Programme Specialist/ Head of Education Team (Baghdad, Iraq) contract

Position Number: 5IQED 0001RP

Grade: P-4

Parent Sector: Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Baghdad

Job Family: Education

Contract Type: Fixed Term

Duration of contract: 2 years, renewable

Recruitment open to: Internal and external candidates

Application deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 13/04/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Education (ADG/ED), and the direct supervision of the Head of the UNESCO Iraq Office, the incumbent acts as Head of Education Unit in the Iraq Office and manages a team of education personnel based in Baghdad, Erbil and Basra, advises and reports on regular and extra-budgetary programme design, guidelines, resources, and progress. He/she advocates organizational involvement and participation in mainstream educational activities and leads colleagues on thematic areas, evaluating progress and performance.  

The incumbent of the post will undertake the following responsibilities:

Programme Design and Management:

•    Lead, conceptualize and monitor the development and implementation of the education programme of the Iraq Office. The programme maintains the consistency of activities and projects with the global frameworks including the SDG 4 targets for the education 2030 agenda and the objectives and priorities of the Member State and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Iraq.
•    Carry out project management, including backstopping, technical, financial, and human resources management of the education unit of the Iraq Office.
•    Monitor regular and extra-budgetary funded projects, activity and programme implementation and ensure corrective action, and that UNESCO’s work is designed and implemented in a coherent and integrated manner consistent with sector-wide development frameworks and in collaboration with other UNESCO Field Offices, UNESCO Category I Institutes in Education, and Headquarters.

Knowledge Management, Partnerships and Resources Mobilization:

•    Mobilize, coordinate and maintain close contacts with national, regional and international partners and donors working on education in Iraq and identify opportunities for increased collaboration, partnership building, and resource mobilization on education initiatives and strategies within UNESCO goals.
•    Participate in joint UN programming activities related to education and pursue and maintain strategic partnerships to promote and contribute to programmatic work and visibility for the organization.
•    Lead the development of system thinking knowledge products and knowledge management related to basic education, TVET, and higher education (e.g. policy analysis, policy notes, guides, compendium of best practices, etc.).
•    Promote and engage with other sectors of the Iraq Office in identifying potential areas of collaboration for partnership building and programming, ensuring that education contributes to the strategic priorities of UNESCO in an inter-disciplinary approach in the country.

• Communication (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Planning and organizing (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)
• Professionalism (C)
• Building partnerships (M)
• Driving and managing change (M)
• Strategic thinking (M)
• Making quality decisions (M)
• Managing performance (M)
• Leading and empowering others (M)

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

EDUCATION

•    Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in education policy, science, social sciences, engineering, economics, or related field.

WORK EXPERIENCE

•    A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of education, of which preferably 3 years acquired at the international level.  
•    Proven experience in providing policy advice in the field of education.
•    Experience in planning, implementing, managing, monitoring, and evaluating education programmes and/or projects.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

•    Excellent coordination and interpersonal, negotiation, analytical and problem-solving skills.
•    Strong project and budget management skills, with good practical experience in results-based management and budgeting and gender mainstreaming approaches.
•    Demonstrated partnership building and resource mobilization skills.
•    Ability to manage staff and teams, and to maintain effective working relationships in a multicultural environment.
•    Analytical skills and ability to collect, synthesize and analyze information from various sources.
•    Proven ability to identify emerging development trends and educational needs, particularly in the contexts where education is transitioning from humanitarian responses to development support.
•    Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to prepare, present and discuss findings and recommendations clearly and concisely.
•    Demonstrated ability to plan strategically, and to translate strategy into priorities and action.
•    Ability to coordinate and negotiate with partners, networks and different stakeholders, particularly non-traditional donors and the private sector.
•    A growth mindset and willingness to adopt innovative approaches in project management and implementation.

LANGUAGES

•    Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English

EDUCATION

•    Advanced university degree (PhD or equivalent) in the field of economics of education, science and technology, labour economics or related field.

WORK EXPERIENCE

•    Experience in the United Nations system or other multilateral organizations and/or in the field of international relations and multilateral settings/cooperation and development.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

•    Good organizational and leadership skills and ability to empower others.
•    Ability to interact with a wide range of high-level partners.

LANGUAGES

•    Knowledge of other UNESCO official language (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish). 

UNESCO’s salaries consist of a basic salary and other benefits which may include if applicable: 30 days annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance, pension plan etc. 

The approximate annual starting salary for this post is 109 856 USD.

For full information on benefits and entitlements, please consult our Guide to Staff Benefits.

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.

To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted. 

The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications.  

Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course. 

Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

• UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
• UNESCO applies to a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
• UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States (last update here) are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply.
• lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
• All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
• Geographical mobility is required for staff members appointed to UNESCO’s international posts.
• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. UNESCO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO. The list can be accessed through the link: https://www.whed.net
• The statutory retirement age at UNESCO is 65 years.
• UNESCO appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by the Organization, is required for International Professional positions.
• UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.