National Project Officer (Education)

The National Project Officer (Education) supports the planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of UNESCO's education programme in Ukraine. The role involves coordinating projects, managing partnerships, and contributing to education sector analysis and programme development under the supervision of the Head of Education.

Responsibilities

• Support planning and review of the full education portfolio, consolidating workplans, results frameworks, budgets, schedules and risk information.
• Track management decisions and cross-project follow-up, identify bottlenecks and dependencies, and prepare concise analysis and recommendations.
• Coordinate assigned projects from inception to closure, managing workplans, budgets, results, risks, contracts and partner performance.
• Coordinate project teams, consultants and service providers; verify delivery against approved commitments; initiate corrective action when quality, timeliness or compliance is at risk.
• Contribute to sector analysis, needs assessments, programme design and results-based planning.
• Prepare or coordinate technical inputs, concepts, proposals, terms of reference, partnership documents, briefs and policy materials.
• Ensure alignment with national priorities, UNESCO standards, equity and inclusion, and the humanitarian-development-recovery nexus.
• Maintain systems for monitoring results, indicators, budgets, procurement, contracts, partner performance and risks.
• Conduct field monitoring and technical support missions.
• Prepare internal and donor reports, briefings, presentations and data summaries.
• Coordinate with finance, administration and procurement colleagues to resolve delivery issues.
• Maintain cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and other concerned ministries, donors, UN agencies, coordination mechanisms, civil society, academia and implementing partners.
• Represent UNESCO within delegated authority and support policy dialogue, donor engagement, proposals, partnerships, visibility and communication of results.
• Act as Deputy or Officer-in-Charge when requested and within delegated authority, coordinate daily priorities and information flows, convene team meetings, follow up actions and represent the Education Sector.
• Escalate strategic, financial, security, reputational or policy matters requiring higher-level decision, provide functional coordination without changing reporting lines.
• Perform any other task as assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in education, education policy and planning, public policy, economics, social sciences, international development or another field relevant to the functions of the post.
• Minimum of four years of progressively responsible professional experience in education programme or project planning, management, monitoring, evaluation or policy support, preferably at national and international levels.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating multi-partner or donor-funded projects, including work planning, results-based management, budget follow-up, contracting or partner oversight, risk management and reporting.
• Experience working with government authorities and translating national policy priorities into implementable programmes, projects and technical assistance.
• Experience in Ukraine, with UN organizations or another international organization, and in emergency, recovery or system-strengthening contexts is a strong asset.
• Strong knowledge of education-sector planning, policy analysis, programme design and project-cycle management, including results frameworks, indicators, monitoring, evaluation and learning.
• Sound understanding of Ukraine's education system, reform priorities and institutional landscape, and of the effects of conflict, displacement and inequality on education access, quality and learning.
• Proven ability to coordinate diverse teams and partners, facilitate meetings, negotiate practical solutions and maintain constructive relations with senior government officials, donors and technical counterparts.
• Strong analytical judgement and ability to identify implementation, financial, operational, safeguarding and reputational risks and recommend proportionate action.
• Excellent drafting and presentation skills, including preparation of project proposals, donor reports, briefs, talking points, analytical notes and management updates.
• Ability to organize competing priorities, work independently under pressure, maintain confidentiality and provide reliable continuity of operations when exercising delegated deputy functions.
• Excellent digital literacy and command of standard office, project-management, collaboration and data-management tools.
• Excellent written and spoken English and Ukrainian. Knowledge of another UNESCO official language is an asset.

Skills

• Education Programme Design
• Project Management
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Policy Analysis
• Result-Based Management
• Budget follow-up
• Contracting and Partner Oversight
• Risk Management
• Donor-Funded Project Coordination
• Government Relations
• Programme Design
• Project-Cycle Management
• Education Sector Planning
• Stakeholder Coordination
• Report Writing
• Presentation Skills
• Digital Literacy
• Project Management Tools
• Data Management
• Collaboration Tools

Languages

English, Ukrainian