Associate Coordination Officer

Job Posting Organization:
UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, was established in 1945 with the mission to contribute to peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security by promoting international collaboration through educational, scientific, and cultural reforms. The organization operates in over 190 countries and has a workforce of approximately 2,000 employees. UNESCO aims to build peace in the minds of men and women, and it works to foster the free flow of ideas by word and image, promote education for all, and protect cultural heritage.

Job Overview:
The Associate Coordination Officer position is pivotal within UNESCO's Priority Africa and External Relations Sector. This role is designed to enhance and coordinate relations with African Member States and relevant partners, ensuring effective monitoring and implementation of the Global Priority Africa (GPA) and its Operational Strategy (OSPA). The officer will work under the authority of the director-general" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Assistant Director-General for Priority Africa and External Relations and will be directly supervised by the Chief of Section for Relations with African Member States and Partnerships. The position requires a proactive approach to program coordination, monitoring, and implementation, necessitating collaboration with various units, program sectors, and field offices. The officer will also be responsible for preparing statutory reports for UNESCO’s governing bodies and strategic documents related to GPA and OSPA, ensuring that the Division’s biennial workplans and budget frameworks align with strategic objectives. This role is integral to advancing partnerships with the Africa Group at Headquarters and other key stakeholders, making it essential for the officer to possess strong analytical and communication skills to prepare background documents and briefing materials for official engagements.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Associate Coordination Officer will undertake a variety of duties, including but not limited to:

• Supporting program coordination, monitoring, and implementation related to Global Priority Africa and the Operational Strategy for Priority Africa.
• Collaborating closely with other units within PAX/AFR, program sectors, and field offices to ensure effective communication and alignment of objectives.
• Preparing timely statutory reports for UNESCO’s Executive Board and General Conference, as well as strategic documents on the implementation of GPA and OSPA.
• Assisting in the preparation, monitoring, and implementation of the Division’s biennial workplans and budget frameworks.
• Drafting background documents, analytical notes, and briefing materials for bilateral meetings and official visits.
• Supporting the advancement of partnerships with the Members of the Africa Group and other key partners and stakeholders.
• Engaging in continuous improvement and knowledge sharing within the organization to enhance operational effectiveness.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in public administration, international relations, political sciences, social sciences, or a related field. Additionally, candidates should have at least two years of professional experience in international coordination, planning, monitoring, international relations, or diplomacy, with a preference for one year of experience at the international level. Experience in drafting factual and substantive briefing notes and analytical documents is also required. Candidates should demonstrate a strong commitment to the organization’s mandate and possess proven analytical, coordination, planning, and organizational skills.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in fields such as public administration, international relations, political sciences, social sciences, or any other related disciplines. Additional courses or training relevant to the post are considered desirable.

Experience:
The position requires at least two years of professional experience in international coordination, planning, monitoring, international relations, or a related field. It is preferred that candidates have at least one year of experience acquired at the international level, which may include work within the United Nations system or other international organizations.

Languages:
Candidates must have excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of either English or French, along with a good knowledge of the second language. Knowledge of other official UNESCO languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish is considered desirable.

Additional Notes:
The contract for this position is fixed-term for a duration of two years, with the possibility of renewal. The position is open to both internal and external candidates. UNESCO offers a competitive salary, with the approximate annual starting salary for this post being 87,929 USD. Benefits include 30 days of annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance, and a pension plan. The organization emphasizes a commitment to diversity and encourages applications from candidates of diverse backgrounds, including those from under-represented Member States, minority groups, indigenous groups, and persons with disabilities. All applications will be treated confidentially, and UNESCO does not charge any fees during the recruitment process.