Education Specialist (Policy & Budget)
Organizational Context
UNICEF works in over 190 countries to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. The Caribbean Multi-Country Office serves twelve English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean countries, focusing on equitable access to primary health care, learning and skills; protection from violence; and child poverty reduction and resilience.
Job Purpose
The Education Specialist (Policy & Budget) is a key member of the Equitable and resilient services for primary health care, learning and skills working group. This role is crucial for implementing the Country Programme Document (CPD) outcome focused on equitable and resilient services that enhance children's nutrition, mental health, learning, and skills. The specialist will strengthen health and education systems to deliver integrated primary health care, nutrition, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), and quality basic and secondary education for all children and adolescents. The primary function is to translate this priority into integrated policy packages, service delivery models, and scalable solutions across the subregion. This involves ensuring that equity, inclusion, and climate-resilience are fundamental components in the expansion of health and education services, thereby contributing to UNICEF's mission of promoting the rights of every child.
Responsibilities
The Education Specialist (Policy & Budget) will contribute to the development and implementation of integrated policy packages, service delivery models, and scalable solutions for equitable and resilient education services across the Caribbean subregion. This includes providing technical expertise in education policy analysis, reform, and budget advocacy to strengthen national education systems. The role involves collaborating with governments, civil society organizations, and other partners to embed equity, inclusion, and climate-resilience in education strategies and programming. The specialist will support the development of evidence-based interventions that address learning losses, mental health concerns, and the impact of climate-related disasters on education. Furthermore, the position will involve monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of education programmes, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s strategic priorities and the Multi-Country Programme. The specialist will also play a role in resource mobilization and advocacy efforts related to education financing and policy reform, contributing to the overall goal of ensuring quality basic and secondary education for all children and adolescents in the region.
Work Experience
At least two years of professional experience in education policy, planning, and budget analysis, preferably in a developing country context. Experience working with governments and international organizations is desirable.
Skills
Education policy analysis, Budget analysis, Programme development, Monitoring and evaluation, Stakeholder engagement, Capacity building, Research and data analysis, Report writing, Advocacy, Project management, Cross-cultural communication, UNICEF programme principles