National Education Coordination Officer

Job Advertisement

Position Title: National Education Coordination Officer
Location: Quetta
Country: Pakistan
Deadline Date: 17.02.2025

Job Details

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. UNESCO operates in over 190 countries and has a workforce of approximately 2,000 employees. The organization focuses on building peace in the minds of men and women, fostering sustainable development, and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Job Overview:
The National Education Coordination Officer will play a pivotal role in overseeing the strategic coordination, implementation, and management of the System Capacity Grant (SCG) programme in Balochistan, Pakistan. This position is crucial for ensuring that the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) supports the Balochistan Partnership Compact (2024-2028) effectively. The officer will work closely with provincial government counterparts, UN agencies, development partners, and other stakeholders to ensure the delivery of quality learning opportunities for all children. The role involves facilitating policy reforms, increasing investment in education, and promoting gender-responsive actions. The officer will also be responsible for aligning the SCG programme with the Balochistan Education Sector Plan (BESP) and addressing critical capacity gaps in the education sector to achieve sustainable development and improved learning outcomes by 2028.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Facilitate strategic coordination with provincial government counterparts, UN agencies, development partners, and local implementing partners to ensure timely implementation of GPE programme activities.
• Participate in Local Education Group (LEG) meetings and coordinate its activities, including organizing joint sector reviews and providing expert technical support.
• Foster collaboration between the School Education Department and other relevant provincial departments to address systemic challenges impacting education sector coordination.
• Liaise closely with other Grant Agents (UNICEF and World Bank) to synchronize SCG and STG activities.
• Oversee the monitoring and evaluation of SCG activities, ensuring progress aligns with objectives.
• Represent UNESCO in UN Provincial Programme Team meetings and other relevant provincial platforms.
• Maintain close liaison with the UNESCO Education Team and provide regular updates on provincial developments.
• Manage SCG activities in the province, ensuring timely consolidation of project documents.
• Coordinate field missions and meetings with provincial stakeholders. 1
• Assess and analyze priority needs in the education sector for resource mobilization and partnership building. 1
• Undertake additional tasks assigned by the Officer-in-Charge/Head of Office and/or Head of Education.

Required Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Project Management, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field from a recognized institution.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in project planning, implementation, management, and coordination within the education sector.
• Experience collaborating with government agencies, international organizations, UN agencies, or other key stakeholders in the education sector.
• Comprehensive expertise across the project lifecycle, including planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
• Experience in applying results-based management and integrating gender mainstreaming approaches within development initiatives.
• Strong organization and coordination skills, interpersonal skills, effective communication skills, strong analytical skills, and excellent IT skills.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Project Management, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field from a recognized institution. A combination of an advanced degree and practical experience in international development work on education may be substituted for the fields mentioned.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in project planning, implementation, management, and coordination within the education sector. Experience with UN systems or intergovernmental organizations is desirable, particularly in managing and coordinating projects related to education policy and planning in Balochistan.

Languages:
Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English is mandatory, along with good knowledge of Urdu. Knowledge of other local languages spoken in Balochistan is considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
The position is a Service Contract at Level SC9 with a standard duration of 1 year, renewable subject to funds availability and satisfactory performance. The recruitment is open to both external and internal candidates. The application deadline is set for midnight Pakistan Time on 17.02.202

• UNESCO emphasizes the importance of diversity and encourages candidates from under-represented Member States, minority groups, indigenous groups, and persons with disabilities to apply. The organization maintains a zero-tolerance policy against harassment and is committed to achieving gender parity among its staff.