Mission and objectives

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in 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. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Context

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, 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. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations. Job organizational context: The Education Officer UNV will be based in UNICEF’s outpost in Faizabad and will operate under the direct supervision of the Program Specialist. The position is embedded within the education program team and functions as a key support role, ensuring the smooth implementation of the program. The UNV will work closely with program staff, operations colleagues, support emergencies especially in education for emergencies (EiE) and implement partners to facilitate timely and effective program implementation, program monitoring, budget monitoring, coordination in various platforms included Operation Coordination Team (OCT), Provincial Disaster Management Committee (PDMC), Provincial Development Committee (PDC) and documentation management. The Education Officer will also liaise with other sectoral teams to ensure coherence in program implementation and alignment with organizational standards. The role demands a high level of accuracy, discretion, and organizational efficiency to support the delivery of education services in a complex and dynamic operational environment. Purpose for the job: The Education Officer UNV reports to the Program Specialist and operates under close guidance and supervision. The incumbent is responsible for providing technical expertise in the assessment, implementation, and monitoring of education programs. The officer will work in close collaboration with local education authorities and implementing partners in the sector to strengthen coordination in assessments, planning, implementation, and monitoring of education initiatives in Badakhshan province of the northeastern region. Additionally, the UNV will offer professional technical, operational, and administrative support throughout the programming cycle of education projects. This includes applying theoretical and technical knowledge to research, collect, analyze, and present program-related information. The role also involves learning and adhering to organizational rules, regulations, and procedures to support the development and formulation of the Education Program within the framework of the Country Program.

Task Description

Task description: Summary of key functions/accountabilities: 1. Support to programme development and planning 2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results 3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation 4. Networking and partnership building 5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building Support to programme development and planning • Research and analyze regional and national political, health, social and economic development trends. Collect, analyze, verify, and synthesize information to facilitate programme development, design and preparation. • Support the preparation of technical reports and provide input for program preparation and documentation ensuring accuracy, timeliness and relevancy of information. • Contribute to the development/establishment of sectoral programme goals, objectives, strategies, and results-based planning through research, collection, analysis and reporting of education and other related information for development planning and priority and goal setting. • Provide technical and administrative support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing and administering a variety of technical programme transactions, preparing materials and documentations, and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support program planning, results-based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluation of results. • Prepare the required documentation and materials to facilitate the review and approval process. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results. • Work closely and collaboratively with internal colleagues and partners to collect, analyze and share information on implementation issues. • Suggest solutions on routine programme implementation and submit reports to alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and/or decisions. Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned. • Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts and prepare minutes/reports on results for follow up action by higher management and other stakeholders. • Monitor and report on the use of sectoral program resources (financial, administrative, and other assets), verify compliance with approved allocation, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Report on issues identified to ensure timely resolution by management/stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution. Technical and operational support to programme implementation • Undertake field visits and surveys and share information with stakeholders to assess progress and refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results. • Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices on water, sanitation, hygiene and related issues to support programme implementation, operations and delivery of results. • Provide support to Education Extenders to ensure that Technical Extenders (TEs) prepare their monthly plans accurately, conduct field visits, and submit their reports on time. • Analyze technical and programmatic reports submitted by extenders and shared findings with relevant stakeholders for appropriate action and necessary corrections. • Deliver both on-the-job and off-the-job training to Technical Extenders to enhance their capacity for effective monitoring of activities. • Ensure that end-user monitoring of distributed supplies is conducted, reports are submitted, and the information is verified. • Provide technical support to partners to ensure accurate and timely submission of financial documentation. Networking and partnership building • Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve and sustain results on education programme. • Draft communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships and alliances, and support fund raising for education programme. • Participate in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) meetings and events on programming to collaborate with inter-agency partners on UNDAF operational planning and preparation of education programme/projects and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF’s position and strategies with the UNDAF development and planning process. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building • Provide support in identifying, capturing, synthesizing, and sharing lessons learned for knowledge development and capacity development of stakeholders. • Apply innovative approaches and promote good practices to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results. • Research, benchmark and report on best and cutting-edge practices for development planning of knowledge products and systems. • Participate as a resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders.

Competencies and values

Core Values • Care • Respect • Integrity • Trust • Accountability • Sustainability Core Competencies  Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)  Works Collaboratively with others (1)  Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)  Innovates and Embraces Change (1)  Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)  Drive to achieve impactful results (1)  Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

Living conditions and remarks

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.”