UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Education

Brazil has made steady progress in all education-related indicators regarding access, permanence and quality of learning. As part of the Country Programme 2017 – 2021, extended up to February 2024, this Education Officer – School Active Search will support the implementation of activities that help the most excluded boys and girls benefit from enhanced and inclusive public policies and services and actively participate in decision making processes, contributing to the achievements of the Education Area, specially to ensure access to formal education for the most vulnerable children and adolescents. The new CPD (2024-2028) is also considering access to education as an important axle.

To achieve these results, UNICEF and the National Union of Municipal Secretaries of Education (UNDIME) have developed the School Active Search (SAS) strategy that almost 3,600 municipalities and 13 states had adhered to it. Up to mid-November 2023, more than 208,000 children and adolescents were found and (re) enrolled at school through the support of SAS strategy.

How can you make a difference?

The Education Officer – School Active Search reports to the Education Officer (NOB). This position seeks to address our current needs to help the development and implementation of enhanced policies for excluded children and adolescents in education área. This will be achieved through the following results:

Support the training cycles of the UNICEF Seal in the Semiarid and the Amazon Territories planning and reporting on the activities related to the School Active Search strategy as well as support the workplan and reports at the Agenda Cidade UNICEF strategy on activities related to the School Exclusion.

• Conduct states and municipalities of the Semiarid and Amazon territories’ situation analysis regarding out-of-school children and adolescents;
• Conduct Urban centers’ situation analysis regarding out-of-school children and adolescents;
• Plan, coordinate and report on local training and/or advocacy meetings with public agents at state and municipal level;
• Monitor activities collected by the School Active Search platform and at the Seal and Agenda Cidade UNICEF activities regarding out of school children and adolescents.

Support to program development and planning for the achievement of results for Component 1: enhanced policies for excluded children.

• Support the development/establishment of sectoral program goals, objectives and strategies and results-based planning through research, collection, analysis and reporting of education and other related information for development planning and priority and goal setting reporting every two months;
• Support technically and operationally preparing related materials/documentations – complying with organizational processes and management systems – to support program planning, results based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluating results, including inputs for the annual reports and reviews and for donor reports;
• Provide ad-hoc support, by providing reports and analysis, to Education section and data-related activities that may come up during the period of this contract, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and relevancy of information;

Networking and partnership building to face school exclusion

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve and sustain results on education programmes, especially in relation to face school exclusion;
• Draft communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships and alliances, and support fund raising for education programmes;
• Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fund raising and partnership development purposes.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• University degree in education, social sciences and development sciences, public policy, human rights, psychology, sociology, communication or related field(s) is required.

• A minimum of one year of professional experience at national level in relevant Education programmes;
• Relevant experience in connecting, articulating and organizing initiatives with various stakeholders from public and private sector, civil society and UN system.
• Experience of working with Government departments and understanding of government systems will be an asset.
• Experience in UN system agency or organization is also an asset

• Fluency in Portuguese and proficient English is required. Proficient Spanish is an asset.

• Technical Knowledge

  Advocacy for human rights and public policies development; Reporting and documentation; Strong communication and collaboration skills with experience in consensus building and in motivating cross-functional teams to meet ambitious project goals and timelines; Facilitation and training; Knowledge on children’s rights issues, including the Convention of Rights of the Child and the Statute of the Child and the Adolescent; Experience in content production and management; Experience in the production of materials for learning programs or content for social mobilization initiatives; Excellent writing skills in Portuguese.

  For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates from diverse populations eligible and suitable candidates from diverse populations (afro-descendants, indigenous, and other minorities) are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

This position is for Brazilian citizens only.