Mission and objectives

UNESCO’s mission is to contribute to the building of a culture of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information

Context

The UNESCO Office in Maputo, established in 1994, contributes to build peace through international cooperation in education, sciences and culture. UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.’ UNESCO works to attain quality education for all, focusing on gender equality and adult literacy, to mobilize scientific knowledge and science policy for sustainable development, to preserve cultural heritage, promote cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, and to empower people through the free flow of ideas and access to information and knowledge. To achieve these objectives, UNESCO works closely with national and local authorities and civil society, participating actively in the work of the UN Country Team in Mozambique collaborating closely with other development partners in the country. In the area of education, which is the concern of this assignment, UNESCO works closely with national and local authorities, UN partners, civil society and development agencies to support Mozambique to meet the goals outlining in the Transforming Education Agenda and support overall progress of the SDGs (UNESCO is coordinator of SDG4 for education). Educational leadership responsibilities both globally and locally require additional human resources to support management in these tasks.

Task Description

Working under the authority of the Head of Office and the direct supervision of the Senior Education Coordinator in UNESCO Mozambique, the UNV will assist the Education Unit with its work on the SDG4 – Education 2030 Agenda in the country, which focuses on building a quality inclusive education system, supporting education system responses to contemporary challenges for sustainable development and culture of peace and non-violence, and reinforcing leadership for Education 2030 through advocacy, partnership and monitoring. The UNV will specifically be responsible to support the implementation and the coordination of the following activities: • UNESCO role’s as co-chair (with UNICEF) of Strategic Priority One (Human Development) of the current UNSDCF 2022-2026; • The planning, implementation and monitoring of advocacy activities jointly organized with networks and partners; • The development of joint programmes and projects with other UN agencies; • The identification of key internal and external stakeholders and opportunities for professional collaboration and partnerships on education issues and learning assessments; • Supporting UNESCO participation in the Common Country Assessment (CCA) planned for 2025 and related work undertaken through the UN Sustainable Development Country Strategic Framework (UNSDCF) with a view to UNESCO assuring its role in education leadership as well as an active member of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Mozambique; • The mobilization of resources to support sector-wide planning, education policy analysis, education sector assessment and sector management among Member States in the country in line with national policy priorities, key UNESCO regional and global programming frameworks; • Periodic reviews, reporting and the sharing of information related to UNESCO’s programming in education. Representation and partner relations • Represent UNESCO in appropriate coordination forum; • Engage with both national authorities and civil society; • Support UNESCO’s participation in regional structures and processes when required

Competencies and values

Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNESCO technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNESCO procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNESCO in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority; Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance and commitment towards UNESCO mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

Living conditions and remarks

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. This position is based in the UNESCO Country Office for Mozambique, located at 240 R. da Frente de Libertacao de Mozambique in Sommerschield I. National UN Volunteers are part of the Malicious Insurance Plan. Conditions of Service for national UN Volunteers The contract lasts for the period indicated above with possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. The applicable Volunteer Living Allowance is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Life, health and permanent disability insurance are included (health insurance for up to 3 dependents – except for UN Community Volunteers), as well as final repatriation (if applicable). You can check full entitlements at https://app.unv.org/calculator . Furthermore, in non-family duty stations that belong to hardship categories D or E, as classified by the ICSC, a Well-Being Differential (WBD) will be provided monthly

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements