Education Specialist (Data, Monitoring & Reporting ), NO-3, Lilongwe, Malawi, 364 days, Open to Nationals of Malawi Only

Contract

This is a NO-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-3 contracts.

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…

UNICEF Malawi Country Programme (2019-2023) is aligned with the Government of Malawi’s Growth and Development Strategy (MDGS III) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). The programme supports the Government of Malawi to meet its commitment to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights in line with international conventions and standards. The country programme is guided by the principles of children’s rights, equity, gender equality, inclusion and resilience, and supports evidence-based, integrative and innovative programming. The vision is that ‘all girls and boys in Malawi, especially the most disadvantaged and deprived, realize their rights’. The programme focuses on: early childhood (parenting, high-impact social services, early stimulation and learning), middle childhood and adolescence (learning, multi-sectoral services, active citizenship), communities (decentralized services and systems, community ownership, social norms), programme effectiveness (monitoring, evaluation, HACT, Innovation, Social Protection and Social Policy and External Communication. The programme is based on ‘leaving no child behind’, realizing ‘rights for all children in Malawi’.

The Education Adolesecnts Development and Participation (EADP) Programme in Malawi aims to ensure every child accessess education, learns and strives. As Education Specialist (Data, Monitoring and Reporting), you will be at the forefront of supporting the Ministry of Education in strengthening the Education Management Information System (EMIS). You will work collaboratively with the EMIS team to support the annual school census, data cleaning, capacity building of district education management information officers and coordination of development partners supporting the EMIS especially the transition from paper-based to web-based EMIS.

How can you make a difference?

The Malawi Country Office offers an exciting and rewarding career opportunity for you to join our dynamic Education, Adolescents and Participation Programme (EADP) team where you will be responsible for supporting the Ministry of Education (MoE) in strengthening the Education Management Information System (EMIS), especially the transition from paper based to web based EMIS. Additionally, you will support the data needs of the EADP team, including monitoring of the Joint Programme on Girls Eduaction. In your role, you will be under the overall guidance and supervision of the Chief Education, Adolescents and Participation Programme. You will also work collaboratively with the Programme Planning and Monitoring and Research Evaluation and Knowledge Management teams

This job therefore presents a unique and significant opportunity for a qualified, vibrant, motivated and committed person to contribute to the overall achievement of transformative results for children with professional excellence and by delivering on the following key responsibility areas, but not limited to:

1. Support the functionality of the web-based EMIS and wider EMIS operations

• Monitor and evaluate performance of the web-based system with stakeholders and coordinate and recommend next steps to refine the system.
• Support the dissemination of EMIS reports at the national and sub-national levels.
• Complete the rollout of the web based EMIS system (covering at least 50% of education districts).
• Support the MoE EMIS team to harmonise and integrate data systems within the MoE.
• Support data collection and analysis for education emergency responses.

2. Support EADP internal and external planning, monitoring and reporting tasks as well as Funding Proposals

• Set up a system to further strengthen EADP data collection and analysis, monitoring and reporting.
• Analyse data from multiple sources to identify child deprivations related to education indicators.
• Provide the EADP programme with data needs and review donor reports for quality assurance.
• Support the UNICEF Research and Knowledge management team in the mid-term evaluation of the Joint-Programme on Girls Education III.
• Lead and convene the JPGE III monitoring task team.

You are encouraged to download the detailed job description JD_TA NOC Education Specialist (Data Monitoring Reporting)-shared.pdf in order to view the full role and its requirements.

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

Education****:

• An advanced university degree in Education, Statistics, Population Studies, Monitoring and Evaluation, Social Sciences or a related technical field is required.
• Training and/or familiarity with information systems and communication technologies is highly desirable.

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of experience in designing, managing, implementing and monitoring education programmes working with systems design and research applying Statistical Package for Social Sciences or Microsoft Access in developing countries is required.
• Experience in education programme planning, monitoring, and reporting is required.

Technical knowledge and skills****:

• Excellent knowledge of computer applications including programming, Microsoft Excel and Access.
• Familiarity with digital data gathering platforms and software; understanding geospatial data is required.
• Education and policy sector analysis capacity, including understanding of the core education data sets, indicators, tools for analysis of equity, determinants of student access and learning, budget, cost and financing, education system management, political economy and application to education policy and strategic planning is required.
• Education sector planning knowledge/ability, including the range of modalities for delivering education, linkages between different sub-sectors (e.g., Early Childhood Development, Primary, Secondary, Inclusive Education), cost-effectiveness and efficiency issues, key institutional structures, components and processes, as well as governance issues is highly desirable.
• Excellent skills in collecting and analysing disaggregated data and managing data systems, such as EMIS is required.
• Very strong report writing is required.
• Strong ability to support policy dialogue: Translation of analytical findings and evidence into development programme and policy discussions around equity and learning with partners, including government, development partners, Civil Society Organisations and academia in relevant areas is highly desirable.
• Good understanding of gender, inclusion and equity issues in relation to education and application of gender / equity analysis to policy and planning in education is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to manage relationships with partners, including government ministries, youth coalitions, universities, intellectual leaders, UN organizations, NGOs and the private sector is required.

Language:

• Strong communication skills, including strong written and spoken English language appropriate for diverse audiences and purposes is 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…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

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:

The position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate.

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates as well as suitable persons living with disabilities 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 may also be 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.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/.

The vacancy announcement is open to all candidates – both internal UNICEF staff holding permanent, continuing and fixed term appointments and external candidates.

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

In order to deliver results for the children of Malawi, UNICEF Malawi Country Office works in a fast-paced but impactful environment where creativity, innovation, collaboration, teamwork, a safe space and professional development are supported and encouraged. We are therefore seeking individuals who are motivated to make a real difference and serve the children of Malawi with resourcefulness, resilience, creativity, and professional excellence.