Education Specialist (Cluster Coordinator), P3, Niamey, Niger #1215132 (Temporary: 364 days)

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 102,045 USD and 133,620 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s 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.

Niger is amongst the poorest countries in the world, impacted by conflicts (the Lack Chad Basin Crises, violence from non-State Armed Groups on the Malian border), migration, flooding and food shortages. According to the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan, 4.3 million people are in need of assistance (including 2.5 million of children).

Over 50% of children in Niger are out of school; of those that are in school, less than 10% acquire the basic literacy and numeracy competency by the end of the primary cycle. The ministries of Education, under the leadership of the Ministry for Primary Education, have recently validated a new Education Sector Vulnerability and Risk Reduction Strategy, which provides guidance on how to ensure access to a safe, quality learning environment in times of crises.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Chief Field Operations & Emergency, the Education Cluster Coordinator is responsible for giving technical assistance and support to the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the emergency interventions in the education sector. In particular, the Cluster Coordinator is responsible for facilitating and coordinating the Education Cluster, a forum in which different partners work together to support the Nigerien education system in current and future emergencies and strengthening the system-wide preparedness and technical capacity to respond in a timely, cohesive manner.

The Cluster is co-lead by UNICEF and Save the Children together with the Ministry of National Education, which also holds the presidency of the Local Education Partners Group (GPLE).

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

1. Supporting service delivery

• Lead the coordination of humanitarian partners in the education sector through the Education Cluster.
• Provide a platform to ensure that service delivery is driven by the agreed strategic priorities.
• Lead program management, monitoring and delivery of results, including through strengthening the information management system and the collection and use of data (including the Humanitarian Needs Overview/Humanitarian Needs Plan (HNO/HRP).
• Develop mechanisms to eliminate duplication of service delivery.

2. Informing strategic decision-making

• Conduct needs assessment and gap analysis (across other sectors and within the education sector).
• Facilitate discussion and agreement on the use of common standards and tools among Cluster partners to conduct rapid and in-depth needs assessments.
• Carry out analysis to identify and address (emerging) gaps, obstacles, duplication, and cross- cutting issues.
• Ensure prioritization, grounded in response analysis.

3. Planning and strategy development

• Provide technical and operational support to program implementation, with attention to the National Strategy to Reduce Risks and Vulnerabilities in the Education Sector, its implementation and monitoring.
• Strongly ensure application and adherence to existing standards and guidelines.
• Clarify funding requirements, prioritization, and Cluster contributions to overall humanitarian funding considerations (HRP, CHF, CERF).
• Support the Humanitarian-Development Nexus and ensure continuity between the two approaches

4. Monitor and Evaluate performance

• Ensure regular monitoring of cluster response activities and coordination against cluster indicators, including activity at operational level (quality, coverage, continuity and cost of service delivery interventions) and sub national and national level cluster coordination activities.
• Conduct analysis of best available information in order to benchmark progress of the response over time.
• Monitor and reporting on activities and needs.
• Measure performance against the cluster strategy and agreed results as demonstrated by progress reporting against planned results in each meeting).
• Promote comprehensive integration of relevant cross-cutting issues (gender and environment) and effective collaboration response with colleague and partners in Child Protection, Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Health amongst others for needs assessments, analysis, planning, implementation and monitoring.
• Recommends corrective action where necessary.

5. Build national capacities in preparedness, contingency and risk informed planning

• Organize and support capacity building initiatives for partners and national stakeholders on Education in Emergencies (EiE) related activities.
• Build national capacity in preparedness, contingency and risk informed planning.
• Contribute to identifying, capturing, synthesizing and sharing lessons learned for knowledge development and capacity development of stakeholders.

6. Advocacy

• Identify advocacy concerns to contribute to Humanitarian Cash Transfer messaging and actions.
• Undertake advocacy activities on behalf of Cluster participants and the affected population.
• Coordinate work with and reporting to donors, including Education Cannot Wait.
• Coordinate advocacy for resource mobilization to support the implementation of Cluster’s EiE strategy and the operationalization of the action plans.
• Advocate for continued access to education in humanitarian situations, including for sufficient resources (financial and human), with Government and donors for emergency preparedness and response.

7. Accountability to the affected population

• Introduce a mechanism by which to obtain feedback by communities on the efficiency and effectiveness on the Education sector Humanitarian response.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: education, economics, psychology, sociology, or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in education programme planning and/or education coordination emergency contexts.
• Demonstrated professional technical expertise in education in emergencies, early recovery and post-crisis transition.
• In depth understanding of training the concept and trainings related to EiE, the international humanitarian architecture, coordination mechanisms, humanitarian reform and action.
• Excellent advocacy, teamworking and teambuilding skills.
• Relevant experience in education and related following areas, program/project management in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Strong analytical, organizational and writing skills required.
• Experience in cluster coordination required.
• Experience working in complex crises and fragile states desirable.
• Fluency in French and proficiency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset. Excellent written and verbal communication skills required.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1) ;
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2) ;
• Works Collaboratively with others (2) ;
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2) ;
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2) ;
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2) ;
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2) ;
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2).

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

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s 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. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. 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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidate are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. 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 a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.