Education Specialist - UNICEF (Apply by: January 7, 2016)

JOB DESCRIPTION
Education Specialist, UNICEF, Delhi

EDUCATION SPECIALIST, NOC, NEW DELHI
Level: NOC
Location: New Delhi
Closing date: 7th January 2016

If you are a passionate and committed professional and want to make a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you.

UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s rights organization working for the rights of children, seeks a fixed term appointment for the post of Education Specialist.

PURPOSE OF THE POST:

The UNICEF ICO programme priority “All Children in School and Learning” emphasizes the need to focus more clearly on learning, in line with UNICEF’s global and regional shifts towards the right to learn. Available evidence indicates that even when children attend school, they are often not attaining basic literacy and numeracy skills, with poor quality education leading to poor learning outcomes.

With this shift in focus on learning, the Education Specialist in this post will provide the technical expertise to develop and provide guidance at the national and state levels on improving key aspects of education quality, within the framework of child-friendly schools, and using large scale diagnostic assessment (NAS) and formative or classroom-based evaluation (CCE) to feed into teacher education reform and the improvement of teaching and learning practices and school management and leadership.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Support to strategy development and planning in relation to quality education/learning: Design and prepare a strategy for the sector to promote quality education and learning, ensuring coordination and alignment with regional/organizational strategies and linkages with child-friendly schools and systems within the framework of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act. Oversee and monitor the implementation of this strategy, providing technical support and guidance to Education Specialists in Delhi and state offices.

2. Technical and operational support to promote quality education and learning: Provide technical guidance and operational support to national and state level government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and country office partners/donors on promoting quality education and improving learning outcomes and teaching and learning practices, including promoting the use of learning assessments, developing strategies, tools and guidance materials and sharing best practices and approaches. Arrange/coordinate availability of technical experts with Regional Office/HQ to ensure timely/appropriate support throughout the programming/projects process. Participate in education program meetings including program development and contingency planning to provide technical and operational information, advice and support. Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic program materials for management use, information and/or consideration.

3. Evidence building and knowledge management: Provide technical support and guidance to build the evidence base on promoting quality education and improving learning outcomes, including initiation and conduct of research, analysis and use of existing data and information, and establishing a repository of resources, tools and information, both national and international. Develop programme linkages with key institutes and partners in India and abroad. Apply/introduce innovative approaches and good practice to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders. Keep abreast of, research, benchmark and implement best practices with respect to promoting quality education and enhancing learning. Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned. Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of state and national government counterparts and partners.

4. Monitoring and delivery of results: Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks and indicators with respect to quality education and learning, building on global, regional and national indicators, benchmarks and experience (including learning assessment tools such as PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS, and classroom-based assessment methodologies such as CCE in India), and based on CFSS guiding principles and checklists and RTE norms and standards. Develop performance indicators and other measures to assess/strengthen performance accountability. Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results. Undertake field missions to identify bottlenecks and potential problems and provide necessary guidance and technical assistance. Monitor and verify the optimum/appropriate use of sectoral program resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity and ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources. Prepare regular/mandated program/project reports for management, donors and partners.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

a) Education
An Advanced University Degree in education, economics, psychology, sociology or other social science field is required.

b) Work Experience 
A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in social development planning and management in education and related areas in India is required. Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.

c) Languages 
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of local language is an asset

d) Competency Profile

i) Core Values (Required)
• Commitment 
• Diversity and Inclusion 
• Integrity

ii) Core Competencies (Required)
• Communication [ II ] 
• Working with People [ II ] 
• Drive for Results [ II ]

iii) Functional Competencies (Required)
• Leading and supervising (I)
• Formulating strategies and concepts (II)
• Analyzing (III)
• Relating and networking (II)
• Deciding and Initiating action (II)
• Applying technical expertise (III)

If you meet the above mentioned requirements, please send the following documents to esnd-unicef@sams.co.in by 7th January 2016:

• A completed and signed Personal History form (P-11) - mandatory
• An updated CV
• A letter of motivation

The Personal History form (P-11) should be which can be downloaded from http://www.unicef.in/Careers. Completion of all fields is required.

In order to ensure that your application is sorted correctly, please clearly mention the title and location of the post in the subject line of your e-mail/application. Only applications of short listed candidates will be acknowledged. This vacancy is open to Indian Nationals only.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organizations.

UNICEF does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process including application, interview, meeting, traveling, processing, training etc.

UNICEF is a non-smoking working environment.