Education Officer- ECED (UNV)
Organizational Context
UNICEF is dedicated to promoting the rights and well-being of every child globally, with a focus on the most vulnerable and excluded. In Nepal, UNICEF's Education programme aims to ensure children complete quality education in equitable, inclusive, and safe environments. The program supports the national School Education Sector Plan, working with all government levels to address learning challenges, recover pandemic-related losses, and equip children with foundational skills, particularly in early grades.
Job Purpose
The Education Officer (UNV) will provide crucial technical and operational support to implementing partners, and provincial and local governments in Nepal for the effective implementation and monitoring of the SCALE initiative. This role involves strengthening coordination mechanisms for designing and delivering Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) programs aligned with local plans and needs. The officer will build capacity of partners and schools on Early Learning and Development Standards and other interventions, collect human-interest stories and case studies, and assist in monitoring and assessments. The position contributes to situation analysis, information sharing, and the introduction of innovative approaches to enhance program delivery and achieve sustainable results in ECED.
Responsibilities
Provide technical and operational support for the SCALE initiative's implementation and monitoring, collaborating with partners and local governments. Strengthen coordination structures to design and implement ECED programs aligned with local education sector plans and budgets. Build capacity of implementing partners, schools, and local governments on Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) and other SCALE interventions. Collect human-interest stories, case studies, and lessons learned from ECED programs, focusing on the Test-Learn-Adapt approach. Assist in monitoring visits, missions, end-use monitoring, and other assessments. Provide inputs for sector situation analysis and share information on implementation issues with colleagues and partners. Represent UNICEF in inter-agency discussions on education. Introduce innovative approaches to build partner capacity and support sustainable program results. Additionally, promote voluntary action by engaging with communities and contributing to UNV publications and activities.
Work Experience
Requires 3 years of overall experience and 5 years of relevant experience. Experience in Early Childhood Education, particularly government-related ECED training, programming, and planning, is essential. Proficiency in MS Office applications and experience in education sector planning, programming, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting are required. Strong coordination, networking, advocacy, and interpersonal skills are necessary.
Skills
Key competencies include building and maintaining partnerships, self-awareness, ethical awareness, driving results, innovation, managing ambiguity and complexity, strategic thinking, and collaborative work. Core values include Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability. Essential skills include excellent communication, presentation, coordination, networking, advocacy, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.