Programme Specialist

The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) is located in Hamburg, Germany and is part of UNESCO’s Education sector. It operates with institutional autonomy under the guidance of its Governing Board. UIL contributes to SDG4 by promoting an integrated approach to policy development, research, capacity building, and monitoring in lifelong learning.

One of its main programmes is the International Conference on Adult Education, known as CONFINTEA. Since 1949 seven CONFINTEAs have been held to facilitate global discussions, each resulting in a Framework for Action aimed at improving and promoting adult learning and education. In 2022, CONFINTEA VII took place in Morocco, resulting in the Marrakech Framework for Action (MFA), and currently, MFA serves as a roadmap for adult learning and education for the next decade. UIL is responsible for developing indicators, methodology, and tools to monitor and report on the implementation of the MFA through its Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE).

Under the authority of the Assistant Director General for Education, the Director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) and the direct supervision of the Team Leader, the incumbent will be responsible for leading the CONFINTEA/Monitoring Cluster team at UIL. The team’s responsibilities include developing relevant programmes and projects, offering policy advice, conducting research and knowledge management, networking, fostering partnerships, and mobilizing resources to follow up CONFINTEA VII and producing the GRALE reports. This work is conducted within the frameworks of UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy (C/4s), the approved Programme and Budget (C/5), UIL’s Medium-Term Strategy (2023-2029), UIL’s Governing Board work plans and reports, and global development plans such as the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Programme development and implementation:

• Lead the CONFINTEA/Monitoring Cluster team to monitor the implementation programme of the Marrakech Framework for Action (MFA) through wider and systematic consultations with Member States, global and regional organizations, civil society, private sector, academia, and other major stakeholders on the methodology, including the indicators, data collection, and reporting frameworks and implement the MFA monitoring programme systematically and promptly.
• Contribute to the relevant UNESCO and UIL programmes and projects in terms of conceptualization, planning, implementation, and reporting frameworks.

Knowledge production and dissemination: 

• Lead the CONFINTEA/Monitoring Cluster Team to conceptualize, implement and assure the quality of the Global Report(s) on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE) and manage the complex production process of the GRALE, including the drafting, organization of external expert reviews, editing, and finalization of the report in a timely and through methodologically robust approaches.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive publication programme on the emerging trends and future issues of adult learning and education as outlined in the and beyond MFA.
• Monitor and report regularly on the implementation of the MFA, RALE, and GRALE, and when assigned, on other flagship programmes.
• Contribute to the knowledge production and dissemination activities of the Institute, including drafting and producing quality publications around monitoring ALE and lifelong learning, especially on the themes relevant in the context of SDGs and SDG 4.

Policy advice and capacity building :

• Conceptualize, develop, and deliver capacity building and training to Member States and other stakeholders on MFA monitoring and the GRALE data collection, and provide policy and technical advice to different stakeholders on monitoring adult learning and education programmes in general through online, offline, and hybrid modalities.
• Provide policy and technical advice to Member States and other stakeholders to initiate, implement, evaluate and monitor new projects, programmes and capacity-building activities on monitoring and evaluating adult learning and education, and lifelong learning, especially in Africa.

Partnership and Network building and management: 

• Develop a comprehensive partnership and network management programme that includes academia, UNESCO Chairs, relevant think tanks, research institutes, and government and non-government agencies and establish key stakeholder databases and platforms to help improve and expand the current partnerships and networks on adult learning and education.

Resource mobilization: 

• Contribute to the development of a comprehensive resource mobilization strategy to support the MFA monitoring programme and GRALE publications, as part of the UIL’s institutional funding strategy by actively seeking and engaging with global, regional and international partners working on education sector/strategy issues.
• Provide programme and project technical support, including the development of new funding proposals, implementation of programmes and projects, managing contracts and consultants, and mentoring junior staff members.

Required Qualifications:

Education:

• Advanced University degree (equivalent to Master’s degree) in education, statistics, sociology, economics or in a related area.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 4 years of professional experience in monitoring and evaluating education programmes, of which preferably 2 years acquired at the international level.
• Proven experience in designing and contributing to a comprehensive monitoring programme for an educational policy or reform and experience in strategic planning involving multiple steps and diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in fundraising, developing project proposals for donors, and implementing multi-country programmes and projects.

Skills and Competencies:

• Advanced knowledge of lifelong learning and adult education, with a focus on monitoring and evaluation
• Proven track record of high-quality policy-oriented publications on adult learning and education
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to design, undertake and produce research on complex social and education issues from a global or national policy perspective.
• Excellent written and communication skills, including the ability to conceptualize, prepare and present findings and recommendations on key issues and trends to a diverse audience.
• Proven experience in building and managing multistakeholder partnership platforms and processes and some experience in managing global partnerships and coordination programmes.
• Ability to work effectively under tight deadlines with minimal supervision and with strong integrity, accountability, tact and diplomacy.
• Proven ability to coordinate a multicultural team with excellent interpersonal skills.

Languages:

• Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English.
• Working knowledge of one other UNESCO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish or Russian).

Source: https://careers.unesco.org/job/Hamburg-Programme-Specialist/803336402/