Stretch Assignment - Education Specialist, P3/NO3, Yaounde, Cameroon, WCAR

The Education programme in Cameroon promotes access to inclusive quality education and skills development to improve learning outcomes, including life skills, through innovative approaches. It strengthens education systems and standards, address gender and digital barriers to learning, and support integrated information systems for equitable decision-making and targeted financing. It also prioritizes quality teaching, foundational learning, and safe, accessible environments to improve retention and transition.  

The programme focuses on out-of-school children, in particular girls and promote intersectoral collaboration to ensure they gain foundational and digital skills through learning continuity interventions, promoting adaptive and flexible learning pathways, including access to social protection programmes, strengthening school safety and protection, setting inclusive WASH standards for schools, and strengthening menstrual hygiene guidelines.  

The programme section is currently understaffed: one important NO3 position covering Coordination, Emergency &  Improved Learning Environment is vacant and the Education Specialist (Access & Quality) will be shortly on stretch assignment. Therefore, the section is looking for a strong Education Specialist who can wear several hats with good technical expertise as well as partnerships skills to support the implementation of the current programme ending in 2026 as well as prepare the section to transition to the new 2027-2031 country programme.

Under the guidance and general supervision of the Chief, Education, P4, the Specialist is responsible for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reporting the progress of education programmes/projects within the country programme. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of results on education programmes/projects to improve learning outcomes and equitable and inclusive education, especially for children who are marginalized, disadvantaged and excluded in society. The Specialist contributes to achievement of results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), as well as UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance, and accountability framework.

This stretch assignment will be for an initial period of three (03) months with possibility of extension to six (6) months.

1. Support to programme development and planning
2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation
4. Networking and partnership building
5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: education, economics, psychology, sociology, or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education is required.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Fluency in French and good knowledge of English.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.

Technical competencies must be demonstrated in the following areas:

• Some understanding of the overall global development context.
• Some knowledge of global developments in education and international engagement .strategies.
• Some ability to support policy dialogue.
• Some education sector planning knowledge/ability.
• Some education and policy sector analysis capacity.
• Some programme management in education.
• Some ability to support engagement with partners.
• Some understanding of gender and inequity issues.
• Some understanding of policies and strategies to address issues related to resilience.

 Stretch Assignment Template Education Specialist P3 NO3.docx

This is a temporary development opportunity and there will be no changes to the staff member’s status (position number, level, etc.).

The Office will cover the ticket for economy class travel and 100% of the UN DSA rate during two weeks, and 50% DSA for the remaining time.

Interested UNICEF staff should discuss this opportunity with their supervisor and seek the approval of their management before applying.

Candidates considered potentially well-matched for the stretch assignment will be contacted for an informal interview. Supervisors may also be contacted for references.

Advertised: 28 May 2026 W. Central Africa Standard Time
Applications close: 14 Jun 2026 W. Central Africa Standard Time

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