Job Detail

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

Organizational Context and Purpose for the job

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, advocacy and in operations. UNICEF's work is based on the need to address the impact of conflict and other phenomena affecting the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families and translate this commitment to children’s rights into action. UNICEF performs these tasks to give all children equal opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias, or favouritism. This will ensure that every child has an equal chance in life. Moreover, UNICEF’s work 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 and in its Core Commitment for Children in the Humanitarian crisis.

In Afghanistan, more than forty years of conflict continue to undermine the rights of children to have access to their rights (Education, health, food, nutrition, protection etc) which adversely results in children and their families demonstrating Mental Health and Psychosocial disorders and challenge. The National Mental Health Survey and Assessment of Mental Health Services (2018)  showed that the population of Afghanistan is very much exposed to traumatic events: 66% have personally experienced at least one traumatic event, and 77% witnessed such an event, for a total of 85% who have either personally experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. This is a very high number which is considered a risk for PTSD[1].  Irrespective of this alarming level of risk of PTSD in the country, the multiple levels of emergencies ranging from the conflict, which intensified in 2021, the COVID Pandemic and climate-related (storms, flooding, winter, drought, earthquake etc) emergencies result in further Mental Health and Psychosocial challenge for the population, including children.  According to the 2018 National Mental Health Survey, 10 % of children were found to be impaired in their daily roles by a mental health problem as evaluated by their mother; 8% may qualify for a potential diagnosis[1]. 

Job Description

How can you make a difference?

Purpose for the job: Under the supervision of the Chief, Education or Education Specialist, the Education Officer provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for education programmes/projects within the Country Programme from development planning to delivery of results, preparing, executing, managing and implementing a variety of technical and administrative programme tasks to facilitate programme development, implementation, programme progress monitoring, evaluating and reporting.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Support to programme development and planning

• Participate in the design, review, and fine-tuning of education component activities and contribute to developing implementation strategies, particularly in matters relating to the quality of education and relevance of teaching and learning.
• Review, and support/oversee the development and refinement of improved quality training materials for schoolteachers, master trainers, CBE teachers, GATE teachers and headteachers.
• Ensure the relevance of the teaching-learning materials produced, considering the context of Afghanistan in line with UNICEF and government education policy and curricula.
• Contribute to the preparation and updating of the situation analysis for the development, design and management of education related programmes/projects. Research and report on development trends (economic, social, health etc.) and data for use in programme development, management, monitoring, evaluation and delivery of results.
• Contribute to the development and establishment of sectoral programme goals, objectives and strategies and results-based planning through research, collection, analysis and reporting of education and other related information for development planning 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 documentation, and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support programme planning, results-based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluation of results. 

2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results.

• Support monitoring of educational activities through visits to teacher training workshops, schools, community-based schools (CBEs), and Girls’ Access to Teacher Education (GATE) programme.
• Critically analyze qualitative and quantitative field data to identify strengths and weaknesses in the implementation of quality education programs and recommend actions to improve implementation.
• Prepare a periodical report demonstrating enhanced quality in line with the indicators set for education that promote quality education.
• 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 programme 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.
• Prepare draft inputs for programme/donor reporting.

3. 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 relevant information on best practices for quality education, guide the relevant stakeholders on the enhancement of the quality of teacher training, and provide support in documenting and applying learning in quality education programs.
• 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 education-related issues to support programme implementation, operations, and delivery of results.

4. Networking and partnership building

• Contribute to establishing and maintaining effective linkage and coordination among the stakeholders, different sections of UNICEF, and zonal offices.
• 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 the capacity of stakeholders to achieve and sustain results on education programmes.
• Draft communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships and alliances, and support fundraising for education programmes.
• 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 programmes/projects and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF’s position and strategies with the UNDAF development and planning process. 
• Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fund raising and partnership development purposes.

5.  Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Contribute to identifying, capturing, synthesizing, and sharing lessons learned for knowledge development and capacity development of stakeholders.
• Apply innovative approaches and promote good practice to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.
• Research 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/stakeholders.

Skills Required

• having experience in the mentioned field

Submission Guideline:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Applicants are requested to apply through the provided link:https://jobs.unicef.org/en-us/job/572188/education-officer-nob-fixed-term-kabul-afghanistan-90198-open-to-afghan-nationals-only

Applications received via ACBAR jobs online portal will not be given consideration.

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