Program Support Officer, Program Support Officer, Paramaribo, Suriname

General

Description of assignment title: Program SupportOfficer

Assignment country: Suriname

Duty stations: Paramaribo

Work location: On UN premises

Expected start date: 08/01/2026

Duration: 12 months(with possibility ofextension)Long-term benefits and allowances

Sustainable Development Goal: 4. Quality education

Host entity: UNICEF SUR

Modality: Onsite

Type: National

Volunteer category: Specialist UCoS from Apr2026

Work schedule: Full-time

Number of Assignments: 1

Details

Mission and objectives:

• The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights ofevery child, everywhere, in everything the organization does inprograms, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy,emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children andfamilies, translates this commitment to children's rights intoaction. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have anopportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential,without discrimination, bias or favouritism. To the degree that anychild has an unequal chance in life in its social, political,economic, civic and cultural dimensions her or his rights areviolated.
• There is growing evidence that investing in the health,education and protection of a society's most disadvantaged citizensaddressing inequity not only will give all children the opportunityto fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growthand stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is sovital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rightsof all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, asoutlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while alsosupporting the equitable development of nations.

Context:

• The UN Volunteer will be part of the UNICEF Suriname Office,which is transitioning into a Multi-Country Office (MCO) structurecovering Suriname and other Caribbean countries, including Guyana.This transition reflects UNICEF's evolving approach to deliveringintegrated and efficient program support across the region.
• The office is undergoing significant organizational andstaffing changes, including reduced program support staffingcapacity. Within this changing context, the UN Volunteer willprovide flexible program and coordination support across sectors,contributing to program implementation, partnership coordination,knowledge management, monitoring, and operational support. The roleis expected to strengthen program continuity during the transitionperiod and support UNICEF's efforts to deliver equitable resultsfor children and adolescents across the Multi-Country Office.
• The UN Volunteer will work closely with program staff,government counterparts, UN agencies, civil society organizations,and development partners supporting child rights, socialdevelopment, health, protection, resilience, and inclusioninitiatives.

Task description:

• Programme support
• Support the planning, coordination, implementation, andmonitoring of UNICEF program activities across sectors, includingeducation, child protection, health, climate change, and emergencyresponse. Stronger emphasis is on support to the education programincluding the development, coordination, implementation, andmonitoring of education-related programme activities in theMulti-country program setting. This may include support in theareas of Early Childhood Development (ECD), education policydevelopment, foundational learning and skills, and education datamanagement and analysis.
• The UN Volunteer may contribute to programme planning,stakeholder coordination, data collection and interpretation,preparation of technical and policy documents, and support forevidence-based programming and advocacy in the education sector.Assist in organizing meetings, workshops, consultations, andmissions with government counterparts, partners, andstakeholders.
• Knowledge Management
• Support knowledge management, contribute to cross-sectoralinitiatives and support teamwork in a dynamic and evolving officestructure (organizing reports, research, and program documents,maintaining shared folders or databases, documenting meetingoutcomes and lessons learned, helping teams share experiencesacross countries in the Multi-Country Office, compiling data,stories, and evidence for donor reporting).
• End-Year Reporting
• Support the collection, organization, and analysis of programinformation and data for (end of the year) reporting purposes.Support the SITREPS of emerging areas of focus (Migration/emergencies)

Eligibility criteria

Age: 18 - 80

Required experience: 3 years

Nationality: Candidate must be a national, legal residentor hold refugee status in the country of assignment.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience:

• 3 years

Languages:

• Dutch, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable
• English, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level:

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Social Studies, Economics,Business or other relevant fields.

Competencies and values:

• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Creativity
• Judgement and decision-making
• Planning and organising
• Professionalism
• Self-management

Skills and experience:

• • Experience working with government institutions, civilsociety organizations, youth groups, or international organizationsand/or supporting multi-sectoral programs.
• • Experience in data collection, reporting, documentation, orknowledge management is desirable.
• • Familiarity with issues related to equity, inclusion, childrights, gender equality, climate resilience, mental health, ordigital innovation/T4D is an advantage.
• • International experience in and/or knowledge of educationprograms, education sector reform initiatives, and education policydevelopment is highly desirable.
• • Knowledge of Early Childhood Development (ECD), foundationallearning, education systems strengthening, and education datamanagement is considered an asset.
• • Experience in program monitoring, data analysis, andevidence-based planning within the education sector isdesirable.
• • Regional or international experience supporting educationreform, education program implementation, or policy development isconsidered a strong asset, as is the ability to work across sectorsand support integrated programming approaches within evolvingorganizational contexts.
• • Adaptability, strong organizational and communication skills,the ability to work collaboratively in a multicultural environment,and an interest in supporting integrated program approaches forchildren and adolescents.
• • Previous experience with the United Nations or otherinternational development organizations is desirable.
• • Working in dynamic and changing environments is anasset.
• Desirable Attributes:
• • Demonstrated interest in child rights, equity, inclusion, andsustainable development.
• • Initiative, flexibility, and willingness to learn.
• • Interest in innovation and cross-sectoral programmingapproaches.
• • Sensitivity to cultural diversity and commitment toinclusion
• Applicants who do not fully meet the minimum professionalexperience requirements for a UN Volunteer 'Specialist' assignmentare still encouraged to apply; if selected, they may be recruitedunder the Conditions of Service applicable to UN Volunteer'Associate' assignments.

Area(s) of expertise:

• Education, Project management, programme development, strategy,General and specialised medicine

Driving license:

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