Education Specialist, Emergency Response Team, P4, PD, NYHQ

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Purpose of the Position

The Education Specialist, Emergency Response Team (ERT) will work under the guidance and direct supervision of the Senior Education Advisor of the Education in Emergencies Hub of the Education Section. Though the post is office-based at New York Headquarters (NYHQ), the incumbent will undertake frequent travel to emergency-affected countries with long-term in-country support of up to three months (renewable), in addition to remote support to country and regional offices. During these missions, the Emergency Specialist will be exposed to difficult working conditions, limited infrastructure, stressful situations and long working hours. Specific tasks and reporting lines will be established per mission. The incumbent will provide support to the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of UNICEF's emergency preparedness and response in activities and results related to Education; ensuring overall efficiency, effectiveness and delivery of results in accordance with UNICEF's (CCCs) and national and international humanitarian standards. This includes working with Headquarters, Regional and Country offices in developing plans and activities to strengthen UNICEF's capacity to deliver effective educational support in emergency situations; provision of technical assistance to Regional Offices and Country Offices so that there is adequate and appropriate support, both in addressing acute emergencies and in programming to mitigate the educational impact of chronic and Complex emergencies, and contributing to improved approaches and systems for emergency education response within UNICEF. Primary focus of work will be in Level 3 emergencies.

When deployed to affected country offices, he/she will be responsible for supporting the country team by providing guidance and direction on emergency education issues and ensuring implementation of high impact education interventions in acute and chronic emergencies as outlined in UNICEF's technical guidelines.

Key Accountabilities and Duties & Tasks Summary of results-based key functions/accountabilities:

1) Situation analysis and strengthening of education information systems: Support the CO to consolidate the education situation analysis based on available information.

Advise on what additional education related information is needed through data Collection or strengthening of available education information systems to guide the education response,

Undertakes field visits to emergency locations to assess education programme progress, to identify major problems and constraints and to propose solutions and actions.

2) Strategy and capacity development: Collaborate with CO, RO and HQ in providing technical guidance, analysing and advising the Representative and the country team on the development of appropriate education policies, strategies and implementation frameworks to deliver a comprehensive package of education services, relevant to the educational needs, national policies and overall emergency response. These strategies will also take into account existing country programme and long term national priorities.

Guides the Education response and preparedness by coordinating inputs, preparing plans of action and Work plans for implementation.

Guide in defining and setting up monitoring mechanisms.

Identify capacity needs for UNICEF staff and agencies engaged in the education response and appropriate capacity development activities and resources.

Coordinates and directs organizational contribution to Education Cluster so as to ensure effective response to emergencies.

Participate in the development of joint policies and technical guidelines for appropriate provision of Education response in emergencies, in coordination with other UN agencies, relevant NGOs and institutions through sector/cluster coordination mechanisms.

3) Identification of human and other resource needs: In collaboration with CO, RO and HQ (including EMOPS Global Cluster Coordination Unit) advise on the appropriate resources required to deliver on UNICEF's Education cluster lead agency mandate.

Advise on staffing (level and skills) for both programme and cluster responsibilities from onset through transition from emergency (where relevant).

Advise on immediate and ongoing supply needs as well as financial needs for the emergency response, including liaison with Supply Division and contribution to resource mobilization documents (internal, external).

4) Promotion of partnership: Promote partnership with relevant agencies and negotiate country level MOU and LOU as appropriate.

5) Monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the emergency response: In cooperation with the Emergency Response Team, HQ and the Regional and Country office participates in the monitoring and evaluation of the education component of the emergency response to ensure achievement of the organization's objectives in this area (e.g., documentation of the response, lessons learned, best practices monitoring and evaluation frameworks).

Liaise with donors and contribute to donors response reporting to ensure that the emergency response is adequately resourced and documented for future planning and strategy development.

6) Ongoing technical support: Prepares an end of mission/handover report for submission to the CO, RO and HQ colleagues outlining required action from each level.

Ensure regular liaison with regional offices, headquarters and partners to ensure follow up actions at the respective levels and information needs are met.

7) Improving UNICEF's emergency response systems and emergency preparedness: Identify institutional bottlenecks in delivery of the emergency response, and liaise with other Divisions and sectors within UNICEF (e.g., Health, WASH, HATIS, EMOPS-in particular the GCCU- Supply Division) in order to improve UNICEF systems and standards for emergency response.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Advanced university degree in disciplines relevant to the following areas: Education, Economics, Social Sciences, or a field(s) relevant to international development assistance.

Advanced training in humanitarian action.

Minimum of eight years of responsible professional work experience in international development in education, especially in the area of Education in Emergencies (EiE).

Additional experience in field-based emergency operations highly desirable.

Experience working in the UN or other international organization is an asset.

Fluency in English (written & verbal) is required. Knowledge of another UN language is desired. Knowledge of French or Arabic preferred.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

Core Values

Commitment

Diversity and Inclusion

Integrity

Core competencies

Communication – Level II

Working with People – Level II

Drive for Results – Level II

Functional Competencies

Formulating Strategies and Concepts – Level Il

Analyzing – Level Ill

Relating and Networking – Level III

Planning and Organizing – Level ll

Adapting and responding to change – Level Ill

Coping with Pressure and Setbacks – Level Ill Technical Knowledge

Technical Knowledge

Good understanding of the overall global development context, including issues such as: poverty, conflict, and the impact of these factors on education and vice-versa; and inter-sectoral approaches to address such issues in collaboration with other sectors (including Social Policy, Child Protection, Nutrition, WASH, Health and Communications within UNICEF).

Good knowledge of global developments in education and international engagement strategies, including the application of the equity lens and human rights perspectives to programming.

Good ability to support policy dialogue: translation of analytical findings and evidence into development programmes and policy discussions around equity and learning with partners, including government, development partners, CSOs and academia in relevant areas.

Good education sector planning knowledge/ability, including the range of modalities for delivering education, linkages between different sub-sectors (e.g. ECD, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Inclusive Education), cost-effectiveness and efficiency issues, key institutional structures, components and processes, as well as governance issues.

Good education and policy sector analysis capacity, including understanding of the core education data sets, indicators, tools for analysis of equity, determinants of student access and learning, budget, cost and financing, education system management, political economy and application to education policy and strategic planning.

Good ability to support engagement with partners (e.g. Sector Wide Approaches, Global Partnership for Education, Education in Emergency Clusters, Education Provider Forums, Delivering as One, Inter-sectoral partnerships such as in ECD), as well as networking with other key partners.

Good understanding of gender and inequity issues in relation to education and development and the application of gender / equity analysis to policy and planning in education.

Good understanding of policies and strategies to address issues related to resilience: risk analysis and risk management, education in conflict situations, natural disasters, and recovery, To view our competency framework, please clickhere.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.

HOW TO APPLY:

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=502486