Education Specialist

The United Nations Volunteers is seeking an Education Specialist based in Nairobi, Kenya, to support UNICEF's Global Education Practice. The role involves providing technical assistance on out-of-school children, promoting equity and inclusion in education, and advancing cross-sectoral collaboration. Candidates should have a Master's degree, at least 5 years of relevant experience, and strong analytical skills. This is a full-time position with a volunteer living allowance.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to promote and protect the rights of every child. Guided by its equity-focused mandate, UNICEF prioritizes the most disadvantaged and excluded children to ensure all children survive, develop, and reach their full potential.


Assignment Context
This role is embedded within UNICEF’s Global Education Practice Team, based at the Nairobi Centre of Excellence. The Education Specialist will support global and country-level efforts to address out-of-school children, promote equity and inclusion, and strengthen cross-sectoral approaches linking education with health, nutrition, WASH, child protection, social protection, climate change, and related areas.
Key Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Senior Advisor for Education (Gender, Equity and Inclusion), the Education Specialist will:

Provide technical support to Country Offices on out-of-school children, equity, and inclusive education.
Support the Equity, Disability, Gender, and Inclusion (EDGI) pillar, including research on inequities in learning outcomes and coordination of a global webinar series on education equity and inclusion.
Advance cross-sectoral collaboration, including participation in the UNICEF Internal Coordination Group on School Health and Wellbeing.
Contribute to the development of UNICEF Programme Guidance and the Investment Case on School Health and Wellbeing (in collaboration with the Foundational Learning Network).
Support additional initiatives that advance UNICEF’s global education equity agenda.

Requirements
Education

Master’s degree in Education or a related social science field.

Experience

Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience.
Proven experience in education for marginalized or out-of-school children.
Experience with cross-sectoral programming, preferably in developing country contexts.

Languages

English: Fluent (required)
French: Working knowledge (desirable)

Skills & Competencies

Strong analytical, research, and writing skills.
Ability to work effectively with international teams and country offices.
Capacity to manage political and cultural sensitivities.
Excellent communication and reporting skills.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in multicultural environments.

Volunteer Living Allowance: currently US$ 2,740 to US$ 3,190
UN Volunteers serve full-time in their professional expertise, supported by a benefits package, including a monthly living allowance to ensure a secure standard of living at their duty stations. These allowances are not intended as compensation, reward, or salary for the volunteer's service.
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Entitlement Calculator on UVP
, the Unified Volunteer Platform, and learn more.