Stretch Assignment: Chief Education, P4/NO-D, Port-au-Prince, Haiti [Onsite/Remote or hybrid; Full-time/Part-time]

UNICEF Haiti is seeking a colleague to provide temporary support to the leadership, management and coordination functions of its Education section. The assignment will help maintain progress on priority activities, strengthen programme oversight and support sector coordination in a complex humanitarian and development context.

Under the guidance of the Deputy Representative, Programmes, and working closely with the Education team, field colleagues and relevant coordination focal points, the selected colleague will support the prioritisation, implementation and monitoring of education interventions. The focus will be on equitable access to safe, inclusive and quality learning opportunities, particularly for children affected by displacement, insecurity and other barriers to education.

The assignment offers an opportunity to develop skills relevant to education section leadership, including strategic prioritisation, programme management, technical quality assurance, partnerships and humanitarian coordination. It will draw on the selected colleague’s existing expertise while providing exposure to the responsibilities of a Chief of Education.

A focused workplan will be agreed at the beginning of the assignment, identifying a limited number of achievable priorities and deliverables for the six- to eight-week period. The scope will reflect the colleague’s experience, level and working arrangements. Any supervisory, representation or approval responsibilities will be explicitly agreed with the Deputy Representative and exercised within applicable delegations of authority.

To learn more about UNICEF Haiti's programmes and impact, visit our website.

Under the guidance of the Deputy Representative, Programmes, the selected colleague will contribute to the following areas. The emphasis will be adapted to the agreed workplan.

1. Support section planning, prioritisation and team coordination

• Review the Education section’s current priorities, workplans, implementation status and upcoming commitments to identify issues requiring attention during the assignment.
• Support the organisation and follow-up of section meetings, helping translate priorities into clear actions, responsibilities and deadlines.
• Provide technical guidance and practical support to colleagues on agreed programme priorities, in collaboration with relevant technical focal points.
• Identify matters requiring management decisions and prepare concise recommendations for the Deputy Representative.
• Promote collaboration between the Education section, field offices and other programme sections, particularly Child Protection, WASH, Social Policy and relevant emergency coordination functions.

1. Strengthen programme management and quality assurance

• Support the implementation of priority education activities, including education in emergencies and interventions contributing to continuity of learning and education system resilience.
• Review selected partner workplans, programme documents and progress reports, providing practical feedback on technical quality, feasibility, inclusion and expected results.
• Work with programme and operations colleagues to identify implementation bottlenecks relating to partnerships, supplies, funding or operational arrangements and follow up on agreed solutions.
• Review implementation and expenditure information for selected activities to help identify delivery risks, approaching deadlines and follow-up needs.

1. Support education sector and humanitarian coordination

• Work with designated Education Cluster or sector coordination colleagues to support collaboration with education authorities, UN agencies, NGOs and other relevant partners.
• Contribute to the analysis of available needs assessments, response coverage and gaps to inform prioritisation and coordinated action.
• Support alignment between national and subnational priorities and facilitate follow-up between coordination structures and UNICEF programme teams.
• Prepare inputs for coordination meetings, joint planning, advocacy and resource mobilisation, and track agreed actions.
• Support preparedness and contingency planning for disruptions to education services, drawing on existing plans and partner capacities.
• Promote principled coordination that reflects sector-wide needs and the perspectives of affected populations.

1. Strengthen monitoring, analysis, reporting and partnerships

• Consolidate available programme and sector information to provide a clear overview of progress, key gaps and decisions required.
• Update an existing dashboard or action tracker for selected programme and coordination priorities.
• Prepare or review inputs for situation reports, donor reports, briefing notes, proposals and management updates.
• Support preparation for discussions with government counterparts, donors and partners, including key messages and follow-up actions.
• Document practical lessons and recommendations that can inform subsequent programme implementation and section management.

Other related tasks may be agreed with the supervisor within the scope and duration of the assignment.

Depending on their experience and agreed responsibilities, the colleague will develop:

• Skills in translating education needs, programme evidence and organisational commitments into actionable section priorities.
• Experience in programme oversight, technical quality assurance and the resolution of implementation bottlenecks.
• An understanding of the relationship between UNICEF’s education programme responsibilities and its broader sector coordination role.
• Skills in team coordination, partnership engagement, management briefings and decision support.
• Experience in managing competing priorities and collaborating across locations in a complex operating environment.

Learning will take place through agreed programme tasks, participation in relevant meetings, joint review of technical products and exchanges with colleagues. The Deputy Representative will provide regular coaching and feedback, with technical support from Education colleagues and, where relevant, regional advisers.

At the start of the assignment, the supervisor and selected colleague will agree on a small number of achievable learning objectives, tailored to the colleague’s current level, interests and development needs. These will be reflected in the colleague’s development plan, in consultation with their regular supervisor. A final debrief will review learning achievements and opportunities to apply the experience in their regular role.

The incumbent will report to the Deputy Representative, Programmes, UNICEF Haiti, who will agree on priorities, provide regular guidance and review progress. The incumbent will work closely with the Education team, relevant field colleagues and designated Education Cluster or sector coordination focal points.

At the start of the assignment, the incumbent and receiving supervisor will agree on a workplan, learning objectives, working arrangements and a schedule for regular check-ins, in consultation with the releasing supervisor.

At the end of the assignment, the receiving supervisor will provide brief written feedback on the work completed, skills developed and areas for further development, and share it with the assignee and releasing supervisor.

The final deliverables will be agreed during the first week and may include:

• A focused assignment workplan setting out priorities, deliverables, responsibilities and timelines.
• An updated Education section priority tracker or management dashboard covering selected programme commitments, implementation bottlenecks and actions requiring follow-up.
• A concise analysis of selected education programme or response gaps, with practical recommendations for management and coordination discussions.
• A small package of technical, coordination, donor or management inputs responding to agreed priorities.
• A final handover note summarising completed work, outstanding actions, key deadlines and recommendations, accompanied by a debrief with the supervisor and relevant colleagues.

This assignment will provide the selected colleague with an opportunity to strengthen skills relevant to education section leadership while contributing to UNICEF Haiti’s programme delivery and humanitarian response.

• An advanced university degree in education, economics, psychology, sociology, international development or another relevant field.
• Relevant professional experience in education programme planning, management, implementation or monitoring, commensurate with the candidate’s current level.
• Demonstrated experience in education in emergencies or education programming in fragile or crisis-affected contexts is strongly desirable.
• Experience in coordinating programme teams, workstreams or partnerships and providing technical guidance to colleagues.
• Experience in education sector or cluster coordination, including needs analysis, response planning or monitoring, would be an asset.
• Ability to analyse programme and financial information, identify delivery risks and formulate practical recommendations.
• Strong drafting skills, including the ability to prepare clear technical inputs, management briefs and donor reporting.
• Ability to work collaboratively across locations, exercise sound judgement and deliver agreed outputs within a short timeframe.
• Intermediate / working proficiency in French and English is required. Knowledge of Haitian Creole would be an asset.
• Familiarity with UNICEF programme processes, results-based management and partnership procedures would be an advantage.

The scope and complexity of the assignment will be tailored to the selected colleague’s level and experience.

The selected colleague is expected to demonstrate UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability, and the following competencies:

• Builds and maintains partnerships.
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness.
• Drives to achieve results for impact.
• Innovates and embraces change.
• Thinks and acts strategically.
• Manages ambiguity and complexity.
• Works collaboratively with others.
• Nurtures, leads and manages people, where supervisory responsibilities are agreed.

Particular emphasis will be placed on strategic judgement, collaboration, adaptability and the ability to translate technical analysis into practical programme and coordination support.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

• The selected candidates are expected to have completed the UNICEF mandatory online courses prior to starting the stretch assignment and submit a copy of the certificates. And where travel will be required, s/he must also have successfully completed the mandatory SSAFE training prior to deployment.

The assignment will last six to eight weeks. The exact duration and start date will be agreed between the selected colleague, the Hiring Manager and the releasing office.

During the first week, the supervisor and selected colleague will confirm programme priorities, learning objectives, deliverables and working arrangements. The final week will include completion of agreed outputs, handover and a debrief.

Advertised: 19 Oct 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: 25 Oct 2026 Eastern Daylight Time

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