Project Officer

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the authority of the Director and Representative of the UNESCO Brasilia Office (UBO) and the direct supervision of the Culture Programme Coordinator, and following the Table of Delegated Authority and Accountability, the incumbent will be the focal point for one or more specific themes within the field related to the Culture Programme Area regarding project execution and supporting the area Coordinator. In particular, the incumbent makes proposals and coordinates technical cooperation agreements in accordance with priorities, guidelines and orientations established, by providing technical and operational inputs for the design, elaboration, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of extra-budgetary and regular programme projects and activities, giving support and technical guidance to the actions and projects within the Culture Sector. To this end, the successful candidate shall:

Planning:

• Provide assistance to CLT Programme Coordinator in mapping-out the development stage of topics under UNESCO’s mandate in culture and the need for technical cooperation in Brazil with public, private or academic institutions;
• Provide contributions to the preparation of UBO’s framework and planning documents, including the IT-based management tools such as SISTER, as well as subsidizing issues for UNESCO’s planning documents (medium-term strategy and Programme and Budget – C/4 and C/5);
• Propose annual action plans for the specific theme(s) for which he/she is responsible in the Programmatic Area;
• Seek partnerships and draft technical documents to formalize technical cooperation agreements, extending the range and performance of UNESCO.

Technical Cooperation:

• Provide assistance to the CLT Programme Coordinator in defining project and revision requirements by elaborating and/or supervising technical cooperation project documents (so-called PRODOCs and Funds-in-Trust agreements);
• Prepare project proposals and revision proposals; suggesting UNESCO cross-cutting activities and opportunities for south-south cooperation and better integrated activities with other UNESCO offices in the region;
• Manage and supervise technical cooperation agreements (extra-budgetary and UNESCO regular budget) by following up budget and financial situation, monitoring and systematizing evaluations and preparing document revisions and using project management tools; analysing and interpreting background history and documentation of projects under his/her responsibility;
• Add technical value to projects by providing technical and strategic solutions to project needs based on the UNESCO expertise under the Culture (CLT) programme;
• Monitor project implementation, analyze and appraise products carried out within the projects under his/her responsibility;
• Organize and revise UNESCO books, articles and publications by drafting and structuring contents;
• Prepare and make technical presentations, speeches, documents, reports and papers upon request.

National negotiations and fundraising:

• Attend qualified meetings and participate in technical groups, when indicated by the Programme Coordinator and/or the Director of UBO;
• Conduct negotiations with donors and prospective partners, selecting and proposing work plans for negotiation;
• Identify niches of opportunities and draft new project agreements, particularly with the private sector, within Culture (CLT) programme.

Management:

• Plan and control the work progress of the specific themes for which he/she is responsible, including the elaboration of sectoral action plans;
• Orient, supervise and review the completion of duties conducted by Programme Assistant(s) related to the themes and projects under his/her responsibility as well as the work assigned to the assistant(s), according to the priorities defined by the Programme Coordinator.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Advanced university degree (equivalent to Masters or Post-graduate studies) in International Relations, Social Sciences or Culture related fields.

Work Experience

• Four (4) to six (6) years of work experience in applying theoretical knowledge in the specific area related to this job description.
• Previous experience in planning and implementation of development programme and projects with governmental and/or non-governmental institutions, preferably in the field of culture (as cultural heritage and/or museums and collections).
• Experience in managing technical cooperation projects’ activities and expenditures, at national and international level.

Languages

• The position requires proficiency in Portuguese and English.

Source: https://careers.unesco.org/job/Brasilia-Project-Officer-(Culture)/799742202/