Associate Project Officer (Education)

OVERVIEW

Position Number: ED/PA 266

Grade: P-1

Parent Sector: Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Paris

Job Family: Education

Contract Type: Project Appointment

Duration of contract: 1 year

Recruitment open to: Internal and external candidates

Application deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 10/11/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

Duration of contract: 1 year with possibility of extension subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Within the UNESCO Education Sector, the Division for Education 2030, the Section of Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality (ED/E30/IGE) supports Member States and other partners in the implementation of activities to achieve gender equality and inclusion in and through education, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 5 on inclusive quality education and lifelong learning, and gender equality.

The Section’s work is guided by the UNESCO strategy for gender equality in and through education, and its three pillars aiming to support: better data to inform action for gender equality in and through education; better legal, policy and planning frameworks to advance rights; and better teaching and learning practices to empower.

The Section supports coordination across UNESCO to ensure coherence, complementarities and synergies within UNESCO’s Education Sector and across UNESCO programme sectors, field offices and institutes, as well as with external partners. It also leads and contributes to many initiatives aiming for collective action with civil society, academia, bilateral and multilateral agencies and the private sector to advance gender equality in and through education. The Section also supports capacity-development of the gender architecture of the Education Sector to ensure sufficient capacity for mainstreaming gender equality in UNESCO’s assessment, planning and proposal development processes, as well as in monitoring, evaluation and communication of work on gender equality in and through education.

The PA will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist to strengthen evidence and systems for gender-transformative education, strengthen the systematic integration of gender equality considerations across education sector programming, and support monitoring, reporting and accountability on gender equality in and through education.

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director General for Education and the Director of the Division for Education 2030, the overall oversight of the Chief of the Section of Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality, and the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist, the Associate Project Officer will carry out a range of substantive tasks to support the successful implementation of the activities of the Section.

Long Description

KEY ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

In particular, the incumbent will:

• Support gender-related follow-up to the Transforming Education Summit (TES), including by analyzing the evidence on countries’ progress and good practice through the Global Accountability Dashboard of the Global Platform for Gender Equality in and through Education, co-hosted by UNESCO to strengthen UNESCO’s support to advance girls’ education; and support information- and evidence-sharing at key international education moments.
• Contribute to internal and external post-2030 processes and support coordinating an expert group on gender and education to improve cross-national data on gender equality and education and inform the post-2030 agenda, to identify key data gaps, priority areas for improvement, and initiate a process for actionable recommendations.
• Support the coordination of cross-sectional work on curriculum under the 3G MapED project and follow-up work on indicator development.
• Support the coordination of the internal UNESCO community of Practice on Gender Equality and education alongside supporting an internal knowledge hub to strengthen knowledge flow.
• Support a systematic approach on continuous capacity building of UNESCO colleagues in the field and at Headquarters.
• Support providing technical inputs on gender equality and education and strengthen the systematic integration of gender equality across education programming, particularly the integration of gender equality in Education in Emergencies.
• Support monitoring and reporting as well as fundraising efforts of the Section.
• Carry out additional tasks as requested by the supervisor and Chief of Section.

Long Description

Long Description

Long Description

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

• Communication (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Planning and organizing (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)
• Professionalism (C)

Short Description

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in Education, Gender, Social Sciences, Human Sciences, International Development or other related fields.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Up to 2 years of relevant work experience in the field of gender equality and education.

Long Description

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Good knowledge of gender equality in and through education, including on data;
• Strong analytical and coordination skills;
• Excellent writing, research and communication skills;
• Ability to work independently, suggest practical solutions and effective follow-up on management decisions;
• Ability to be a team player, strong interpersonal skills;
• Competence in the use of Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, databases and office software/multimedia packages.

LANGUAGES

• Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English or French and good knowledge of the other language.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Long Description

LANGUAGES

• Knowledge of another UNESCO official language, in particular Spanish, is an asset.

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

UNESCO’s salaries consist of a basic salary and other benefits which may include if applicable: 30 days annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance, pension plan etc.

The approximate annual starting salary for this post is USD 65 970.

For full information on benefits and entitlements, please consult our Guide to Staff Benefits.

SELECTION AND HIRING PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.

To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted.

The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications.

Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course.

Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
• UNESCO applies to a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
• UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States (last update here) are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply.
• lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
• All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
• Geographical mobility is required for staff members appointed to UNESCO’s international posts.
• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. UNESCO 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)/UNESCO. The list can be accessed through the link: https://www.whed.net
• The statutory retirement age at UNESCO is 65 years.
• UNESCO appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by the Organization, is required for International Professional positions.
• UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.