Local Education Group (LEG) Secretariat Coordinator, Damascus

General

Description of assignment title: Local Education Group (LEG) Secretariat Coordinator

Assignment country: Syrian Arab Republic

Duty stations: Damascus

Work location: On UN premises

Expected start date: 12/01/2026

Duration: 12 months (with possibility of extension)

Sustainable Development Goal: 4. Quality education

Host entity: UNICEF SYR

Modality: Onsite

Type: National

Volunteer category: Expert UCoS from Apr2026

Work schedule: Full-time

Number of Assignments: 1

Details

Mission and objectives

With the strong presence on the ground and partnerships with local communities and organizations across multiple sectors, UNICEF aims to reach more children and families. Upholding the humanitarian principles, UNICEF supports integrated, multi-sectoral programming and continues to improve sustained, equitable and safe access to critical basic services in areas where the needs are the highest.

UNICEF aims to reach children no matter where they are or live.

Context

The Ministry of Education (MoE) is leading efforts to restore and transform Syria’s education system following years of crisis and disruption that have significantly affected access, equity, quality, learning outcomes, and institutional capacity. As the country transitions toward recovery and development, the Ministry is committed to ensuring that all children and young people, including returnees, internally displaced populations, and other vulnerable groups, have access to safe, inclusive, and quality education aligned with national priorities and Sustainable Development Goal

To advance sector recovery and reform, the MoE is strengthening its capacity for education sector planning, coordination, monitoring, and evidence-based decision-making. Central to this effort is the establishment of the Local Education Group (LEG), a Ministry-led, multi-stakeholder platform bringing together government entities, development partners, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and other education stakeholders to promote sector dialogue, align partner support, and advance collective action around national education priorities. A LEG Secretariat has been established within the Ministry to support the effective functioning of the LEG and strengthen Ministry-led sector coordination.

The establishment of the LEG and its Secretariat provides an institutional mechanism to reinforce government leadership, strengthen partnerships, and support coordinated implementation and monitoring of national education priorities.

Given the scale and complexity of Syria’s education recovery and reform agenda, UNICEF is recruiting a UN Volunteer Expert (Local Education Group Secretariat Coordination Lead) to lead the work of the LEG Secretariat and ensure the effectiveness of strategic and policy dialogue between the Ministry of Education and international and national development partners, oversee the implementation of LEG decisions, and ensure that the LEG’s outputs are aligned with national priorities. The role will provide strategic leadership and oversight of the LEG Secretariat, ensuring effective governance, annual planning, high-level policy dialogue, and alignment of partner and donor interventions with national education priorities. It also leads strategic reporting and knowledge products, stakeholder engagement, and coordination with UN agencies, donors, partners, the Education Sector and other sector coordination mechanisms.

The UN Volunteer will be based in the Directorate of Planning and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Education and will report to the Director of Planning, or his/her designated representative, on the daily delivery of tasks. The UN Volunteer's work plan will be agreed jointly by UNICEF and the Ministry of Education. Administrative and contractual accountability rests with UNICEF. While the UNICEF Chief of Education will approve leave and travel and will complete the UNV performance assessment, with formal input from the Ministry of Education. The UN Volunteer will keep regular communication with both supervisors, including monthly progress updates shared with both UNICEF and the Ministry. The UNV will work closely and coordinate with different directorates and departments within the Ministry of Education, as well as UN, NGO and development partners on sector planning and coordination, contributing to joint deliverables as set out in the tasks of this assignment.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the overall supervision of the UNICEF Chief of Education, and under the day-to-day functional guidance of the Director of Planning and International Cooperation, Ministry of Education (or his/her designated representative), the UN Volunteer will support the following:

1. Leadership and Institutional Governance
   
   • Lead and supervise the Secretariat team and prepare the Group’s annual work plan in coordination with Ministry leadership and the Co-Chairs.
   • Ensure compliance with the Local Education Group’s governance and operational procedures, and review and update governance frameworks as required.
   • Facilitate high-level strategic and policy dialogue and ensure that key sector issues are effectively addressed.
2. Strategic Guidance and Policy Alignment
   
   • Lead the development of policy briefs, guidance notes, and strategic papers for presentation to Group members.
   • Monitor the alignment of partner and donor interventions with the national education sector strategic plan.
   • Oversee the preparation of periodic and annual consolidated reports on Group performance and sector progress for submission to the Ministry and the Co-Chairs.
3. High Level Partnership and Stakeholder Management
   
   • Represent the Secretariat in official communications with UN agencies, donors, and international and national organizations.
   • Coordinate at a strategic level with other coordination mechanisms, including the Education Sector and technical advisory groups.

Eligibility criteria

Age: 18 - 80

Required experience: 7 years

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

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience: 7 years

Languages:

• Arabic, Level: Fluent, Required
• English, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level: Master's degree in Advanced university degree in education, public policy, international development, public administration, social sciences, or related field is required.

Competencies and values:

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

Skills and experience

Required:

• Education: Advanced university degree in Economics, Education, Public Policy, International Development, Public Administration, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• Professional experience: A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in education sector governance, planning, coordination, or programme management, preferably in development, humanitarian, recovery, or transition contexts.
• Multi-stakeholder coordination: Proven experience in coordinating or supporting multi-stakeholder mechanisms involving government, UN agencies, development partners, donors, civil society, and other education stakeholders.
• Education sector coordination and governance: Experience in establishing or supporting sector coordination mechanisms, including the development and implementation of governance arrangements, terms of reference, annual work plans, meeting schedules, decision-tracking systems, and accountability mechanisms.
• Policy dialogue and consensus-building: Proven ability to facilitate high-level policy dialogue, build consensus among diverse stakeholders, manage competing priorities, and address politically or institutionally sensitive issues with diplomacy, discretion, and sound judgement.
• Leadership and coordination: Demonstrated ability to provide strategic and operational direction, coordinate multiple workstreams, manage competing priorities, and facilitate effective collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
• Communication and interpersonal skills: Excellent analytical, written and oral communication, negotiation, facilitation, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage effectively with senior government officials and international partners.
• Languages: Excellent written and spoken English and Arabic are highly desirable for a Damascus-based position.

Desirable (considered an asset):

• Experience in Syria or comparable fragile and transitional contexts; familiarity with GPE (Global Partnership for Education) and LEG processes; knowledge of education sector coordination, financing and aid architecture; experience supporting government-led multi-stakeholder mechanisms; and understanding of humanitarian-development linkages.
• Government engagement: Demonstrated experience working directly with or in support of Ministries of Education and other government institutions to strengthen education sector planning, institutional coordination, and sector management systems.
• Strategic planning and policy analysis: Strong experience in strategic planning, policy analysis, and the preparation of high-quality policy briefs, analytical papers, strategic documents, reports, meeting records, and senior-level briefing materials.
• Education aid architecture and partner alignment: Good knowledge of education sector financing and aid coordination, including the alignment of partner and donor interventions with national education policies, plans, and priorities.

Area(s) of expertise: Communication, advocacy, public information, Education

Driving license: -

Other information

Volunteerism is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken of free will, for the general public good, for which monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.

Living conditions and remarks

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. This position is based in Damascus, Syria. National UN Volunteers are expected to be culturally sensitive and adjust to the prevailing culture and traditions.

Damascus offers a unique and professionally enriching working environment at an important time of transition and recovery in Syria. The duty station provides opportunities to contribute meaningfully to education, recovery and development efforts, while requiring a high degree of cultural awareness, resilience, flexibility and sound security awareness. Staff should be prepared to live and work in a complex and evolving environment where services and amenities may be limited or disrupted and where operating conditions can change at short notice. Flexibility, and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions – sometimes involving physical hardship and limited comfort – are therefore essential.

Benefits Package:

• Entry lump sum (one-time payment): USD 350
• Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): USD 1,705.31
• Danger and Hardship Differential depending on the hardship classification and family/non-family status of the duty station.
• Free access to UNV's learning and career development resources

For more information on please visit the Entitlements Calculator: https://app.unv.org/calculator.

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Reasonable accommodation

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

In addition to duty station-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.

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• UNICEF, in coordination with partners, aims to ensure accountability to affected populations with integration of gender, child safeguarding as well as prevention from sexual exploitation and abuse into its programmes.

UNICEF, in coordination with partners, aims to ensure accountability to affected populations with integration of gender, child safeguarding as well as prevention from sexual exploitation and abuse into its programmes.