National Professional Officer

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Description

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Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for the Natural Sciences’ Sector (ADG/SC) and direct supervision of the of the Head of the UNESCO Office in Juba, the incumbent will contribute to the design, coordination and implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the programmes and activities carried out by the Natural Sciences Sector in the Juba Office. This contribution aims to support South Sudan in its efforts to implement the National Development Plan (NDPs) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), while also contributing to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and African Union Agenda 2063
In particular, the incumbent will be responsible for providing professional and technical support, research, analysis, mobilization of funds and partnership development as well as evaluate programme initiatives to implement priorities of the Natural Sciences Sector
H/she shall work as part of the interdisciplinary team in the UNESCO Office in Juba, collaborating with relevant stakeholders and receiving technical guidance from Natural Sciences Programme Divisions at UNESCO Headquarters and Natural Sciences Programme Specialists at the Multisectoral Regional Office for Eastern Africa in Nairobi.
In this context, the incumbent will:

• Provide professional and technical support in the identification, design, planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programmes and activities in the field of natural sciences in South Sudan. This includes aligning with Major Programme II and the Natural Sciences Sector’s strategies and priorities, with a particular emphasis on the protection of biodiversity, hydrological security, and disaster risk reduction to promote learning and sustainable societies and support the country in advancing science, technology, innovation, research, and engineering to address contemporary environmental and societal challenges.
• Participate in Regular Programme (C/5) work plans, policy formulation discussions, and other sector-related strategy formulation activities.
• Coordinate and monitor the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes and projects in natural sciences. This includes a particular emphasis on the protection of environment, biodiversity, climate change, disaster risk reduction, science education, education for sustainable development, world natural heritage and world heritage biodiversity programmes and local and indigenous knowledge, covering Ecological and Earth Sciences (EES), Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) and Science Policy and Basics Sciences (PBS).
• Participate and provide technical support to UNESCO’s involvement in joint programming exercises within the framework of the United Nations (UN) Reform, such as Common Country Assessments (CCAs) and UNSDCFs.
• Maintain strategic partnerships with other UN Agencies, in particular with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and Multilateral and Bilateral Development partners in collaboration with colleagues from Headquarters and other UNESCO Field Offices, UNESCO Category I and Category II Centres and Institutes in Natural Sciences.
• Support the implementation of the Regional Strategy and the Regional Office’s resource mobilization or other funding mechanisms strategy and develop interdisciplinary concept notes and project proposals to upscale or replicate regular budget-funded programme activities. 
• Prepare and submit quarterly/yearly work plans of regular budget programmes and extrabudgetary projects as per approved project documents, establish corresponding budgets, monitor the budgetary and financial status of the projects and decentralized budgets, and ensure financial accountability.
• Ensure the appropriate implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Natural Sciences Programme is decentralised to the Office and provide timely quarterly/yearly reports.

• Advanced University degree (Master’s or equivalent) in the relevant field of natural sciences related disciplines (Environment, Earth Sciences, Hydrology, Basic Sciences and Science Policy).

• Less than 2 (two) years of relevant work experience in the field of natural sciences such as Environment/Water Resources and Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI).
• Experience in science coordination and programme management, designing and implementing programmes/projects, resource mobilization, and partnership development.

• Good programme and project management skills
• Good analytical, organizational and coordination skills. 
• Ability to build, maintain and enhance working relations with national/local authorities as well as key stakeholders in the civil society, such as national and international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and through various channels including the web and social media.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with respect and tact for diversity.
• Proficiency in IT skills of standard office software.

• Excellent knowledge of English.

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