Education Cluster Coordinator, Kiev, Ukraine

UNICEF | 1 Klovsky Uzviz | Kyiv 01021 | Tel.: + 380 44 253 9363 | Fax: + 380 44 253 2607

• Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund
• Country: Ukraine
• City: Kyiv
• Office: UNICEF Ukraine
• Grade: P-3

Closing date: Friday, 29 April 2016

Job no: 494670
Work type: Temporary Appointment
Location: Ukraine
Categories: Education, Emergency Programme
BACKGROUND
The Education Cluster is a formal forum for coordination and collaboration on education in humanitarian crises. The Education Cluster brings together community-based organizations, international NGOs, UN agencies, academics, and other partners under the shared goal of ensuring predictable, well-coordinated and equitable provision of education for populations affected by humanitarian crises.
The
Ukraine Education Cluster is co-led by Save the Children and UNICEF, replicating the global co-leadership model. The Cluster was activated in December of 2014 and currently coordinates the education in emergency (EiE) activities of more than 20 community-based organizations, international NGOs and UN agencies.
A well-run Cluster, including Information Management, is a formal deliverable of the Cluster Lead Agency and forms a part of the agency's work. UNICEF, as highlighted in their Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action, is fully committed to interagency humanitarian reform and supports this through provision of leadership and participation in the Education Cluster.
PURPOSE
On behalf of UNICEF, the Country Co-Lead Agency for the Education Cluster, and in support of the education authorities in Ukraine, the purpose of this post is to provide leadership and facilitate the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective response by participants in the Education Cluster. The Coordinator is the primary liaison with the education authorities to ensure that, capacity building around, and transition of Cluster functions happens in an organized and strategic way. The Cluster Coordinator is, along with the Information Management Officer (IMO), a core Cluster team member.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS
RESPONSIBILITIES
The post holder has responsibility to support and strengthen Education Cluster functions while working closely with national authorities to ensure core functions can be integrated into national systems.

• Develop and implement a 6-month Education Cluster strategy through a consultative process with Cluster partners and based upon the recommendations of the Cluster Coordination Performance Monitoring (CCPM) report and the Education Cluster Transition Plan.
• Identify appropriate education authorities with whom to enhance capacity development for the strengthening and integration of Cluster functions into national systems.
• Work with education authorities to build national capacity in preparedness and contingency planning including the integration of both into sector plans.
• Develop a strategy for the coordination and support of community-based organizations during recovery and development phases of the response.
• Work closely with the IMO to identify needs and gaps in service provision through Cluster reporting and data analysis.
• Build complementarity of partner actions and consensus between agencies around locally appropriate interventions, through standardization of activities, and harmonization of assessment.
• Maintain accountability to affected populations by ensuring that the Cluster team and Cluster partners are responding to the evolving needs in the affected areas.
• Monitor performance of the core cluster functions.
• The post holder will ensure that there is effective communication, reporting, engagement and coordination between the National and regional cluster system.
• Represent the needs of education and Cluster partners in the Inter Cluster Group, General Coordination Meetings and by advocating through the UNICEF Representative and Save the Children Country director in the Humanitarian Country Team.
• As determined by the results of the CCPM and Transition Plan, the post holder will be responsible for transitioning key Cluster functions to appropriate education authorities.
• CORE CLUSTER FUNCTIONS

1. To support service delivery by
1.1. Providing a platform that ensures service delivery is driven by the Humanitarian Response Plan strategic priorities
1.2. Developing mechanisms to eliminate duplication of service delivery
2. To inform the HC/HCT's strategic decision-making by

2.1. Preparing needs assessment and analysis of gaps (across and within sectors, using information management tools
as needed)
2.2. Identifying and finding solutions for (emerging) gaps, obstacles, duplication and cross-cutting issues.
2.3. Formulating priorities on the basis of analysis
3. To plan and develop strategy by
3.1. Developing sectoral plans, objectives and indicators that directly support realization of the response's strategic
priorities
3.2. Applying and adhering to common standards and guidelines
3.3. Clarifying funding requirements, helping to set priorities, and agreeing cluster contributions to the HC's overall
humanitarian funding proposals
4. To monitor and evaluate performance by
4.1. Monitoring and reporting on activities and needs
4.2. Measuring performance against the cluster strategy and agreed results
4.3. Recommending corrective action where necessary.
5. To build national capacity in preparedness and contingency planning
6. Advocacy
6.1. Identifying concerns that contribute to HC and HCT messaging and action
6.2. Undertaking advocacy on behalf of the cluster, cluster members, and affected people
7. Accountability to affected populations
The Global Education Cluster will provide operational support to the country cluster as necessary including through Helpdesk, capacity building and direct support as needed, see Reference 1.
ACCOUNTABILITY
The post holder is accountable to:

• The UNICEF representative, who will in turn ensure that the post holder is provided with all necessary support and guidance
• Education Cluster participants, who will in turn ensure that they deliver on their agreed minimum commitments (see IASC Reference Module for Cluster Coordination at Country Level)
• Education Cluster Cluster coordination team members, who will in turn support the post holder in line with their terms of reference
• Inter-cluster coordination bodies established by the HCT/UNOCHA
• Local administration responsible for education
• Affected populations through agreed mechanisms

Accountability to the country representative, cluster participants, coordination team members and inter-cluster coordination bodies will be expressed in regular review meetings.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES
EDUCATION
University degree preferably at an advanced level, in Education, Humanitarian Action or a subject area relevant to the Cluster.
WORK EXPERIENCE

• At least 5 years progressively responsible humanitarian work experience with UN and/or NGO, including programme management and/or coordination in a major emergency response relevant to the Cluster.Background/familiarity with Emergency (preparedness and response) and the IASC Cluster approach.
• Extensive work experience outside the humanitarian sector relevant to this post may be considered as a replacement for humanitarian experience, especially where related to urban utilities
• Regional (post-Soviet countries) experience desirable

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

• Fluency in English
• Russian/Ukrainian an asset

COMPETENCIES OF SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE

• Understands the rationale behind Humanitarian Reform, its main components and recent developments including the Transformative Agenda.
• Understands, uses and adapts the tools, mechanisms and processes developed as part of Humanitarian Reform.
• Demonstrates commitment to Humanitarian Principles - https://docs.unocha.org/sites/dms/Documents/OOM-humanitarianprinciples_eng_June12.pdf.
• Demonstrates commitment to Principles of Partnership - http://www.globalhumanitarianplatform.org/pop.html#pop.
• Communicates, works and networks effectively with a wide range of people to reach broad consensus on a well-coordinated response, and demonstrates leadership where required.
• Thinks and acts strategically and ensures that cluster activities are prioritised and aligned within an agreed strategy.
• Demonstrates commitment to the cluster and independence from employing organisation.
• Builds, motivates and leads the cluster coordination team.

Remarks

• The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment MUST be available to commence work within 31 days of receiving an offer.
• Based in Kiev, Ukraine, with frequent travel within Ukraine.

Advertised: Apr 18 2016 FLE Standard Time
Application close: Apr 29 2016 FLE Standard Time