National Programme Officer

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

UNESCO is committed to supporting Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka in achieving the 2030 Development Agenda for Sustainable Development by building inclusive, just, and peaceful societies. This involves promoting freedom of expression, cultural diversity, education for global citizenship, and protecting heritage while addressing social inequalities and combating discrimination, racism, and hate speech. UNESCO focuses on mobilising rights-based knowledge and ethical principles to foster social inclusion, cohesion, and peacebuilding. Leveraging its expertise, UNESCO assists Member States in promoting participatory societies, enhancing intercultural dialogue, engaging young people, and advancing inclusive social development. The organisation’s strategic approach, as outlined in UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy (C/4s), the approved Programme and Budget (C/5), emphasises effective social policies, human rights, scientific freedom, and tackling all forms of discrimination to achieve peacebuilding and social cohesion, contributing to the overarching goal of sustainable development. 

The PBF project aims to support Sri Lanka in achieving a peaceful, inclusive, and just response to its economic crisis through inclusive social dialogue at national and local levels. The project focuses on building institutional capacities for structured, gender-responsive, inclusive, and constructive dialogue and dispute resolution. The overarching goal is to promote economic inclusion, social cohesion, and sustained peace in the face of ongoing economic and social challenges. Outcome 3 led by UNESCO and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will focus on enhancing the engagement of women, youth, and other under-represented workers in the informal economy with District and National Level Policy Making structures aimed towards highlighting concerns faced by marginalised communities and facilitating inclusive and gender-responsive peaceful dispute resolutions.   

Interventions for this project will be guided by the data for Sri Lanka from UNESCO’s Framework for Enabling Intercultural Dialogue which shows that whilst many of the preconditions for intercultural dialogue to thrive towards peacebuilding objectives are strong in the country, comparing favourably to the world average – including horizontal equality, freedom of expression, and governance and citizenship – challenges remain in critical areas, including as relates to inclusion and representation, social cohesion, and to a lesser extent leadership and organization. 

The National Programme Officer (NPO) will be part of the UNESCO South Asia Regional Office in New Delhi (hereinafter UNESCO New Delhi) but based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, specifically contributing to the implementation of Outcome 3 of the Peace Building Fund (PBF)-funded joint project titled ‘Social Dialogue for Peace and Crisis Prevention in Sri Lanka’. Under the functional authority of the Director of the UNESCO New Delhi Regional Office, the NPO will operate under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist and Head of Social and Human Sciences Programme Sector in UNESCO New Delhi. The NPO will work in close collaboration with ILO and UNFPA as well as other UN agencies, national and local government bodies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), implementing partners, and community-based organizations involved in the project.

The NPO will lead overall project management leading implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), and reporting efforts in coordination with other UN agencies as well as UNESCO’s implementing partners while contributing to the frameworks of UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy (C/4s), the approved Programme and Budget (C/5) and according to global development plans such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Agenda 2030.

Main duties and responsibilities

Coordination and implementation of the project:

• Lead overall project management and provide overall programme advisory support to Implementation Partners and local stakeholders.
• Facilitate effective communication and coordination with other UN agencies, implementing partners, and stakeholders to ensure cohesive and integrated project implementation.
• Develop and manage detailed work plans, budgets, and timelines for project activities
• Support the various activities undertaken by the project and coordinate with relevant stakeholders in finalising the project’s deliverables.
• Support the development of capacity development programmes on intercultural competencies, with a focus on promote economic inclusion and social cohesion.

Monitoring and Reporting:

• Design and implement a robust M&E framework to track progress against project objectives and outcomes and provide guidance to Implementation Partners for effective monitoring.
• Collect, analyse, and report data on project performance, ensuring gender and age-disaggregated data collection in coordination with Implementation Partners and local government stakeholders.
• Conduct regular field visits to monitor project activities and engage with stakeholders.
• Participate in periodic monitoring meetings with implementation and government partners.
• Prepare comprehensive project reports, including Annual and Semi-annual project progress reports, ensuring timely submission to donors and stakeholders.
• Document and share best practices, lessons learned, and success stories from project implementation.

Financial Management

• Lead financial monitoring and manage budgets, administration and procurement-related matters and functions in accordance with UNESCO rules and regulations.
• Coordinate the contracting of project services to implementing agencies, ensuring compliance with UN procedures; oversee the release of funds to counterparts, liquidation of funds and other processes.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in the relevant field of social and human sciences, political sciences, development studies, public administration, or a related discipline.

Work Experience

• Minimum 2 (two) years of progressively responsible experience in programme management (technical and financial), including programme design, programme coordination, monitoring and evaluation of activities and budget, donor reporting.
• Experience in working at the national and/or international level on social cohesion, peace-building, intercultural dialogue.

Skills and Competencies

• Proven organizational and coordination skills, ability to take initiative, establish priorities, monitor own work plans, budget and report on actions and projects.
• Strong project management skills.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills; ability to deal efficiently with partners at different levels.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural team environment.
• Capacity to adapt and adjust work schedules and perform diligently under pressure.
• Excellent knowledge management with an understanding of emerging communication and information technologies and their potential uses.

Language

• Excellent knowledge of English and either one of the local languages (Sinhala / Tamil).

Source: https://careers.unesco.org/job/Sri-Lanka-National-Programme-Officer-(Social-and-Human-Sciences)/797189102/