Education Specialist (EVD Coordination), NOC, Kampala, Uganda #122372 (Temp Appointment, 3 months)

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, Innovation

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does in health, education, child protection programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action.

The Uganda Ministry of Health (MoH) declared its 7th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak on 20 September 2022, following a positive test result for Ebola Sudan strain (SVD) of a 24-year-old male from Madudu sub-county in Mubende district on 19 September 2022. Since then infection has spread to 7 districts the latest being Kampala and Wakiso.

UNICEF Uganda developed an Ebola response plan in line with the Core Commitment for Children (CCC) in Emergencies. The EVD Response plan is aligned to the Government NEVDRP plan and covers three key pillars: 1/. Infection Prevention and control through provision of WASH Services (IPC/WASH), 2/. Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) and 3/. Child Protection, key areas where UNICEF has a comparative advantage based on UNICEF Cluster Leadership in WASH and as demonstrated in previous management of EVD outbreaks is West and East Africa in recent years. The EVD plan focuses also on ensuring continuity of essential services. Some additional activities are focused on supporting the efforts of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in providing district level coordination, surveillance and the provision of MHPSS services with focus on mother and children. In delivering, UNICEF will ensure that GBV and PSEA risk mitigation will be mainstreamed throughout its response.

UNICEF’s Education Sector response is embedded in the IPC/WASH and Risk Communication and Community Engagement pillars. A key priority is ensuring safety of learners, teachers and learning environment for continuity of learning. UNICEF support to the the Ebola response is focused on supporting Ministry of Education and District Education Offices in developing and disseminating guidelines for Ebola prevention and control to schools in affected districts. Strengthening Coordination between Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and other sisters agencies to ensure a cohesive response focused strengthening infection prevention and control measures in schools and learning institutions to ensure continuity of learning. UNICEF’s education response in schools is implemented in close collaboration with pillar leads in WASH, Social and Behavioural Change (SBC) (RCCE) and Child Protection. Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and GBV risk mitigation are mainstreamed in UNICEF humanitarian response.

Rationale

Since the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in September 2022, only one leaner have been reported with infection in Mubende district. However, reports show that there are an unspecified number of contacts linked to schools and learning institutions directly or indirectly in at least 5 districts. As of 25 October 2022, 5 children in 3 schools were reported to positive. By nature of their setup, schools and learning institutions are high risk environment, and they are potential sites for accelerating infection and transmission of disease with severe consequences. Hence the need to strengthen measures for infection prevention and control in schools and school communities. A key component of this entails coordination with the District Education Departments, school administration and other stakeholders in planning implementation and monitoring of EVD education response.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision and with guidance from the Chief Basic Education and Adolescent Development (BEAD), and in close collaboration with Education in Emergencies Focal Point, Uganda Country Office (UCO), Emergency Ebola Task Force (ETF), the Education in Emergency Coordinator supports the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of UNICEF’s Uganda response to the Ebola response in Mubende district including the response in other affected districts in ensuring overall efficiency, effectiveness and delivery of results in accordance with UNICEF’s Core Commitment for Children in Emergencies (CCCs) and national and international humanitarian standards.

Main Responsibilities and Tasks

Under the overall guidance of the Chief Basic Education and Adolescent Development and in close collaboration with the Field Coordinators and UNICEF Education in Emergency Focal Point:

• Ensure prompt and effective Coordinated Education Sector response in line with the agreed UCO EVD response plan.
• Liaises with the Incident Commander School Based Surveillance (MOH) (IC-SBS-MOH) and key stakeholders in Ministry of Education and Sports, line ministries and district education Offices to ensure alignment to and contribution of UNICEF Education response to Government /WHO led plans.
• Initiate and maintains continuous, effective and coordination, communication, consultation and liaison with Pillar leads for IPC/WASH, Surveillance, Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), District Education Officials, UN agencies, NGOs partners, to ensure focus on schools and learning institutions in the EVD emergency response.
• Advocate for increase awareness among stakeholders of the threat of Ebola in schools and learning institutions and galvanize support for cohesive response to prevention, timely identification and reporting and early treatment seeking in learning institutions.
• Represent UNICEF in various coordination forums at national and sub-national/district level.
• Provide regular updates and situation reports and contribute human-interest stories related to the EVD humanitarian response.
• Participate in coordination meetings, BEAD sector meetings and any other meeting as necessary

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

Coordination

• Operationalizes its support to MOH, Ministry of Education and Sports, District Education Offices and other sector Ministries supporting Ebola preparedness and response
• Suport government government ministries and implementing partners in streamlining planning, implementation and coordination of EVD response interventions

Technical Support

• Providing technical support to District Education Offices and partners in engaged in EVD education in schools and communities
• Support development/revision or development of guidelines, tools and resources for EVD response based on national policies and standars
• Participate in development and piloting of innovative technologies to improve preparedness and response efforts.

Monitoring Reporting

• Monitor the situation of children in schools with the aim of identifying gaps and provide reports on the overall achievement of UNICEF EVD response, challenges and lessons
• Contribute to research, studies and evidence generation to inform preparedness and response efforts.
• Support development of necessary tools for data collection and analysis to guide response interventions
• Contribute to daily, weekly and monthly situation reports in a timely manner

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

• Advanced University degree in one of the following fields: Education, Social Sciences, Sociology, Psychology or other related disciplines.
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels in development, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation of education in emergency programmes. Field level experience in emergency response and experience in responding to disease outbreaks is preferred. Knowledge of Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) Minimum Standards highly desirable.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

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:

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

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.