JO# 26436 – Assistant Education Officer – UNHCR Temporary Appointment (Maternity Replacement) - Zahle, Lebanon

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Assistant Education Officer will support the roll-out of Refugee Education 2030, the UNHCR Refugee Education Strategy, in line with the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), which calls on States and relevant Stakeholders to contribute resources and expertise, to expand and enhance the quality and inclusiveness of national education systems, to facilitate access by refugee and host community children and youth to primary, secondary and tertiary education. Providing inclusive and equitable quality education is central to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the Assistant Education Officer will ensure UNHCR¿s programming is in line with the SDGs, in particular SDG 4.

Leveraging the growing global momentum, UNHCR is working to translate the objectives of the GCR into impactful results, including through follow-up on pledges made through the 2019 Global Refugee Forum. Contributing to this global roll-out of the GCR, the Assistant Education Officer will act as UNHCR focal point for education in the area of operation to advocate for and implement the objectives of Refugee Education 2030 in the local context:

1. Promote equitable and sustainable inclusion in national education systems for refugees, asylum seekers, returnees, stateless and internally displaced persons.
2. Foster safe enabling environments that support learning.
3. Enable learners to use their education toward sustainable futures.

The incumbent will support UNHCR¿s work regarding education and advocate on all issues related to UNHCR education programmes and strategic directions. Under the guidance of the supervising officer(s) and Head of Office, s/he will maintain close contact with counterparts in the Branch office on the overall education policy direction of UNHCR in Lebanon and on the adaptation of Refugee Education 2030 to the local context, as well as providing technical support (on early childhood, learning achievement, primary education, accelerated education, secondary education, non-formal education, scholarships and tertiary education, education in emergencies etc.) to all staff, including senior management, as well as to those representing education issues on behalf of UNHCR.

This will require maintaining close contact with counterparts in the Branch Office on the overall education policy direction of UNHCR, on monitoring and assessing impact, on provision of external technical assistance, and on liaising with partner agencies. The incumbent is normally supervised by the UNHCR Protection Officer or other senior protection staff and under the overall supervision of the Head of Office.

The incumbent will ensure that consistent and technically sound advice/recommendations are given within the Area of Responsibility (AoR) and ensure active exchange of information and best practices within the AoR. The incumbent must be an authority on technical issues relating to education and will also provide specialist advice for other sectors such as child protection, livelihoods/economic inclusion, shelter, and water and sanitation as relates to education. Under the direction of supervising officer(s), s/he will be responsible for overseeing education programs implemented by partners in the AoR.

Externally, the Assistant Education Officer will help promote the inclusion of refugees and other persons of concern into national education systems through effective partnerships and advocacy with relevant government line ministries, development actors, private sector, UN agencies, international organisations and NGOs, research institutions and universities, at the local level.  This includes support to and active participation in education coordination fora at the local level and keeping abreast with international, national and local developments in education.  Representation with NGOs, academic institutions, and the private sector may also be required. The incumbent is regularly called upon to train staff and partners, including Government authorities, to provide/negotiate drafting advice, to give presentations, , to represent UNHCR and to ensure UNHCR's direct involvement in numerous settings designed to promote increased access to quality education at all levels to both refugee and host communities, in line with the GCR. 

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Translate global education objectives and strategic directions into regional or national guidance, strategies and priorities, in collaboration with the supervisor and the Education Section in HQ, to ensure coherence with UNHCR¿s education policy and strategy.
- Engage, promote and foster partnerships/collaboration with national education stakeholders and bodies in line with GCR.
- Provide technical advice and support on all issues related to UNHCR education programmes and strategic directions, in line with UNHCR education policy and regional priorities, including through remote support and field missions.
- Support and provide technical advice to senior management and Policy and Development staff allowing for advocacy activities with States and international organisations on all issues related to UNHCR education programmes and strategic directions, including supporting national planning processes, such as the development of SDG4 plans at national levels and ensuring inclusion of refugee, returnee, asylum seeking, internally displaced and stateless children and youth in SDG4 plans and Education Sector Analyses and Plans.
- Participate in national humanitarian and development sector working groups to support that all refugee education support programming at country level is extended, amplified and reported against sector development goals and humanitarian partners and funding serves system strengthening.
- Assist the Country Office(s) to elaborate and implement strategies to address issues related to education access, quality and data, in cooperation with other UN agencies (UNICEF, UNESCO, WFP, etc.) and other key education stakeholders.
- Undertake direct dialogue at the national level on the implementation of education programmes in line with strategic directions, integrated with SDG4 and Education Sector Plans, including with Ministries of Education/Higher Education, education partners and coordination networks (Global Partnership for Education, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and Local Education Groups, etc.).
- Foster inter-sectoral linkages and coordination with child protection, SGBV, gender, community services, livelihoods/economic inclusion and health, among others, and provide specialist advice for other sectors, to ensure that they fully integrate education related concerns in their planning.
- Assist the supervisor in monitoring the implementation of education programmes and provide guidance on orientation.
- Support the supervisor in monitoring the implementation of Global Refugee Forum pledges within the AoR.
- Assist in the planning and coordination of UNHCR¿s role concerning education, represent UNHCR at national consultations, and represent UNHCR¿s education strategy and policy to other UN bodies, NGOs, interlocutors, institutions and organisations.
- Train UNHCR staff, sister UN agency staff, NGOs, and Ministry of Education officials on refugee education priorities and identified topics.
- Assist with the development and dissemination of relevant tools to support UNHCR staff and partners within the AoR.
- Support active exchange of information and that best practices are identified, documented and disseminated both within the AoR and beyond.
- Join joint assessment missions in emergencies to minimise the time refugee children and youth spend out of education (ideally a maximum of three months after arrival).
- Prepare and draft education input in key internal and external documents and reports.
- Perform other related duties as required.