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Associate Project Officer (Education)

OVERVIEW

Position Number: ED/PA 255

Grade: P-2

Parent Sector: Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Paris

Job Family: Education

Contract Type: Project Appointment

Duration of contract: 1 year

Recruitment open to: Internal and external candidates

Application deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 13/03/2026

 

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

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Within the UNESCO Education Sector, the Division for Education 2030, the Section of Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality (ED/E30/IGE) supports Member States and other partners in the implementation of activities to achieve gender equality and inclusion in and through education, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 5 on inclusive quality education and lifelong learning, and gender equality.

The Section’s work is guided by the UNESCO strategy for gender equality in and through education, and its three pillars aiming to support: better data to inform action for gender equality in and through education; better legal, policy and planning frameworks to advance rights; and better teaching and learning practices to empower.

The Section supports coordination across UNESCO to ensure coherence, complementarities and synergies within UNESCO’s Education Sector and across UNESCO programme sectors, field offices and institutes, as well as with external partners. It also leads and contributes to many initiatives aiming for collective action with civil society, academia, bilateral and multilateral agencies and the private sector to advance gender equality in and through education. The Section also supports capacity-development of the gender architecture of the Education Sector to ensure sufficient capacity for mainstreaming gender equality in UNESCO’s assessment, planning and proposal development processes, as well as in monitoring, evaluation and communication of work on gender equality in and through education.

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director‑General for Education, the overall guidance of the Director of the Division for Education 2030 (ED/E30) and the Chief of the Section of Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality (ED/E30/IGE), and the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist of the Section, the incumbent will support the coordination, effective planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of UNESCO’s implementation of two Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (GPE KIX) grants: (1) Lifting Barriers: Educated Boys for Gender Equality; and (2) Bridging Accountability for Gender Equality in Education.

KEY ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Associate Project Officer will support the coordination, effective planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of UNESCO’s implementation of two GPE KIX projects: (1) Lifting barriers: Educated boys for gender equality; and (2) Bridging Accountability for Gender Equality in Education. The Associate Project Officer will:

  • Contribute to the timely implementation, monitoring and reporting of the two research projects;
  • Support the development, updating, and tracking of the workplans in coordination with relevant stakeholders;
  • Assist in monitoring and tracking project budgets at Headquarters-level, in close coordination with the Field Offices;
  • Contribute to the development and monitoring of the monitoring & evaluation plan;
  • Assist in the preparation of timely narrative and financial reporting both within UNESCO, to University College London and to external donors as appropriate;
  • Support drafting reports, briefs and other documents as necessary;
  • Assist to the development and review of research and knowledge products and evaluations;
  • Liaise with consortium partners and UNESCO field Offices, and support the organization of consortium meetings, including the preparation of minutes;
  • Contribute to the development of project communication plans and the development and review of communications/visibility elements; 
  • Support the organization of dissemination and knowledge-sharing events, including to ensure that the project results and lessons learnt feed back into the implementation of other relevant activities conducted by the Section;
  • Provide other support on education for gender equality and inclusion as required by the Programme Specialists, Section Chief and Division Director.

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)

Short Description

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

  • Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in Education, Gender, Social Sciences, International Development or other related fields.

 

WORK EXPERIENCE

  • At least 2 years of relevant work experience, of which preferably 1 year acquired in an international environment in the field of education, gender and research.

Long Description

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

  • Knowledge of gender equality in and through education, including on data and masculinities;
  • Excellent writing, research and communication skills;
  • Good project management, coordination, organizational and planning skills, creativity and an ability to meet established deadlines;
  • Good budget management skills;
  • Ability to work independently, suggest practical solutions and effective follow-up on management decisions;
  • Ability to be a team player, strong interpersonal skills;
  • Competence in the use of Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, databases and office software/multimedia packages.

 

LANGUAGES

  • Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English or French and good knowledge of the other language. 

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

  • Knowledge of inclusion and education.

 

LANGUAGES

  • Knowledge of another UNESCO official language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, 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 89 507 USD.

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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