Education Manager, P-4, Fixed Term, Islamabad, Pakistan # 116185

UNICEF works in some of the worlds toughest places, to reach the worlds most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Education

Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges.

UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among other things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, frontline workers and social mobilisers, communities and families, and of course the children and adolescents themselves.

In particular, UNICEF will work so that:

• - being in good health, immunized, protected from polio and accessing nutritious food.
• Every child learns.
• Every child is protected from violence and exploitation and registered at birth.
• Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

To learn more about UNICEF work in Pakistan, please visit the country website www.unicef.org/pakistan and videos on YouTube and Vimeo

How can you make a difference?

Under the overall guidance and direction of the Chief, Education, the Education Manager supports the Chief in managing the section, playing a key role in bringing innovation to the development, preparation and management of education programmes which are implemented through Field Offices located in the four main provinces of Pakistan and at federal level, in a context of devolution.

The Education Manager provides authoritative technical guidance and operational support throughout all stages of programming to facilitate the management and delivery of results on strengthening national and provincial education systems to improve learning outcomes and to promote universal access to quality, equitable and inclusive primary/early childhood education, especially for children and adolescents who are marginalized, disadvantaged and excluded in society.

A particular focus of the role is management of large decentralized provincial level education programmes and grants from partners, in particular three provincial Education Sector Plan Implementation Grants (ESPIGs) funded by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), and a large EU funded programme. The post will also support coordination of ADAP/GenU, and on programme strategies to reimagine the education system for resilience and continued learning in the wake of COVID-19.

The Education Manager contributes to the achievement of concrete and sustainable results according to plans allocations, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), as well as UNICEFs Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework

To make a difference, the incumbent shall be responsible for following key strategic functions, accountabilities and related duties/ tasks;

Management and advisory support to the Chief

• Provide advice to the Chief in establishing the annual work plan and reviewing provincial workplans, including developing strategies, determining priorities, and performance measurements. Support Field Offices on annual planning for major donor-funded programmes (GPE, EU and others).
• Coordinate work progress monitoring and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards, and report to Chief critical issues for timely action.
• Provide technical assistance and advice to colleagues in the section and in the Field Offices on all aspects of programming and implementation to enable them to achieve performance objectives.
• Perform the full duties of the Chief in his/her absence.

Programme development and planning

• Advise the Chief on the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis for the education programmes to ensure that current and comprehensive data on education issues is available to guide UNICEFs strategic policy, advocacy, intervention and development efforts on education programmes.
• Advise the Chief in setting priorities, strategies, design and implementation plans, including a focus on ECE, out-of-school children, and adolescent education and skill development. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance programme management, efficiency and delivery.
• Participate in strategic programme discussion on the planning of education programmes at federal and provincial levels, including a focus on adolescents to link education to skill development and employability Formulate, design and prepare programme proposals for the sector, ensuring alignment with UNICEFs Strategic Plans and Country Programme and coherence/integration with the UN Strategic Development Framework (UNSDF), regional strategies, national and provincial priorities, plans and competencies.
• Establish specific goals, objectives, strategies and implementation plans for the sector using results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM), including for the main donor-funded programmes (GPE, EU and others). Prepare required documentations for programme review and approval.
• Work closely and collaboratively with internal colleagues and partners at national and provincial levels to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine national and provincial priorities 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 and achievement of results as planned and allocated.

Programme management, monitoring and quality control of results

• Plan and collaborate with internal colleagues and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the education sector on education programmes, including for ESPIGs and other large donor-funded education programmes.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
• Prepare and assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths and weaknesses in programme management.
• Identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
• Actively monitor programmes/projects through field visits and surveys, and exchange information with stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems, and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Manage the optimum and 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, ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources, with specific responsibility to ensure donor requirements (GPE, EU and others) are met.
• Prepare regular and mandated programme reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress. This includes reports for the main donor-funded programmes.

Advisory services and technical support

• Provide technical advice to key government officials, NGOs, UN system and other country office partners, and UNICEF Field Office teams on policies, strategies, best practices and approaches on education and other related issues to support programme development planning, implementation and delivery of results.
• Coordinate and ensure the availability of technical experts (with Regional Office/HQ) to ensure timely support throughout all stages of programming.
• Coordinate technical and management support from the Country Office for the large provincial donor-funded programmes.
• Provide coordination support for the ADAP Technical Working Group chaired by the office of the Deputy Representative, and for Generation Unlimited. Coordinate the Education Sections technical work on the ADAP workplan (including GenU).
• Participate in strategic discussions to influence policy and agenda setting for combating poverty and all forms of discrimination against women/children by advising on and advocating strategies and approaches to promote universal access to quality, equitable and inclusive education for children in the country.
• Prepare policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and consideration.
• Participate in country discussions on education emergency preparedness, programming and contingency planning to ensure proactive and appropriate responses are in place to meet the onset of emergencies nationally or other designated locations.

Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships through networking and advocacy with local/national governments, UN system agency partners, donors, internationally recognized institutions, NGOs, funding organizations, research institutes and private sector to reinforce cooperation and/or pursue opportunities to promote goals and achieve sustainable and broad results on education.
• Prepare communication strategies and implementation plans and activities for maximum communication impact and outreach to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances for sustainable results and support fund raising for UNICEF Country Office education programmes and emergency interventions.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in inter-agency discussions and planning on education and related issues to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNSDF process in development planning and agenda setting. Collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNSDF planning and preparation of programmes/projects including emergency preparedness.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Promote critical thinking, innovative approaches and good practices for sustainable education programme initiatives through advocacy and technical advisory services. This includes innovation related to adolescent programming, related to education, skills development and employability.
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, introduce and implement best and cutting-edge practices on education management and information systems, including to to address impacts of COVID-19 on learning. Institutionalize and disseminate best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development of policies and procedures and introduce innovation and best practices to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects, including on continuity of learning and digital inclusion/learning.
• Organize, plan and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of stakeholders to promote sustainable results on education related programme s/projects.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• An advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in one of the following fields is required: education, economics, psychology, sociology or another relevant technical field.
• A first University Degree (bachelors) in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of eight years of professional experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education is required.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Experience with managing large programmes and budgets
• Familiarity/background in managing Education Sector Programme Implementation Grants (ESPIGs) funded by
• the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) an asset.
• Familiarity/ background with emergency is considered as an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEFs values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS).

The competencies required for this post are Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2), Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (3), Works Collaboratively with others (3), Builds and Maintains Partnerships (3), Innovates and Embraces Change (3), Thinks and Acts Strategically (3), Drives to achieve impactful results (3), Manages ambiguity and complexity (3)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

Life at UNICEF

Working at UNICEF is highly rewarding. With attractive remuneration package encompassing competitive pay and benefits, a culture that helps staff thrive and diverse opportunities for personal and professional development, we aim to help you maintain a fulfilling life both at and outside the office.

We make sure you and your loved ones receive the resources and care that you need to thrive. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. Our contracts, wellbeing policies and initiatives ensure that you are well equipped to effectively deliver for children such as;

• Tax exemption, family allowances, hardship benefits, 10 UN holidays and annual leave allowance, maternity, paternity, adoption leave, medical and dental insurance, pension etc.
• Career support, staff wellbeing programme, breastfeeding policy, flexible work arrangements, childcare room, family support, policies & initiatives, security etc.
• UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF is here to serve the worlds most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

• As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.
• UNICEFs active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates will be prioritized.
• UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if medical clearance is not obtained/ background check is not successful, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
• Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
• UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants bank account information.
• All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.
• Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.