Education Specialist job in Zambia


UNICEF Zambia is looking for suitably qualified candidate to fill the following vacancy:

Education Specialist-NOC (Quality)
The contract is for twelve months with possible extension, to be based in Lusaka. The Specialist will be working on the Quality component of UNICEF Zambia’s education programme, including literacy and numeracy acquisition, teacher professional development, and school management strengthening. The Specialist will work under the close supervision of Chief of Education. The Specialist will be required to complete the following tasks:

  • Support the preparation/design and conduct/update of situation analyses for the education programmes/projects and/or sector to ensure that current comprehensive and evidence-based data on education issues are available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy advocacy, intervention and development efforts on education programmes and to set priorities, strategies, design and implementation plans
  • Participate in strategic programme discussion on the planning of education programmes/projects.
  • Formulate, design and prepare programmes/projects proposal for the sector, ensuring alignment with the overall UNICEF’s Strategic Plans and Country Programme and coherence/integration with UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDF)
  • Establish specific goals, objectives and strategies and implementation plans for the sector/s using results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM)
  • Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies and to determine national priorities/competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results
  • Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors
  • Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurement to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector on education programmes
  • Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results
  • Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in programme and management
  • Actively monitor programmes/projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress
  • Monitor and verify the optimum/appropriate use of sectoral programme 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
  • Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders and global partners/allies/donors/academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity, exchange knowledge/expertise and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results on education programmes
  • Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for education programmes
  • Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and country office partners/donors on interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices and approaches on education and related issues to support programme management, implementation and delivery of results
  • Participate in education programme meetings including programme development and contingency planning to provide technical and operational information, advice and support
  • Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration

Competencies

Core Values

  • Commitment
  • Diversity and inclusion
  • Integrity

Core competencies

  • Communication (II)
  • Working with people (II)
  • Drive for results (II)

Functional Competencies

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

Applicants must possess an advanced University Degree in education, gender, development economics, or other social science field with minimum of 5 years of professional experience in social development planning and management in education and related areas at the national and international level. Applicants should have demonstrated professional experience in planning and delivering quality education programming in literacy/numeracy, teacher professional development, and school management strengthening.

Applicants should have demonstrated professional experience in education-related data and performance assessments including Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) for strengthened education planning, school management, and community feedback. Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.

How to apply
Curriculum Vitae with at least 3 traceable references and completed UN Personal History form (P-11) (download here) to [email protected]

The Human Resources Specialist
UNICEF Lusaka Office
UN House 3rd Floor
Alick Nkhata Road
P.O Box 33610
Lusaka

Please clearly indicate the VN No. for the position applied for, Note that the Personal History form (P-11) can be downloaded from the UNICEF Lusaka website under ‘Opportunities.

10th December, 2015