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Education Officer (Environmental Safeguards), NO-2, Sana'a, Yemen

Sanaa

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: Sanaa
  • Grade: Junior level - NO-B, National Professional Officer - Locally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Social Affairs
    • Environment
    • Education, Learning and Training
    • Nuclear Technology
  • Closing Date: Closed

The Education Officer (Environmental Safeguards) will manage the compliance of the new World Bank-funded Restoring Education and Learning (REAL) project to the Environmental and Social Commitments Plan (ESCP) agreed between the World Bank and UNICEF during project negotiations, the implementation of the environmental aspects of the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF, currently being developed), the preparation of Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) for each project site (1000 target schools), and capacity building, both internally and with external partners. The recruitment of this post is a requirement agreed to by UNICEF within the ESCP for the project, with recruitment to be initiated one month after project effectiveness.

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 fulfill 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.

For every child, Education...

Nearly five years after the start of the conflict, Yemen remains the largest emergency globally, with 24 million people out of the population of 30.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance. The conflict has left 3.6 million people, including 2 million children, internally displaced, and at least 500,000 public sector workers have been without salaries for three years, including estimated two third of teachers. Humanitarian access to vulnerable populations remains severely constrained. The damage and closure of schools are threatening children's access to education, rendering them vulnerable to serious protection concerns. At least 2 million children in Yemen are estimated to be out of school. While an estimated 46 per cent of girls and 54 per cent of boys are enrolled in school, secondary-level girls are more likely to drop out due to security issues, lack of female teachers and the lack of appropriate WASH facilities.  The emerging crisis has an impact on the overall Education system and limits current and future opportunities for children in Yemen to access learning. UNICEF is working with multiple partners to improve access to quality education for every child in Yemen. Whilst focusing on ensuring immediate humanitarian support to the education sector, UNICEF is also working with partners to improve the quality of education.

UNICEF, in partnership with the World Bank, WFP, and Save the Children, is developing Yemen’s largest ever project for the Education sector.  This new project, entitled Restoring Education and Learning (REAL), represents a much-needed investment of 153 million USD into the education sector. The project financing will be provided jointly by the World Bank/International Development Association (100 million) and Global Partnership for Education (53 million), and the project overall will be managed by the World Bank.

This four-year project will focus on ensuring continued school functioning through a package of support for schools that will benefit from the project, alongside upstream capacity development and support for alternative learning across Yemen. UNICEF, WFP, and Save the Children will work jointly to implement the project, with each agency taking responsibility for different components of the project – UNICEF will provide teacher incentives and allowances, educational supplies, school rehabilitation services, and capacity development; WFP will implement a school feeding program, and Save the Children will focus on teacher training, the production, printing and distribution of learning materials, and capacity development for school principals and administrative staff.     

How can you make a difference?

The Education Officer (Environmental Safeguards) is to be based in the Yemen Country Office (CO) where the Representative is at the D2 level and the Education Programme is a component of the Country Programme. The Education Officer (Environmental Safeguards) reports to the Project Coordinator who is at P4 level. The Education Officer (Environmental Safeguards) will manage the compliance of the new World Bank-funded Restoring Education and Learning (REAL) project to the Environmental and Social Commitments Plan (ESCP) agreed between the World Bank and UNICEF during project negotiations, the implementation of the environmental aspects of the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF, currently being developed), the preparation of Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) for each project site (1000 target schools), and capacity building, both internally and with external partners. The recruitment of this post is a requirement agreed to by UNICEF within the ESCP for the project, with recruitment to be initiated one month after project effectiveness.

Support to prepare all relevant Environmental Safeguards documents and ensure compliance with the Environmental specific requirements of the Environmental and Social Commitments Plan (ESCP):

  • In coordination with Education Officer (Social Safeguard) and Project Coordinator, prepare the social management and environmental and social management framework (ESMF).
  • In coordination with Education Officer (Social Safeguard) and Project Coordinator, prepare site specific Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMPs) to ensure compliance with relevant Environmental and Social Safety Standards (ESS) and the ESCP. 
  • Refine UNICEF’s ESP draft documents, coordinate, review, consolidate and address internal feedback (from UNICEF Divisions and Offices) on the draft documents.
  • Monitor UNICEF compliance to ESMF and ESMPs.
  • Monitor UNICEF implementing partners compliance to ESMF and ESMPs.
  • Plan and formulate any other additional necessary documents, guidance notes, templates, as well as convene internal focused group discussions instrumental towards finalizing the ESP.
  • Ensure the ESP related documents are aligned with UNICEF’s internal procedures and policies, regulatory frameworks as well as the model UN approach.
  • Provide technical support, guidance, advice to the project partners (WFP and SCI) when applicable.
  • Closely follow up the integration of environmental safeguard assessment information into project planning and implementation and completion of safeguards self-screening checklist during the project development process;

Project Management and Implementation

  • Identify challenges, opportunities, priorities and needs for the development and implementation of the ESCP, ESMF and ESMPs.
  • In collaboration with the project team, make sure that the terms and conditions set for project development in line with environmental safeguard principles are adhered to.
  • Provide technical support during project implementation to ensure compliance to the ESCP, ESMPs and ESMF
  • Include formulating a roll-out plan, developing supporting guidance and tools, when applicable (e.g. Environmental Screening Tool) to support environmental safeguarding implementation.
  • Take stock of lessons learned from previous projects, global regional and national best practices, and current UNICEF and WB principles guidelines and procedures to ensure environmental safeguard documents for the project remain up to date and current.

Project Monitoring & Reporting

  • Undertake to follow up monitoring to ensure that proposed environmental risk mitigation measures are implemented according to the ESCP, ESMF and ESMPs
  • Participation of UNICEF in all environmental safeguards’ meetings;
  • Reporting of all safeguards’ issues on the ground.

Capacity Building and Training

  • Provide support and direct technical assistance to develop environmental safeguard responsive climate smart strategies and plans.
  • Support to develop and implement capacity building activities for UNICEF staff and partners where applicable.
  • Provide technical support to the project and result-based monitoring and evaluation.
  • Closely provide assistance and deliver capacity building training to the field teams to close knowledge/skill gaps and minimize the likelihood of risks to happen to sub projects
  • Carry out training on integrating safeguard principles in REAL project.
  • ESMPs are developed and in place for each project site; 
  • Capacity of project staff improved;
  • All field teams well versed in safeguards issues;
  • Handle additional assignments as directed by the Project Coordinator.

 

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

  • Education: A university degree in Environmental Studies or Environmental Economics or Natural Resource Management or relevant similar field is required.
  • Experience: Two (2) years of technical experience in environmental sustainability and in the design, implementation and preferably monitoring of environmental impact assessments and management plans
  • Good writing and communication skills, including public speaking and presentations, is preferred.
  • Experience working with UNICEF or another UN agency is an asset.
  • Languages: Fluency in English and Arabic is required. 

 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Core Competencies

  • Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
  • Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
  • Works Collaboratively with others (2)
  • Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
  • Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
  • Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
  • Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
  • Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Functional Competencies:

  • Analyzing (2)
  • Applying technical expertise (2)
  • Learning and researching (2)
  • Planning and organizing (2)

To view our competency framework, please visit here

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

This vacancy is now closed.
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