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Associate National Project Officer - Education

OVERVIEW

Position Number: 4INED 0003PA

Grade: NO-A

Parent Sector: Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: New Delhi

Job Family: Education

Contract Type: Project Appointment

Duration of contract: 1 year

Recruitment open to: Internal and external candidates

Application deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 02/04/2026

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

Duration of contract: 1 year with possibility of extension subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

INSTRUCTIONS

Only nationals of India may apply to this position.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

UNESCO and the Government of Himachal Pradesh are collaborating to improve educational outcomes through a project titled: “HP FUTURES - Foundation for Upskilling, Teacher excellence, Understanding, Readiness, Equity, and Sustainability” (hereafter HP-FUTURES). This Project focuses on three interconnected pillars: (1) Competency-Based Education for 21st Century Skills, (2) Values Education through Sport, and (3) Greening Education.

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the overall authority of the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia in New Delhi, and direct supervision of the Programme Specialist and Chief of Education, the Associate National Project Officer will serve as the primary focal point for the Greening Education pillar of HP FUTURES, in close collaboration with the leads of the other two pillars and the Project coordinator based in Shimla. Beyond the HP FUTURES project, the National Project Officer will contribute to support UNESCO’s greening education initiatives across South Asia.

KEY ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A. HP FUTURES Greening Education Pillar

Lead implementation of the Greening Education pillar; strengthen teacher capacity through district-level workshops on climate education by integrating UNESCO's Greening Curriculum Guidance; and support schools to develop action plans to meet Green School Quality Standards.
Liaise with Government of Himachal Pradesh departments (Education; Environment, Science and Technology), DIETs, BRCs, CRCs, and other stakeholders; support Project Steering Committee meetings; coordinate co-creation of subject-wise greening lesson plans with Samagra Shiksha and SCERT; oversee integration of greening themes in 199 PM SHRI schools.
Coordinate Eco-Club activities through annual calendars, inter-school competitions, and community engagement initiatives to reinforce sustainability values.

B. UNESCO’s Greening Education Activities in South Asia

Contribute technically to UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia’s activities on Greening Education; Education for Sustainable Development; climate change education, and Global Citizenship Education, and to the development of concept notes and project proposals, and workplans.
Engage with national counterparts including Ministries of Education; teacher education institutes; and partner institutions across South Asia (foundations, multilateral agencies, and bilateral donors) to advance Greening Education.
Draft briefing notes and technical documents; support development of communication and advocacy materials in collaboration with UNESCO’s Communication team; maintain project documentation and knowledge repository

Long Description

C. Support to UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia’s activities

- Undertake any other tasks assigned by the Director and the Chief of Education of the UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia, notably on education.
- Provide substantive, logistical and administrative support to projects, consultations, meetings, events and missions.
- Contribute to monitoring and reporting on regular and extra budgetary project implementation and outputs by using internal UNESCO applications and tools.
- Contribute to office-wide activities and events

Long Description

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

Communication (C)
Accountability (C)
Innovation (C)
Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)
Planning and organizing (C)
Results focus (C)
Teamwork (C)
Professionalism (C)
Building partnerships (M)
Driving and managing change (M)
Strategic thinking (M)
Making quality decisions (M)
Managing performance (M)
Leading and empowering others (M)

Short Description

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) preferably in Education, Environmental Science, Sustainable Development, Social Sciences or a related field.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Less than two (2) years of progressively responsible professional experience in education program implementation, project coordination, environmental education, or a related field.

Long Description

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Strong understanding of UNESCO’s Greening Education principles, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and of SDG 4.7.
Experience working with government education systems and national counterparts in India or South Asia
Strong programme coordination, implementation, and stakeholder engagement skills
Ability to contribute to the development of concept notes, technical documents, and advocacy materials
Experience in supporting partnership development and preparation of proposals for education and sustainability initiatives
Strong analytical, reporting and drafting skills

LANGUAGES

Excellent command of English (written and spoken)
Working knowledge of Hindi

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

Relevant experience beyond the minimum requirement of less than two (2) years will be considered an asset.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Knowledge of Himachal Pradesh education context
Experience in teacher capacity building and curriculum development
Professional experience with the UN system or international organizations is an asset
Experience working across multiple countries and in a multi-cultural setting

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 Indian Rupees 2 540 587.

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

SELECTION AND HIRING PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.

To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted.

The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications.

Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course.

Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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 to 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.
lndividuals 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.
Geographical mobility is required for staff members appointed to UNESCO’s international posts.
In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. UNESCO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO. The list can be accessed through the link: https://www.whed.net
The statutory retirement age at UNESCO is 65 years.
UNESCO appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by the Organization, is required for International Professional positions.
UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.

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