Associate National Project Officer

Job Title: Associate National Project Officer (Education for Health and Wellbeing)

Organization: UNESCO

Post Number : 6ZWED 0021PA

Grade : NO-B

Parent Sector : Field Office

Duty Station: Harare, Zimbabwe

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Project Appointment

Duration of contract : 1 year

Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 15-SEP-2023 

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

Duration of contract: 1 year with the possibility of extension subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance.
Only nationals of Zimbabwe may apply to this position. 

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST 

Under the overall authority of the Regional Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa, the general guidance from the Team Leader (Education for Health and Wellbeing, ESA) and the direct supervision of the National Project Officer (Education for Health and Wellbeing), the Associate National Project Officer provides technical and programmatic support, and assists in the planning, implementation and monitoring of Education for Health and Wellbeing activities in Zimbabwe. The incumbent will be responsible for the effective planning, implementation, and monitoring of UNESCO’s work on Education for Health and Wellbeing through the Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3) Programme, and the Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework (UBRAF) in Zimbabwe. The incumbent will also be responsible for supporting the Senior National Project Officer (Education for Health and Wellbeing) in the implementation and monitoring of the O3 PLUS project for the realization of positive health, education, and gender equality outcomes for young people in Higher and Tertiary Institutions (HTEIs) in Zimbabwe. S/he will be responsible for providing technical expertise on key themes including comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), sexual and reproductive health, inclusion, gender, and school-related gender-based violence, school health and HIV.

UNESCO envisions a world where all learners thrive. The Associate National Project Officer should contribute to improved health and education outcomes for all learners through support to national education sectors and other key stakeholders to adopt a comprehensive approach to school health and well-being. This in turn will contribute to achievement of the SDGs, particularly those at the nexus of education, health and gender. Specifically, the incumbent shall:

Programme and Technical support for the O3 Programme

• Assist the Senior National Project Officer in the implementation of the Zimbabwe Chapter of the O3 and O3 plus programs to support improved education, gender, and health outcomes for all learners and young people.
• Identify opportunities for UNESCO engagement in policy development in comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and other health issues including HIV prevention and gender-based violence (within the framework of the UNESCO Strategy on Education for Health and Well Being, national strategies, and the UNAIDS division of labor).
• Conduct advocacy with policymakers (ministers; parliamentarians, councilors) religious, traditional and community leaders to strengthen implementation of the ESA Ministerial Commitment and advancing legal and policy reforms for the protection of children and young people.
• Facilitate a process of strategic planning within UNESCO for engagement in these opportunities.
• Support UNESCO programming on health education, in collaboration with other staff working on Education for Health and Wellbeing, with particular emphasis on interventions supporting national efforts towards scaling up comprehensive sexuality education, gender and school-related gender-based violence, HIV prevention.
• Initiate the development of programs that enhance the Government of Zimbabwe’s education sectors’ ability to protect children against school-related gender-based violence (sexual violence & harassment in school settings).
• Facilitate the provision of technical support to the Ministry of Education and other national partners especially in curriculum development, teaching and learning materials development.

Scale up and strengthen the delivery of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)

• Support the capacity building of curriculum developers, teachers and teacher educators, including teachers of learners with disabilities to deliver gender and social norms transformative CSE and school violence prevention, including through ICT based solutions.
• Assist in the development and dissemination of good quality teaching and learning digital and non-digital resources on gender and social norms transformative CSE and school violence prevention. 
• Support the growth of the CSE Community of Practice for teachers and other CSE practitioners in Zimbabwe. 

Promote the establishment of safer, healthier, and inclusive schools and community environments

• Support relevant line ministries (education and health) in the development, review and implementation of policies, and interventions on school health including but not limited to learner pregnancy prevention & management, HIV & STIs prevention, menstrual health hygiene, and related thematic areas.
• Build school community understanding of and support for gender and social norms transformative-CSE, SRHR and school violence prevention through community-based interventions. 

Strengthen program implementation through evidence generated from monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning

• Commission research on CSE and school violence to deepen evidence and support data driven and evidence -based decision making at legislative, policy and planning level.
• Strengthen the capacity of the education sector to report and use generated data for planning and decision-making.
• Contribute to advocacy efforts at country level, to advance use of the evidence and strengthen joint UN and national responses to CSE, SRGBV, HIV, and related thematic areas.

Long Description

Programme and technical support for the O3 PLUS project

• Contribute to the implementation of the O3 PLUS project in higher and tertiary education institutions in Zimbabwe, particularly supporting and overseeing the work of Cluster Coordinators.
• Support the institutionalization of CSE and SRHR in HTEIs in Zimbabwe through policies and curriculum.
• Support ongoing efforts to develop and implement national CSE frameworks for students in Higher and Tertiary Education Institutions.
• Support the capacity building of the Higher and Tertiary Education Institutions (HTEIs) to deliver quality and effective CSE through training of health care workers, lecturers, tutors, and peer educators/mentoring programs.
• Coordinate and liaise with all SRH/CSE/GBV stakeholders to ensure wide coverage of programme service delivery for increased uptake and impact.
• Support the development, implementation and effective enforcement of laws and policies to protect students from sexual and gender-based violence that they may encounter in and around campus.
• Contribute to the establishment of a knowledge-sharing platform, providing an opportunity for institutions to collaborate, network, share knowledge and provide collective suggestions on issues related to health and well-being, practice and programs and evidence-based research.
• Support operations research, monitoring & evaluation around CSE/SRH for young people in higher and tertiary education institutions to enhance evidence-based planning and implementation of programmes.

Planning, budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation, and reporting

• Support strategic planning and budgeting for UNESCO engagement in SRHR programming in Zimbabwe, in line with UNESCO’s commitments as a UNAIDS Cosponsor.
• Contribute to timely programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting for the O3 and O3 PLUS projects.
• Ensure timely narrative and financial reporting on elements from the national O3 and O3 PLUS projects and budget portfolio falling under the incumbent's responsibility, both within UNESCO and to external donors as appropriate.
• Plan, commission and supervise various research pieces to inform the work on education for health and well-being in Zimbabwe. 

Representation and partner relations

• Represent UNESCO in appropriate coordination forums, such as the UN Joint Teams on HIV and AIDS, national coordination forum on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health, interagency meetings, and thematic meetings.
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government ministries and departments, civil society organizations, and academia to reinforce cooperation and enhance UNESCO work on education for health and wellbeing programmes in Zimbabwe.
• Perform any other duties as requested and tasked by the Senior National Project Officer / Team Leader/Regional Advisor.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

Communication (C)

Accountability (C)

Innovation (C)

Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)

Planning and organizing (C)

Results focus (C)

Teamwork (C)

Professionalism (C)

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

Academic qualifications

• An Advanced University Degree (Master's or equivalent) in the field of Education, Social Sciences or Public Health. 

Work Experience

• Minimum of two years of relevant work experience in fields related to education, sexual and reproductive health, including CSE, School Health, HIV programming.
• A minimum of two years of professional experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education or health is required.
• Experience working with Government ministries and Parastatals, international/national Non-Governmental Organizations and UN Agencies.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation of projects on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), Gender, or Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.
• Good understanding of the country context, with a particular focus on education, public health and social protection.

Skills & Competencies

• Extensive professional knowledge and experience on adolescent sexual and reproductive health, comprehensive sexuality education, HIV and school violence prevention.
• High level technical writing skills on comprehensive sexuality education, school-related gender-based violence, Early and Unintended Pregnancy, prevention of HIV and other thematic issues included in UNESCO’s Strategy on Education for Health and Wellbeing.
• Programme monitoring and evaluation and an ability to report on implementation.
• Well-developed interpersonal skills, tact and diplomacy.
• Excellent networking, high level representational and partnership building skills, involving a wide range of partners, including relevant Ministries, UNAIDS Co-sponsors, donors and civil society.
• Experience in training, coordination and/or institutional and human capacity building in partnership with government and civil society.
• Good computer and other IT skills including excellent skills in MS office.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize and deliver to deadline, as well as work under pressure.
• Excellent communication skills including social media skills. 

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of English (oral and written).
• Fluency in at least one of the local languages.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Work experience

• Significant technical expertise and experience in UNESCO’s key leadership and main partner responsibilities within the UNAIDS division of labor and familiarity with UN system.
• Experience in project management. 

Languages

• Knowledge of other official languages of UNESCO (Arabic, Chinese, Russian and/or Spanish).

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

UNESCO’s salaries consist of a basic salary and other benefits which may include if applicable: 30 days annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance, pension plan etc.

The approximate annual starting salary for this post is 47 096 US $ (subject to deductions for Pension and Medical).

For full information on benefits and entitlements, please consult our Guide to Staff Benefits.

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.

UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity. UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment. UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States (last update here) are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply. Individuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality. Worldwide mobility is required for staff members appointed to international posts.

UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.

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