Deadline for Applications March 26, 2026 Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based) E (most hardship) Family Type (not applicable for home-based) Non Family with Residential Location Staff Member / Affiliate Type UNOPS LICA8 Target Start Date 2026-04-01 Terms of Reference Refer to the attached TOR Standard Job Description Assistant Education Officer Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The Assistant Education Officer will support the roll-out of Refugee Education 2030, the UNHCR Refugee Education Strategy, in line with the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), which calls on States and relevant Stakeholders to contribute resources and expertise, to expand and enhance the quality and inclusiveness of national education systems, to facilitate access by refugee and host community children and youth to primary, secondary and tertiary education. Providing inclusive and equitable quality education is central to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the Assistant Education Officer will ensure UNHCR’s programming is in line with the SDGs, in particular SDG 4. Leveraging the growing global momentum, UNHCR is working to translate the objectives of the GCR into impactful results, including through follow-up on pledges made through the 2019 Global Refugee Forum. Contributing to this global roll-out of the GCR, the Assistant Education Officer, in collaboration with the Education Section in the Division of Resilience and Solutions (DRS), will provide technical support to UNHCR Country Office(s) and partners to advocate for and implement the objectives of Refugee Education 2030: 1. Promote equitable and sustainable inclusion in national education systems for refugees, asylum seekers, returnees, stateless and internally displaced persons 2. Foster safe enabling environments that support learning 3. Enable learners to use their education toward sustainable futures The incumbent will provide direction and technical support for UNHCR regarding education and advocate on all issues related to education programmes and strategic directions. S/he will maintain close contact with Country Office(s) on the overall education policy direction of UNHCR and on the adaptation of Refugee Education 2030 to the particular country context, as well as providing technical support (on early childhood, learning achievement, primary education, accelerated education, secondary education, non-formal education, scholarships and tertiary education, education in emergencies etc.) to all staff, including senior management, as well as to those representing education issues on behalf of UNHCR. This will require maintaining close contact with other Country Offices in the region and Divisions, particularly the DRS, on the overall education policy direction of UNHCR, on monitoring and assessing impact, on provision of external technical assistance, and on liaising with partner agencies. The incumbent is normally supervised by the Senior Protection Officer, Protection Officer, Senior Programme Officer, Programme Officer or a higher grade Education Officer, depending on the office context. The incumbent will ensure that consistent and technically sound advice/recommendations are given within the Area of Responsibility (AoR), including through drafting of guidelines and supporting the training of staff, in collaboration with the Education Section at HQ. S/he will also ensure active exchange of information and best practices within the AoR. The incumbent must be an authority on technical issues relating to education and will also provide specialist advice for other sectors such as child protection, livelihoods/economic inclusion, shelter, and water and sanitation as relates to education. The Assistant Education Officer may also act as focal point/coordinator/advisor for staff at all levels in Country Office(s), including senior management, as well as Policy and Development staff. Externally, the Assistant Education Officer will help promote the inclusion of refugees and other persons of concern into national education systems through effective partnerships and advocacy with relevant government line ministries, development actors, private sector, UN agencies, international organisations and NGOs, research institutions and universities, both at the regional and country levels. This includes supporting or leading coordination with regional and global education networks and keeping abreast with international developments in education, where necessary this may include representation with international and regional organizations through, for example, UNICEF, UNESCO, the Global Partnership for Education and the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE). Representation with NGOs, academic institutions, and the private sector may also be required. The incumbent is regularly called upon to train staff and partners, including Government authorities, to provide/negotiate drafting advice, to give presentations, to participate as a member of expert groups on education, to represent UNHCR and to ensure UNHCR’s direct involvement in numerous settings designed to promote increased access to quality education at all levels to both refugee and host communities, in line with the GCR. All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity. Duties – Translate global education objectives and strategic directions into regional or national guidance, strategies and priorities, in collaboration with the supervisor and the Education Section in HQ, to ensure coherence with UNHCR’s education policy and strategy. – Engage, promote and foster partnerships/collaboration with national education stakeholders and bodies in line with GCR. – Provide technical advice and support on all issues related to UNHCR education programmes and strategic directions, in line with UNHCR education policy and regional priorities, including through remote support and field missions. – Support and provide technical advice to senior management and Policy and Development staff allowing for advocacy activities with States and international organisations on all issues related to UNHCR education programmes and strategic directions, including supporting national planning processes, such as the development of SDG4 plans at national levels and ensuring inclusion of refugee, returnee, asylum seeking, internally displaced and stateless children and youth in SDG4 plans and Education Sector Analyses and Plans. – Participate in national humanitarian and development sector working groups to support that all refugee education support programming at country level is extended, amplified and reported against sector development goals and humanitarian partners and funding serves system strengthening. – Assist the Country Office(s) to elaborate and implement strategies to address issues related to education access, quality and data, in cooperation with other UN agencies (UNICEF, UNESCO, WFP, etc.) and other key education stakeholders. – Undertake direct dialogue at the national level on the implementation of education programmes in line with strategic directions, integrated with SDG4 and Education Sector Plans, including with Ministries of Education/Higher Education, education partners and coordination networks (Global Partnership for Education, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and Local Education Groups, etc.). – Foster inter-sectoral linkages and coordination with child protection, GBV, gender, community services, livelihoods/economic inclusion and health, among others, and provide specialist advice…