Programme Specialist

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General, Education (ADG/ED), the functional authority and direct supervision of the Head of Office, as well as in collaboration with the Regional Office and UNESCO Education Institutes based in the region, the incumbent is responsible for programme and project work, advice, research and knowledge management, networking, partnerships and resource mobilization for the Education Programme of UNESCO Dhaka Office.  The incumbent works within the frameworks of UNESCO’s Medium Term Strategy (C/4), the approved Programme and Budget (C/5) and global development plans such as the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. In particular, s/he will carry out the following duties:

Programme and Project Work:

• Participate in the conceptualization, design, planning, development, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and implementation of the UNESCO Dhaka Office’s regular and extra-budgetary programmes, projects and activities.  Identify focus areas within Bangladesh’s national priorities, and when requested by national authorities, propose alignment of these priorities with UN (Agenda 2030 and UN Sustainable Development Frameworks) and development partners’ approaches and strategies, proposing linkages for UNESCO’s education initiatives at the national, regional and global levels, identifying and proposing inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary collaboration opportunities in close cooperation with others;
• Identify and develop both internal and external collaborative project proposals based on needs. Contribute to the inter-disciplinary work within the UNESCO Dhaka Office, as well as with Field Offices, Regional Office for South Asia and HQs, particularly with regards to the educational dimension of the “2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). Coordinate and plan work activities in assigned areas of focus, with a focus on education systems strenghtening, and education quality improvement. Contribute both in terms of substantive aspects (assessment, curriculum, pedagogy) as well as the promotion of cross cutting values (peace, sustainability, learning to live together, global citizenship education, gender equality), as a reflection of the priorities of Sustainable Development Goal 4, as a part of the implementation Bangladesh’s SDG 4 Strategic Framework and Bangladesh’s Education Sector Plan (2021 – 2025).
• Develop, plan and implement, as assigned, Field Office research activities on policy topics / issues pertinent to education development in the region to expand the knowledge base for evidence based policy making, undertake relevant socio-economic, statistical and analytical work on a wide range of issues related to education policy, planning and education sector management.
• Within the context of the Field Office programme of work, perform national capacity building related activities such data collection, data presentation and analysis, strategic scenario planning. Appraise and analyse the education and training systems of the country, assist line Ministeries and officials in formulating sound policy advice and strategies.
• Monitor regular and extra-budgetary funded project, activity and programme implementation and outputs within the UNESCO Dhaka Office, as assigned, ensuring that UNESCO’s work is implemented in a timely, coherent and integrated manner consistent with sector-wide development frameworks, UNESCO’s Education Strategy.
• Contribute to the evaluation of and report on projects and programmes (funded within C/5 and extra budgetary fund). Provide input to the preparation of reports on the implementation of programmes and projects and other briefings as may be required by the Head of Office.
• Contribute to UNESCO’s involvement in the UN project management systems, identify areas for improved alignment of projects and activities at country and region levels, including the preparation of Common Country Assessments (CCAs), UNSDCF and Country Programme Documents (CPDs), in alignment with regional UNESCO goals, national and UN Agencies’ goals.
• Participate in C/5 and policy formulation discussions and other think tank activities.

Advice and Knowledge Management:

• Contribute to the provision of policy advice and technical assistance to Ministries of Education of Bangladesh, to prepare and implement country level co-operation programmes (RP and XB), and implement analytical work. Advise on applicable tools, policies and resources in area of own expertise;
• Analyze, evaluate and contribute to the development of Education Sector wide approaches and strategies for Bangladesh in consultation with relevant stakeholders and members of the UN Country teams and Education Local Consultative Group (ELCG). Analyze UNESCO priorities like Education 2030 (Education for Sustainable Development) and Global Citizenship Education (GCED) with a view to proposing enhanced concepts, content and design. Conduct assigned research in support of policy review, prepare background documents and reports of conclusions and recommendations.
• In area(s) of responsibility remain aware of advancements and best practices among development partners and competitors in order to advise governments, National Commissions, ministries and colleagues on policy formulation, project development, resources and best practices. Invest in personal, professional learning in respect of new trends, and maintenance of personal knowledge and expertise. Acquire notions of other UNESCO Sectors and Education specialities represented in the Field Office and of relevance to Members States served.

Networking and Partnerships:

• Contribute to the mobilization and coordination of national, regional and international partners working on education sector/strategy issues for support of education development in Bangladesh. Coordinate and expand networks, organize national capacity development workshops and promote knowledge sharing through different means.
• Work with stakeholders and public and private partners to support the development and implementation of national education policies, strategies and plans, monitoring and evaluation.
• Leverage relationships within and across teams at UNESCO while building external partnerships and mobilizing resources with a view to increase the depth and reach of activities. Identify opportunities or areas for increased collaboration on education initiatives and strategies within UNESCO goals. Design and implement, as assigned, regional research, partnership and networking. Contribute to the coordination of UNESCO’s advocacy efforts in the region for education for assigned areas such as sustainable development (GAP on ESD) peace, human rights, and global citizenship. Advocate approaches and interventions of proven effectiveness.

Resources Mobilization:

• Contribute to resource mobilization for Bangladesh by developing concept notes and project proposals on the basis of situational analysis and needs assessments and in accordance with the C/5. Deal with UN Agencies seeking or marketing joint programmes, bilateral and multilateral partners, continental development Banks (e.g. ADB and WB) and International Development Partners (UNICEF, EU, ECW and GPE).
• As assigned, mobilize extra budgetary resources to support sector-wide planning, education policy analysis, education sector assessment and management among Member States in the region in line with country policy priorities, the regional Education Support Strategy and UNESCO’s overall resource mobilization strategies, by preparing project proposals and cooperation frameworks with Member States and donor agencies and by engaging in fundraising activities.

Project, Activities and Team Member Management:

• Carry out project management for assigned projects, including backstopping, technical, financial and human resources management. Supervise staff, project consultants, experts, and other service providers, and follow through on the dissemination of project results.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Advanced University degree (equivalent to Masters) in education, sciences or in a related area.

 WORKING EXPERIENCE

• A minimum of 4 years of relevant professional experience in the field of education, of which preferably 2 years acquired at the international level.
• Proven experience in formulating education related policies and in implementing and monitoring education programmes/ projects.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Knowledge and understanding of education and socio-economic systems in a developing and Least Developed Countries context, especially in Asia.
• Good knowledge of Education in Emergencies.
• Excellent coordination, interpersonal and negotiation skills, as well as an ability to network with a range of partners, donors and other stakeholders.
• Proven ability to draft high quality, clear, concise documents and reports.
• Excellent presentation skills and ability to communicate effectively and persuasively in a multicultural environment.
• Good IT skills.

LANGUAGES

• Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English.

Source: https://careers.unesco.org/job/Dhaka-Programme-Specialist-(Education)/796046202/