with decentralized service delivery in education program/project development and management is an asset.
• Sound knowledge and understanding of supporting teachers’ professional development initiatives.
• Good ability to support development of relevant teaching and learning materials. Previous experience is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

Life at UNICEF

Working at UNICEF is highly rewarding. With attractive remuneration package encompassing competitive pay and benefits, a culture that helps staff thrive and diverse opportunities for personal and professional development, we aim to help you maintain a fulfilling life both at and outside the office.

We make sure you and your loved ones receive the resources and care that you need to thrive. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. Our contracts, wellbeing policies and initiatives ensure that you are well equipped to effectively deliver for children such as;

• Tax exemption, family allowances, hardship benefits, 10 UN holidays and annual leave allowance, maternity, paternity, adoption leave, medical and dental insurance, pension etc.
• Career support, staff wellbeing programme, breastfeeding policy, flexible work arrangements, childcare room, family support, policies & initiatives, security etc.
• UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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:

• The vacancy announcement is open both to internal and external candidates.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• Verified/ attested educational certificates/ degrees by HEC/ foreign institutions are a pre-requisite for employment at UNICEF, as the case may be.
• UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates will be prioritized.
• UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if medical clearance is not obtained/ background check is not successful, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.