Project Assistant
OVERVIEW
Parent Sector : Natural Sciences Sector (SC)
Duty Station: Beirut
Classification of duty station: [[filter12]]
Standard Duration of Assignement : [[filter13]]
Job Family: Natural Sciences
Type of contract : Non Staff
Level : Level 4
Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months
Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates
Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 10-OCT-2024
UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
OVERVIEW
The Natural Sciences Section within the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Beirut is seeking to hire a Project Assistant to support the implementation and successful operation of its science project UNESCO-MAWHIBA STEM Online Oasis. The post will be a full time SC 37.5 hours per week for a total of 10 months depending on fund availability.
The project offers the targeted students adequate STEM knowledge in different real life contemporary topics delivered through an online UNESCO e-portal, which has been designed to galvanize science and STEM education in the Arab Region. The MAWHIBA-UNESCO Online STEM Oasis offers the opportunity for students to polish their scientific knowledge and develop their creativity and interest for scientific and technical progress in a well-defined scientific approach. Students will be able to register online and receive a completion certificate once they complete the required STEM learning modules and become eligible to participate in UNESCO science and engineering fairs, which will be offered as the next phase of this project.
Long Description
LONG DESCRIPTION
UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Beirut is seeking to implement the herewith project to support the growth of the Arab youth population participating in STEM to promote scientific literacy and the choice of a scientific career, and more importantly gender equality through increasing the participation of girls.
The suggested program specifically calls for:
1. Developing a pre-selected list containing up to about 350 short (3-4 minutes) simple science videos that will cover scientific information taught in the national science curricula and that is related to nature’s habitat, natural phenomena, natural disasters, technological applications, and contemporary real-life problems such as climate change. Each video clip will be accompanied with a set of quiz questions to ensure students have acquired the targeted knowledge.
2. Creating strong networks between all stakeholders within the education system (intermediate school – high school – university) levels and foster strong partnerships between the different stakeholders within these levels to increase synergy towards stronger science education in the Arab region.
3. Developing the necessary material for the Outreach Strategy and its implementation to valorize early STEM education and bolster its impact in receiving a wider public recognition.
4. Convening 4 national consultation meetings or more to build consensus around the project.
The MAWHIBA-UNESCO Online STEM Oasis is an online platform designed to enhance STEM education in the Arab region. Students can access a variety of STEM-related topics and learn from expert-created content. By completing modules and participating in science fairs, students can develop their scientific knowledge, creativity, and interest in STEM fields.
Long Description
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTION OF THE POST
Under the overall authority of the Director of UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office in Beirut and the direct supervision of the head of the Natural Sciences Section, the incumbent provides support in the organization and delivery of programme activities/ projects carrying out a range of office support and administrative functions.:
In particular, the incumbent will carry out the following responsibilities:
1. Support the daily maintenance and updates to the UNESCO Arab Sciences Podium (UASP) portal, which include but are not limited to:
• all sections data entry and updates in coordination with the Natural Sciences Section team;
• create and follow the portal LinkedIn Premium account to communicate with the Arab experts and researchers in Lebanon, Iraq and Jordon;
• send invitations and newsletters to portal mailing lists in coordination with UNESCO team;
• give support to the registered experts and researchers as needed and as directed by the Natural Sciences Section team.
2. Support the preparation of the UNESCO-Mawhiba STEM Online Oasis module in terms of:
• contact universities in the targeted countries to build up the necessary database with all university staff;
• support the creation of the required online national networks between all stakeholders namely UNESCO Open Science Portal, MAWHIBA experts database, the education system of intermediate and high schools, and the university staff in the targeted countries;
• all sections data entry and updates in coordination with the Natural Sciences Section team (except for the courses/videos creation);
• send invitations and newsletters to portal mailing lists in coordination with the Natural Sciences Section team;
• give support to the registered users.
3. Provide support to the project unit including text processing and information management.
4. Provide specialized process communication services for the project to promote consistency and responsiveness to client community.
5. Oversee development and maintenance of web services of the Open Science Platform and advise on development of the portal for improving delivering information by:
• Ensure Operational services of network/portal and advise users on basic access issues;
• Provide specific assistance with respect to network and platform questions.
6. Submit bi-weekly Statistical Report on portal databases build up and programme implementation in terms of the assigned project activities.
7. Any other relevant project assignment as requested by the Head of the Natural Sciences Section.
COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)
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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Completed secondary, technical or vocational school education.
Work Experience
Minimum of three (3) years of experience in supporting, coordinating, and/or managing projects, , and administrative and/or programme support service or related fields..
Skills and competencies
• Ability to interact with a wide range of partners and government officials;
• Good interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills;
• Good organizational and coordination skills;
• Ability to work as part of a team;
• Ability to take initiative and provide quality and timely support and services;
• Discretion and capacity to deal efficiently and tactfully with people of different cultural backgrounds;
• Flexibility to adjust work schedules and priorities;
• Good IT skills (MS Word, Excel, Data base systems, Outlook, etc.);
• Specialized knowledge in office systems and procedures and complete understanding of workflow within the office acquired through previous experience within organizations.
Languages
• Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) in Arabic and English.
• Good knowledge in French.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education
• BA/BS degree in the field of computer science and/or IT, relevant natural sciences field, public administration, business administration, procurement, humanities or related fields, or an equivalent professional experience would be an asset.
Work Experience
• Relevant work experience in the related field acquired at the national or international level.
• Relevant experience in similar functions within the UN system or any international organization/institution.
DURATION
November 1st, 2024 – August 31st, 2025
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.
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