Education Officer, Education Officer, Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo

General

Description of assignment title: Education Officer

Assignment country: Democratic Republic of the Congo

Duty stations: Goma

Work location: On UN premises

Expected start date: 07/01/2026

Duration: 12 monthsLong-term benefits and allowances

Sustainable Development Goal: 4. Quality education

Host entity: UNICEF

Modality: Onsite

Type: International

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— in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equitystrategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded childrenand families, 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 favoritism. To the degree that anychild has an unequal chance in life — in its social,political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her orhis rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investingin the education, health and protection of a society's mostdisadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not onlywill give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potentialbut also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries.This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It acceleratesprogress towards realizing the human rights of all children, whichis the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Conventionon the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitabledevelopment of nations.

Context:

• The UN Volunteer provides professional technical, operationaland administrative assistance throughout the programming processfor education programmes/projects within the Country Programme fromdevelopment planning to delivery of results and reporting,preparing, executing, managing and implementing a variety oftechnical and administrative programme tasks to facilitateprogramme development, implementation, programme progressmonitoring, evaluation and reporting.

Task description:

• Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of theUNICEF Chief of Field Office in Goma or his/her designated mandatedrepresentative(s), the UN Volunteer will:
  I. Support to programme development and planning
• Support the preparation, design, and updating of the situationanalysis for the education sector in North Kivu, ensuring currentdata on Education in Emergencies (EiE ) issues is available toguide UNICEF's strategic interventions. Research and report on datafor use in programme development, management, monitoring,evaluation and delivery of results.
• Contribute to the development of the humanitarian educationresponse plan and annual work plans, aligning with clusterstrategies and national policies.
• Assist in the design of context-appropriate interventions, suchas radio-based learning, temporary learning spaces (TLS), andaccelerated education programmes (AEPs) for out-of-schoolchildren.
• Contribute to the development and establishment of sectoralprogramme goals, objectives and strategies and results-basedplanning through research, collection, analysis and reporting ofeducation and other related information for development planningand goal setting.
• Provide technical and administrative support throughout allstages of programming processes by executing and administering avariety of technical programme transactions, preparing materialsand documentation, and complying with organizational processes andmanagement systems, to support programme planning, results-basedmanagement (RBM) and monitoring and evaluation of results.
  II. Programme management, monitoring and delivery ofresults.
• Work closely and collaboratively with internal colleagues andpartners to collect, analyze and share information onimplementation issues.
• Suggest solutions on routine programme implementation andsubmit reports to alert appropriate officials and stakeholders forhigher-level intervention and/or decisions. Keep records of reportsand assessments for easy reference and/or to capture andinstitutionalize lessons learned.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programmereviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and othercounterparts and prepare minutes/reports on results for follow-upaction by higher management and other stakeholders.
• Monitor and report on the use of sectoral programme resources(financial, administrative and other assets), verify compliancewith approved allocation, organizational rules,regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards ofaccountability and integrity. Report on issues identified to ensuretimely resolution by management/stakeholders. Follow up onunresolved issues to ensure resolution.
• Prepare draft inputs for programme/donor reporting.
  III. Technical and operational support to programmeimplementation
• Undertake field visits and surveys and share information withstakeholders to assess progress and refer to relevant officials forresolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potentialproblems for timely action to achieve results.
• Provide technical and operational support to governmentcounterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other countryoffice partners/donors on the application and understanding ofUNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices oneducation-related issues to support programme implementation,operations and delivery of results.
• Provide technical support to the Ministry of Education andimplementing partners in the rollout of quality learningactivities, including teacher training, distribution of teachingand learning materials, and the establishment of child-friendly andsafe learning environments.
• Support the integration of cross-cutting issues, includinggender equality, protection (e.g., psychosocial support), anddisaster risk reduction within education programming.
• Support the implementation of foundational literacy andnumeracy related interventions, including data analysis andprogress reporting.
  IV. Networking and partnership building
• Represent UNICEF in sub-national Education Cluster coordinationmeetings and with other humanitarian partners (NGOs, UN agencies)to ensure a coherent and effective education response.
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships withgovernment counterparts and national stakeholders through activesharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programmeimplementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve andsustain results on education programmes.
• Draft communication and information materials for countryoffice (CO ) programme advocacy to promote awareness, establishpartnerships and alliances, and support fund raising for educationprogrammes.
• Participate in appropriate inter-agency meetings and events onprogramming to collaborate with inter-agency partners on UnitedNations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF ) operationalplanning and preparation of education programmes/projects and tointegrate and harmonize UNICEF's position and strategies with theUNDAF development and planning process.
• Research information on potential donors and prepare resourcemobilization materials and briefs for fundraising and partnershipdevelopment purposes.
  V. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
• Contribute to knowledge generation on barriers to qualityeducation for children, whether in terms of access or learningoutcomes and skills development.
• Contribute to identifying, capturing, synthesizing, and sharinglessons learned for knowledge development and capacity developmentof stakeholders.
• Apply innovative approaches and promote good practices tosupport the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainableprogramme results.
• Research and report on best and cutting-edge practices fordevelopment planning of knowledge products and systems.
• Participate as a resource person in capacity buildinginitiatives to enhance the competencies ofclients/stakeholders.

Eligibility criteria

Age: 18 - 80

Required experience: 3 years

Nationality: Candidate must be a national of a countryother than the country of assignment.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience:

• 5 years

Languages:

• French, Level: Fluent, Required
• English, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable
• Swahili, Level: Basic, Desirable

Required education level:

• Bachelor's degree in
• A university degree (Bachelor) in one of the following fieldsis required: education, psychology, sociology, statistics,economics, IT or another relevant technical field;

Competencies and values:

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operationsrelevant to UNICEF; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant ortransferrable to UNICEF procedures and rules; discretion, politicalsensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability toapply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a rangeof different actors, especially in senior positions; whereappropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative andability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness toaccept wide responsibilities and ability to work independentlyunder established procedures; ability to manage informationobjectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive andclient-oriented;
• Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of theUN and UNICEF in daily activities and behaviours while actingwithout consideration of personal gains; resist undue politicalpressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in theorganization's interest even if they are unpopular; take promptaction in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does notabuse power or authority;
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operateeffectively across organizational boundaries; excellentinterpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effectivepartnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural,multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respectfor diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender,religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goalof gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and fullinvolvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations;ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training tocolleagues;
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingnessto learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area ofexpertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational andproblem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of workin an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish prioritiesand to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to workunder pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multipleconcurrent projects/activities;
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken andwritten communication skills, including ability to prepare clearand concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulateoptions and positions concisely; ability to make and defendrecommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff(including national staff), military personnel, volunteers,counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diversebackgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to awide range of different target groups;
• Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work inpotentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physicalhardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austereenvironments for protracted periods; willingness to travel withinthe area of operations and to transfer to other duty stationswithin the area of operations as necessary;
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntaryengagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity andself-reliance; and commitment towards UNICEF's mission and vision,as well as to the UN Core Values.

Skills and experience:

• At least a minimum of five (5) years of professional experiencein programme planning, management, and/or monitoring isrequired.
• Experience in humanitarian contexts, particularly in educationin emergencies, is a strong asset.
• Experience working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or another fragile and conflict-affected state in the region isan asset.
• Knowledge of local languages spoken in North Kivu (e.g.,Swahili) is an asset.
• Prior experience with the UN system or an internationalnon-governmental organization (NGO ) is an asset.
• Relevant experience in foundational literacy and numeracyrelated programmes and interventions is an asset.

Area(s) of expertise:

• Education, Finance, accounting

Driving license:

Other information