Associate Project Officer (ED)-SC 8/1-BAG-21-ED-0004- Erbil

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Erbil

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Non Staff

Level : Level 3

Duration of contract : 1 year

Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 28-Feb-2021

 

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

 

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

 

UNESCO’s TVET Reform Project funded by European Union has been a key facilitator of TVET reform in Iraq over the last 5 years. The TVET reform project, by design, has focused primarily on upstream policy-orientated work that lays the foundations for the provision of TVET in Iraq. 

In December 2020, UNESCO and the European Union signed the Phase 2 of the TVET reform project “Jobs Creation Through Technical & Vocation education SYSTEM Strengthening & Labour Market Linkages”. Phase 2 to strengthen and consolidate the policy and systems developed in Phase 1 by embedding them in Federal and local Directorate policies and procedures; and through their application at provider level, focussing on vocational schools and universities to develop centres of excellence as a model and resource for other institutions for possible replication and scale-up nation-wide. 

 

Under the overall supervision of the Director of UNESCO Iraq Office and the direct supervision of the Chief of Education, the selected candidate shall do the following, but not limited to, functions: 
1.    Assist the Project Team in implementing all Outputs within the project 
2.    Facilitate the development of Competency-Based curricula in 2 of the economic sectors (IT and Hospitality), in-line with the Technical and Vocational Qualifications Framework.
3.    Build relations with the MoE representatives in Baghdad, Kerbala and Basra to ensure a recruitment pipeline of suitably motivate young people for participation in training and work programmes;
4.    Organise and provide quality assurance for the delivery of TVET in Baghdad, Kerbala and Basra, working closely with government training institutions and national and international experts;
5.    Build strong working relationships with the Vocational schools in the 3 areas to ensure cooperation and good communication channels to allow the organisations of workshops, trainings and meetings with International and National experts. 
 

Long Description

6.    Within the framework of the project, support the establishment of Career Development Centres in the 3 Vocational schools and the establishment of sectorial councils for Hospitality and ICT;
7.    Assist the Project manager in building and maintaining relationships with the Technical Universities in Baghdad and Basra and assisting the International expert with setting up visits, meetings, workshops and trainings. 
8.    Establish, manage and monitoring of contracts and relationships with multiple implementing partners/consultants/contractors covering the range of expertise required to successfully implement the activities, in compliance with the rules and regulations of UNESCO;
9.    Liaise with and facilitate consultation between the relevant local authorities in Iraq, NGOs, suppliers and local community stakeholders as required and necessary;
10.    Organize stakeholder meetings and capacity-building workshops in order to ensure necessary competencies are transferred from experts to local practitioners;
11.    Facilitate information sharing amongst stakeholders, including with local authorities and communities, and NGOs, and organize events to enhance awareness raising and project visibility both inside and outside Iraq;
12.    Prepare reports, briefings, presentations and other materials, as requested by the Head of Education / Project Manager
13.    Undertake missions as necessary and requested for project implementation in Iraq and elsewhere.
14.    Assist with other tasks in the Office, as requested by the Director, Head of Education and the Project team.

Long Description

 

The incumbent shall be able to manage two or more project components indpendently, although still under the supervision and direct coordination of the project manager. S/he needs to be able in supporting technically and organizationally the project manager in implementing a complex and articulate project, aiming at reforming the TVET system in Iraq, where different interraleted components have to be implemented simultaneously and consequently; this would require strong exepertise and the organizational capacity to plan, implement and monitor a complex project. The post enjoys a medium degree of autonomy in the daily work; the incumbent will be responsible for the implementation of certain components of the project; however the strategy and approach for the implementation will be decided in accordance with the project manager, who will be the only final decision maker. At this end, regular meetings with the project manager will take place to plan together the implementation strategy/work plan, and to update on the status of the project implementation and on the main achievements and challenges. The incumbent will be required to master the rules and regulations guiding the project implementation stated by the donor. Complete understanding of the internal UNESCO policy and guidelines pertaining to all the aspect of a project implementation (this refers but it is not limited to the administrative, finance and procurement rules) will also be requested. Finally the incumbent will be required to get acquainted with UNESCO overall approach to TVET worldwide and regionally and regularly liaise with the TVET Unit at UNESCO headquarter in Paris.

 

As associate project officer the incumbent will represent UNESCO with different stakeholders at any level. In order to establish profitable relationship with them the incumbent shall possess cultural sensitivity and adaptively, strong communication skills and a flexible and positive attitude. To contribute to developing and maintaining the differentiated contacts, s/he will be required not only to share information, but also assist  to persuade, negotiate, advocate and build alliance in the interest of the project. It is required that the incumbent always coordinate with the project manager and other project team members in the establishment of these relationships and in their management to guarantee an harmonized and coherent approach.

 

•    internal/external contacts
Education sector, specifically TVET;
Consultants and contractors;
Partners and NGOs;
MoE Iraq and KRG;
DoE Mosul and Dohuk;
Governor Office in Mosul and Dohuk and other government bodies.
The Private sector for each economic sector
MoHESR and the representatives of the Technical Universities in Mosul and Dohuk
 

Long Description COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial) Accountability (C) Communication (C) Innovation (C) Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C) Planning and organizing (C) Results focus (C) Teamwork (C) - For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

 

1. Academic qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (equivalent to Master) in the field of education, economy, management, or any other related field. 2 to 4 years of experience in the field of education, TVET, governance, public sector administration and capacity building, of which preferably 1 year acquired at international level.

 

2.  Years of relevant work experience

• 2 to 4 years of experience in the field of education, TVET, governance, public sector administration and capacity building, 

 

3.  Competencies:

Functional/Technical Competencies:

• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills: ability to manage sub-contracted implementing partners, organise multiple and simultaneous tasks and deliver results within a specified timetable.
• Sound understanding of results-based management and monitoring and evaluation principles.
• Proven interpersonal, collaboration and teamwork skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to work efficiently under pressure within a multicultural environment and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated proficiency in basic office software tools (MS Office suite) and use of relevant IT solutions.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

 

4.  Core competencies:  

• Accountability, Communication, Teamwork, Innovation, Results focus, Planning and organizing, Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.

 

5.  Language requirement:

• Native Arabic speaker – oral, written, comprehension
• Fluent in English – oral, written, comprehension
   

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

 

1.  Years of relevant work experience:

• years of experience supporting an international organization, including a United Nations entity.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.

The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview. 

UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.

Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.

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