UNV Education Expert - Qamishli, Syria (for Nationals residing in Syria)

UN Entity: UNICEF 

Assignment Context:
The education sector in Northeast Syria (NES) is among the most affected sectors, shaped by years of conflict, shifting political dynamics, and ongoing humanitarian challenges. Since the collapse of the central regime’s authority, NES has witnessed significant changes in education delivery, particularly in terms of curriculum and accreditation. Tens of thousands of children have been affected by these shifts, often facing uncertainty regarding the quality and recognition of their education.

Even prior to these transitions, the education system in NES struggled with limited technical capacity among education authorities, gaps in teacher qualifications, and the simultaneous use of multiple curricula. These longstanding issues have been further exacerbated by prolonged conflict, widespread displacement, and administrative fragmentation, leaving the sector overstretched and under-resourced.

As agreements regarding the future governance of NES remain unresolved, the eventual integration of NES education facilities with national structures will require substantial technical and operational support. In the meantime, there is an urgent need to strengthen institutional capacity and ensure that education delivery is coordinated, context-sensitive, and responsive to the unique needs of children and communities in NES.

UNICEF remains committed to ensuring all children in Syria have access to quality and inclusive education. Addressing current gaps requires strengthening institutional capacity through targeted support in school management, curriculum alignment, assessment frameworks, evidence-based planning, and referral systems. Delivering quality education in Syria demands a holistic approach, one that tackles structural barriers, shifts social norms, and builds the capacity of students, families, teachers, and local systems. Inclusive learning environments must be fostered through positive teaching practices and community engagement that promote resilience and recovery.

In 2021, a comparative review of the NES Education Committee curriculum and the Ministry of Education (MoE) curriculum—conducted by international and local experts—highlighted significant gaps, particularly in the NES curriculum. one of the major findings is that students following the NES curriculum are unable to pass MoE-administered national exams, reinforcing the urgent need for curriculum harmonization and broader system reform.

Task description:
Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Education Specialist or his/her designated
mandated representative(s), the UNV Education Expert will:
- Support the development of a contextualized framework for enhancing teaching quality and inclusive education in Northeast Syria (NES)
- Conduct curricula review and provide technical guidance on curriculum alignment Facilitate Training of Trainers (ToT) workshops on inclusive teaching practices, active learning strategies, and assessment tools
- Develop a roadmap and technical guidance for formalizing referral mechanisms from non-formal to formal education
- Support technical consultations and facilitate engagement to co-develop a conceptual framework for inclusive, data-informed education planning Develop a strategy to support children studying under different curricula in NES, including referral and integration mechanisms
- Support the development of a study on out-of-school children in NES due to curriculum issues
- Provide technical support for integration of education facilities and systems in NES following agreement formalization
- Overall monitoring and support of partners implementation of Non-Formal Education programs in camps and community settings

Languages
Arabic, Level: Fluent, Required
English, Level: Working Knowledge, Required

Required Experience:

At least 7 years of professional work experience, at the national and/or international level, in areas such as:
- Education in Emergencies
- Curriculum Development
- Teacher Training and Capacity Development
- Monitoring and Evaluation in Education
- Education Research and Data Analysis
- Conflict-sensitive education programming
- Experience working in the UN or other international development organization;
- Familiarity with the education context in Northeast Syria, including local governance structures, displacement-affected populations, and non-formal education pathways, is highly desirable.
- Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills;
- Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing;
- Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development.
- Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;
- Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;
- Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;
- Sound security awareness;
- Have affinity with or interest in volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

Area(s) of specialization:
Crisis and emergency response, Development programmes, Education.

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.

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.

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. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan. National UN Volunteers are expected to be culturally sensitive and adjust to the prevailing culture and traditions.

Benefits Package:

• Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) at the amount of USD 919
• Monthly Expertise Differential at the amount of USD 367.76
• Well-being differential USD 275.82
• Annual and learning leaves
• Medical and life Insurance
• Free access to different learning platforms.
For more information on UN Volunteer benefits, entitlements and support, please visit: https://www.unv.org/volunteer-your-country-conditions-service