JPO-Education Officer (digital learning), P-2, Luanda/Angola (For Finnish Nationals only)

Overview

Support digital transformation in education, focusing on GIGA and Learning Passport implementations.

You have:

• Finnish citizenship required
• Maximum age of 32 years as of the application closing date
• Master/university degree in Education, Digital Education, ICT in Education, Social Sciences, International Development, or related field
• Minimum two years of relevant professional work experience in digital learning, online education platforms, EdTech, or innovation in education programmes
• Experience supporting digital learning initiatives, including content development, teacher capacity-building, and/or learner engagement in online or blended environments
• Familiarity with low-connectivity digital learning models and inclusive digital solutions is an asset
• Fluency in English required
• Fluency in either Finnish or Swedish required
• Willingness to learn Portuguese will be considered an added value

Contract

This is a P-2 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 2 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 89,605 USD and 121,706 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 over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Education!

Strategic Office Context and purpose for the job

Angola is at a pivotal moment in its education reform, with the Ministry of Education prioritizing digital transformation as a cornerstone for improving access, quality, and resilience of learning. UNICEF Angola is a key partner in supporting the Government to accelerate this digital education agenda through the implementation of three flagship global initiatives, GIGA[1] (UNICEF–ITU initiative to connect every school to the Internet), the Learning Passport[2] (UNICEF’s digital learning platform mainly sponsored by Microsoft), and the Youth Challenge – 2026 edition will be on digital skills.

Launched globally in 2019, GIGA wants to ensure that all young people have access to information, opportunities, and the ability to make informed choices. In 2025 UNICEF Angola has created a task force lead by the Education team including the Ministry of Education (MED), the Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication (MINTTICS), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an education officer and a Technology for Development Specialist. The team has already mapped more than 8,000 schools digitally and data have been uploaded and made public in the to the Giga portal. The next deliverable will be to map the type of internet connectivity and infrastructure for electricity. Overall, the GIGA initiative will support the Government of Angola (GoA)to connect schools to the Internet—seeks to drive innovative, scalable and open-source solutions that tackle connectivity challenges in underserved areas.

The Learning Passport (LP) provides continuous access to digital education — from early childhood through primary and secondary levels. The platform has been designed to reach children and young people who often face barriers to accessing digital learning tools and quality educational content. The GoA has already demonstrated a strong commitment to digital learning through the development of Xilonga[3], its national online learning platform. Xilonga was designed by the Ministry of Education to expand access to educational resources for learners and teachers across the country. Building on this national innovation, UNICEF and the Ministry of Education are working to strengthen and transform Xilonga into the Angolan version of the Learning Passport, integrating global standards, scalable infrastructure, and curriculum-aligned content. This collaboration illustrates the Government’s high level of ownership and strategic interest in adopting and institutionalizing the Learning Passport as part of its long-term digital education strategy.

[1] Giga – Connect every school to the Internet

[2] The Learning Passport, UNICEF's digital learning programme, reaches over 10 million | UNICEF

[3] https://xilonga.med.gov.ao/

How can you make a difference****?

Under the direct supervision and overall guidance of the Chief of Education, the JPO will contribute to advancing Angola’s digital transformation in education by:

1. • • Supporting the implementation and scale-up of GIGA and the Learning Passport (Xilonga) through technical coordination, data-driven monitoring, and strategic partnership engagement, positioning digital infrastructure as a catalyst for adolescent inclusion, protection, and skills development
   • Leading the planning and implementation of the 2026 Youth Challenge on Digital Skills, fostering innovation and digital empowerment among young people, and promoting solutions that address key adolescent challenges, including school dropout, prevention of school-related violence, early pregnancy, and education-to-work transitions.
   • Integrating digital learning into national education plans, policies, and curricula, ensuring alignment with the ongoing curriculum digitization reform,promoting inclusive, adolescent-responsive approaches within the education system
   • Strengthening capacity-building for teachers, facilitators, and learners through tailored training, content adaptation, and inclusive learning design.
   • Generating evidence and knowledge on digital learning implementation and impact including its contribution to adolescent retention, re-engagement, and skills development, to inform decision-making, scaling, and sustainability.
   • Fostering cross-sectoral collaboration with other UNICEF programmes to leverage digital solutions for broader child and adolescent development outcomes.

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

Minimum requirements:

Only Applicants with Finnish citizenship will be considered with maximum age of 32 years as of the application closing date

• Education: A Master/university degree in one of the following fields is required: ​ Advanced university degree in Education, Digital Education, ICT in Education, Social Sciences, International Development, or related field.

• Work Experience: • Minimum two years of relevant professional work experience, either in the UN or other international development organization, or private sector or national government, preferably in digital learning, online education platforms, EdTech, or innovation in education programmes. • Experience supporting digital learning initiatives, including content development, teacher capacity-building and/or learner engagement in online or blended environments. • Familiarity with low-connectivity digital learning models and inclusive digital solutions is an asset (e.g. offline platforms, community-based access, radio/TV learning tools). • Strong interpersonal communication, public speaking, presentation, critical thinking and analytical skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with

  • a range of partners, including grassroots community members and authorities at different levels;

  • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;

  • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills;

  • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;

  • Experience in working with teams

  Previous work experience with UNICEF or other UN agency would be an advantage.

• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Spoken and written proficiency in either Finnish or Swedish.
• Portuguese is an asset. Willingness to learn Portuguese will be considered an added value. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered an asset.

Functional Competencies

• Digital learning platforms: Basic understanding of online and blended learning systems and their use in improving access to education.

• ICT for education: Awareness of school connectivity, digital tools, and the role of technology in supporting teaching and learning.

• Teacher professional development: Ability to assist in training design and provide support for teachers adopting digital methods.
• Data and analytics: Basic skills in collecting, organizing, and interpreting education data for planning and reporting.
• Curriculum digitization: Interest and foundational knowledge in adapting and developing digital learning materials linked to the national curriculum.
• Partnership support: Ability to assist in coordinating activities with government, private sector, and development partners.
• Innovation and T4D: Enthusiasm for learning and applying innovative digital solutions within education programmes.
• Project coordination: Organizational and time management skills to help monitor progress and ensure timely delivery of activities.

Communication: Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills to support reporting, presentations, and advocacy for digital learning

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

The 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

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

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.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable Finnish nationals are the only eligible groups.

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..

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

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.

Potential interview questions