Education Officer Seconded to the MoEST (GOSS), Sudan

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Humanitarian
Closing date: 18 Feb 2009
Location: Sudan (the) - Juba

Background

The ?Go to School? initiative encompasses all of UNICEF?s activities in the education sector and is a flagship programme for the Southern Sudan Area Office. Since the launch of the ?Go to School? initiative on 1 April 2006 by H.E The President of Southern Sudan, enrolment figures have risen sharply. Today, there are over 1.3 million children in school ? a dramatic increase from the wartime estimate of just 343,000.

UNICEF is supporting a diverse portfolio of interventions in order to ensure that this growing student population has access to meaningful learning opportunities. In 2009, planned activities include, among others, teacher training, school construction, social mobilization, data collection, and capacity building for education managers at every level of the education system.

As the sector lead for education in Southern Sudan, UNICEF also bears substantial responsibility for sector-wide planning processes and events, including the UN and Partners Work Plan, and the CHF and MDTF funding mechanisms.

These projects involve a wide variety of stakeholders and rely on support from numerous donors, including the Governments of Japan, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands; DFID; Dubai Cares; and the UK, US, Italian and German National Committees, as well as several individual donors. UNICEF education staff work closely with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology both at the central level and in each of the ten states, engaging substantively in high-level planning processes that affect key policies throughout the sector.

Justification

In light of the scale, visibility and complexity of the ?Go to School? initiative, a dedicated member of the education team is necessary to develop funding proposals and reports, assist with monitoring and evaluation responsibilities, and maintain strong donor relationships. Information and communication components of the programme, including multimedia documentation and media relations are also required, to inform key stakeholders, facilitate monitoring, ensure sustained political goodwill and continued donor support to the programme.

A consultant is therefore required to support the Chief of Education in covering these elements through the end of 2009, which are outside the regular staff functions of the current education staff. The 2009 education budget exceeds US $13 million, making it one of the largest UN programmes in Southern Sudan.

Scope of Work

Under the general supervision of the Senior Advisor, Education (MOEST), the incumbent contributes to making the education system work in Southern Sudan. The incumbent will be expected to support education planning, management, coordination and networking mechanisms of the MOEST with special focus on the priorities as identified by the MOEST and her partners in Mobilizing for Quality Education, including the Go To School Initiative program activities, data analysis and progress reporting, teamwork and capacity development

Main Duties.

1. Uses and analyses the MOEST regular reports, RALS, AEC, EMIS and SHHS data for the situation analysis, coordination, collaboration and program and project planning, management, monitoring and evaluation purposes within the established MOEST mechanisms. Analyze implementation reports from human rights and gender perspective and assesses against established GOSS-MOEST and State program results, and activity plans. Prepares tables, graphs/charts and other statistical data and reports outcomes.

2. Undertakes ongoing visits to the states of Southern Sudan with special focus on the least educationally served areas to assess local conditions and resources, and monitors the education inputs, processes and outputs. Communicates with state level partners and Ministry of Education authorities on the MOEST priorities, their feasibility and effectiveness including monitoring the flow of educational supplies.

3. Undertakes follow-up action on GOSS-MOEST meetings with State Ministries of Education, program implementation, contributes to teamwork building, collaboration, and coordination and prepares relevant, Human Rights Based and gender sensitive reports; and drafts changes GOSS and State Activity plans as may be required.

4. Attends the MOEST coordination, advocacy, mobilization, planning and review meetings. Prepares notes, reports and undertakes follow-up action.

5. Assists in the identification and selection and documentation of best practices development in the transformation of education in Southern Sudan in both quantitative and qualitative aspects of education.

6. Assists in the preparation of the MOEST priority program; inputs to draft program document. Maintains the computerized program system database and submits relevant draft reports to the MOEST.

7. Selects and compiles the materials for the 2009-2011 priority program implementation and documentation.

8. Assesses and analyses using the relevant computerized system, financial and supply reports to ensure appropriateness of documentation, and that expenditures of the priority programs are within the government budget, data is consistent with the coding system and reports to the Senior Adviser, Education, MOEST, the outcomes of meetings and on-going reviews.

Areas to be considered

Post is office-based with frequent travel within Southern Sudan and occasionally outside the country.

Areas of concern: The incumbent is expected to perform the above functions under severely reduced working conditions, related to office accommodations, procedures, workload, mobility, and institutional and personal safety. Limited access to health care, recreational facilities coupled with long working hours are potentially stressful conditions.

Expected Deliverables

- Facilitation of policy and legal frameworks as prioritized by MoEST
- Go to School in plans; updates to GTS status reports; editorial inputs provided to other MoEST documents
- Regular quarterly reports on activities of GOSS-MoEST
- Qualitative and quantitative data collated and shared
- Weekly reports to Undersecretary and UNICEF
- ERDF and TWG reports
- Support to UN and Partners work plan for the education sector

Desired background and experience

Competencies
- Analytical and conceptual ability; coordination skills.
- HRBAP, CCD and gender-responsive planning and monitoring skills; ability to organize work and projects.
- Ability to make timely and quality judgments and decisions.
- Computer skills, including internet navigation, and various UNICEF office applications.
- Commitment to continuous learning for professional development.
- Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment, and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization.
- Initiative, passion and commitment to UNICEF?s mission and professional values.

Qualifications

Education
University degree in social sciences, education, administration, communication, international development or related technical field.
.
Work Experience
Two years progressively responsible professional experience.

Languages
Fluency in English and another UN language as may be required. Knowledge of one of the Sudanese languages an asset.
How to apply
jubavacancies@unicef.org
Reference Code: RW_7P69TJ-88
Source: Reliefweb

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