Education Specialist, NOC, Pretoria, South Africa, For South African Nationals 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, Learning

Background and Justification

The South African government has identified the improvement in the quality of basic education as its number one priority as articulated in the National Development Plan, Vision 2030. With the achievement of high levels of participation during the compulsory years of schooling, the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) Action Plan to 2019 is focused on improving efficiency and quality of learning outcomes. The national state of disaster as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic has magnified the already existing inequalities in the system requiring that more efforts are put in recovery while reimagining education provision in South Africa. UNICEF’s work in basic education and adolescent development focusses on three main interrelated areas that supports national efforts national efforts to improve learning achievements i.e. early childhood development, quality in basic education and adolescent development. Our work in these areas are implemented through an agreed work plan with the Department of Basic Education and includes policy support, advocacy, innovation, evidence generation, inter-sectoral partnerships, capacity support and development, implementation modeling and support, supplies, and technical assistance. In this regard, it is has embarked on supporting a series of joint collaborations with the Government and other non-governmental partners to address the barriers and bottlenecks to the improvement of quality and holistic primary and secondary education. It is for this reason that UNICEF seeks the services of a qualified Education Specialist to support the realization of the joint objectives with the Government. In line with Outcome 1 of government (to improve the quality of basic education), UNICEF is working to support the DBE to address the key determinants of quality education. This includes improving teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical skills; increasing access to quality learning and teaching support materials; using real-time data from national assessments to inform planning, decision-making and classroom practice; and improving school leadership and management through building district capacity and support. The dual goal of accelerating the achievement of the Action Plan and National Development Plan objectives as well as addressing the impact of the pandemic on the sector has brought significant demands on UNICEF in terms of direct technical, capacity and financial support to the DBE.

At the same time, strengthening school to work pathways through conceptualizing, delivering, and monitoring primary and secondary education and adolescence participation has become an imperative shared by both UNICEF and the DBE. For this reason, UNICEF looks to further boost its capacity to work with the government through the services of a qualified expert that will support interventions in care and support, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), adolescents (and specifically, the interventions within the GenU initiative), Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and life skills.

How can you make a difference?

Key responsibilities of the Education Specialist

The selected candidate will:

1. Provide Technical Support to the Primary, Secondary Age Education and Adolescent Programme
2. Support implementation of the UNICEF – DBE Rolling Work Plan and the UN Sustainable
3. Development Cooperation Framework (UNSCDF) Support the implementation, monitoring and
4. reporting on all quality & systems programme and adolescence programmes
5. Liaise with other UNICEF Education Programme staff on areas of collaboration in the realization of the objectives
6. Support the establishment of structured for governance and management of new
7. interventions. Where necessary, liaise with partners on current programmes implementation
8. Support the coordination with the, where required, closely with the DBE and partners involved in the sections programmes on the specific aspects of programme delivery in the areas identified
9. Support the development of concept notes, proposals, and reports.
10. Support the monitoring of the implementation of WASH through tracking and reporting on the progress
11. Support the monitoring of the implementation of literacy and curriculum trimming
12. Support the monitoring of the implementation of psychosocial support
13. Coordinate the section activities on quality and systems strengthening and adolescence programmes
14. Participate in relevant meetings with DBE, Provincial Education Departments (PEDs), partners and service providers related to Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL)
15. Facilitate UNICEF internal processes to enable support to DBE, PEDs, partners and service providers on CSTL, curriculum implementation, early grade reading and mathematics, and the TechnoGirl programme.

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

• An Advanced degree in education, social sciences, international development, humanitarian response, disaster response or a related field. *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

Work Experience

• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible relevant experience in the field of education, youth development, monitoring and evaluation or behavioral change. Experience in complex emergencies/disaster response strongly preferred.
• Proven experience of high-quality report writing and documentation.
• Resourcefulness, flexibility, and the ability to prioritize large amounts of work while under pressure.
• Good analytical, facilitation, communication, and presentation skills.
• Politically and culturally sensitive, awareness of gender issues, with qualities of patience, tact, and diplomacy
• Experience in working with the national and provincial departments of education, social development and/health will be an added advantage

Language Proficiency

• Fluency in English (verbal and written). Good written and spoken skills in the language of the humanitarian operation and knowledge of another UN language an asset.

Administrative Issues

The staff member will report to the Education Manager (Quality and System Strengthening). The staff member will not be required to be in the UNICEF South Africa office (Pretoria) full-time but attendance in office is necessary, according to COVID-19 safety measures, on certain days. Field travel may also be necessary according to COVID-19 safety measures. These can be discussed with HR and the Section Chief on recruitment.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Drive to achieve results for impact (2)
• Innovates and embraces change (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)
• Thinks and acts strategically (2)
• Works collaboratively with others (2)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

How to apply

Interested and qualified candidates are requested to submit their application to the following link: https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=547017 by 10 January 2022.

This notice will also appear on http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/, http://www.unicef.org/southafrica, UN Job List, UN Jobs.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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:

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

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