Associate Project Officer

OVERVIEW

Post Number : SHS/PA 049

Grade : P-2

Parent Sector : Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS)

Duty Station: Paris

Job Family: Social and Human Sciences

Type of contract : Project Appointment

Duration of contract : 1 year

Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 12-NOV-2025

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

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Sector (ADG/SHS), guidance of the Director for Social Policies and direct supervision of the Senior Project Officer. The incumbent will support the coordination of the country project teams put in place by UNESCO for the participating Member States. The Associate Project Officer will support the scale up and replication of the work in other UNESCO Member States, with its full integration in the UNESCO RP programme. The incumbent will equally support engagement with internal actors and external stakeholders to be involved in the work, as well as the individual and institutional suppliers required for the implementation of the project in accordance with the approved Description of Action (DoA)/Project Document.

The Associate Project Officer, will be based at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, and will work within the frameworks of UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy (C/4), the approved Programme and Budget (C/5), the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the approved project agreement between UNESCO and European Commission for the development of in-house consulting capacities in 6 Member States (hereafter referred to as the project). In particular, the incumbent shall: 

Long Description

• Support coordination and implementation of the project at the global and national outcome levels, as defined in the Description of Action (DoA)/project document;
• Conduct high-quality research and draft substantive documentation required under the project, including policy- and action-oriented analysis related to as-is situations, to-be models, technical support and capacity building, EU expert network and reform blueprint;
• Maintain regular contact with and support coordination of the on-site project teams and the beneficiary authorities in the 6 participating Member States and other jurisdictions replicating the work;
• Organize and support the running project events, including the workings of the Project Advisory Group, National Coordination Groups, horizontal workshops, kick off meetings and missions;
• Assist in the monitoring, reporting and regular communication on project implementation both internally and externally;
• Establish and maintain professional contacts with relevant external organizations and individuals;
• Assist in resource mobilization and scale-up of the project within and beyond the participating Member States;
• Support the UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab and the integration of the Project outcomes and scale up into the Lab, MOST and SHS-wide strategies;
• Create and support the curation of Project’s EU expert network through UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab, as well as expansion of the network to other UNESCO Member States in which the work is to be replicated. 

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Advanced University degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Social and Human Sciences International Relations, Social and Public sector innovation. 

Work Experience

• Minimum 2 years of experience, of which preferably 1 year acquired at international level, of relevant professional experience in the area of Social Sciences, knowledge-policy nexus or evidence-based policy making, with part of it acquired at the multi-lateral level. 
• Experience in supporting programme design and implementation, including multi-country and EC-funded interventions.
• Experience liaising and collaborating with stakeholders. 

Skills / Competencies

• Capacity to build and maintain effective working relations with national/local authorities, relevant institutions, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, including through networking.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, in particular the ability to collect, synthesize and analyze information from various sources and on this basis, draft working and information documents in a clear and concise manner.
• Capability to provide quality and timely support and services.

• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multicultural team with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Excellent IT skills, including Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

Long Description

Language requirements

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

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Post-graduate specialization in Social and Human Sciences International Relations, Social and Public sector innovation. 

Work Experience

• Work experience in similar functions within the United Nations system or an international organization/institution.

Languages

• Good knowledge of another UNESCO language (Arabic, Chinese, Spanish and Russian). 
  
  

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

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