Senior Project Officer (Advocacy and Partnership)

OVERVIEW

Post Number : ED 769

Grade : P-4

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Paris

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Temporary Appointment

Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months

Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 22-MAR-2021

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

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

I. Background

The Global Education Monitoring Report (or GEM Report), formerly known as the Education for All Global Monitoring Report (GMR), is an editorially independent, authoritative, and evidence-based annual report that monitors progress in education in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which have been adopted as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Report is funded by a group of governments, multilateral agencies and foundations and published annually by UNESCO to serve the international community. It is widely recognised as an indispensable advocacy and technical tool supporting the achievement of SDG 4, which aims to ensure “inclusive and equitable quality education” and promote “lifelong learning for all” by 2030. With its renewed mandate, established in the Incheon Declaration of the World Education Forum in May 2015, the annual GEM Report series will identify effective education policies and analyse major education related themes.
 

In line with its 2019-2024 Strategy and in collaboration with the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), the GEM Report is initiating a Spotlight report series – a country-focused accountability and peer learning tool on education. The series will put the spotlight on education progress, in terms of access, equity, quality, learning and finance in primary and lower secondary education, in up to 40 countries in Africa with a focus on two global indicators: the completion rate and the percentage of children achieving minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics in early grades, by the end of primary and by the end of lower secondary education.
 

Long Description

II. Duties and requirements

Under the overall authority of the Assistant-Director General for Education, and the direct supervision of the Director of the GEM Report, the Advocacy and Partnership Officer will be responsible for the development and implementation of the GEM Report strategy on policy, advocacy and knowledge sharing. In that connection he/she will:
 

1. Develop a three-year strategy for the GEM report on policy advocacy and knowledge sharing, including identifying new activities and an associated timeline to support the strategy’s implementation, that would fit under the GEM Report’s overarching strategy.

2. Implement the first year of the three-year strategy on policy advocacy and knowledge sharing during the consultancy, including scoping out and organising policy dialogue events in key countries with key regional organisations, based on GEM Report products.

3. In the particular case of the Spotlight report series in Africa:
a. Develop and execute advocacy strategies to inform and influence regional, sub-regional and national institutions and education development partners’ policy dialogue, to ensure that foundational literacy and numeracy and basic education completion are prioritized. 
b. Conceptualize, coordinate, and execute policy events and briefings in collaboration with the implementing partner.
c. Identify, build, and manage relationships to form country advocacy groups with civil society coalitions and coordinate campaigns aimed at enhancing accountability on foundational literacy and numeracy and basic education completion.
d. Lead communications and content for Spotlight documents including blogs, social media, donor and policy reports, fact sheets.
e. Develop advocacy materials as required, including information sheets and brochures.

Long Description

Long Description

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education
⦁ Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) in communications, development studies, public policy, business administration or other social science disciplines;
 

Work Experience
⦁ At least 7 years of progressively responsible relevant work experience designing and implementing advocacy and partnership strategies on development issues, of which preferably 3 years acquired at international level.

Skills and competencies
⦁ Strong expertise in communication strategy development and execution, with an ability to use feedback loops to improve communication products and tools;
⦁ Advanced knowledge of social media, information channels and communication tool awareness with the ability to modify communication strategies to leverage existing GEM Report tools;
⦁ Advanced content development and editing skills, in line with organizational standards;
⦁ Ability to analyse and provide strategic advice on stakeholder engagement in order to further organizational goals and objectives;
⦁ Excellent organizational and project management skills, and demonstrated ability to participate as a team player;
⦁ Ability to work independently and effectively, with sensitivity across barriers such as language, culture and distance.
 

Languages
⦁ Excellent command of spoken and written English and good command of French

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Work experience
⦁ Experience collaborating with a diverse set of national authorities, partners and donors in Africa on communications and advocacy.

Languages
⦁ Knowledge of other official UNESCO languages (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).
 

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

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