Project Officer (Education for Health and Wellbeing)
Position Number: 6ZAED 0018PA
Grade: P-3
Parent Sector: Education Sector (ED)
Duty Station: Johannesburg
Job Family: Education
Contract Type: Project Appointment
Duration of Contract: 1 year (with possibility of extension subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance)
Recruitment Open To: Internal and external candidates
Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 05/03/2026
UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
UNESCO’s Education for Health and Well-being Strategy sets the overarching framework for coordinated action by UNESCO and its partners. The strategy is grounded in a simple truth: children and adolescents who are healthy, well-nourished, and safe are better positioned to learn and thrive.
Countries increasingly recognize the strong links between health and education, and the potential of education systems to advance a wide range of positive health outcomes. Given that the education sector cannot achieve these outcomes in isolation, UNESCO places strong emphasis on cross-sector collaboration—particularly with the health sector. UNESCO will also work closely with political leaders and Regional Economic Communities, especially the Southern African Development Community (SADC), to ensure sustained commitment, strengthened coordination, and robust accountability.
Within this context, the Project Officer (Education for Health and Well-being) will support the Senior Project Officer in managing programmes across the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) region, notably the Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3) Programme, supported by Sweden and other donors. The incumbent will provide technical expertise and contribute to effective programme management, planning, implementation, and monitoring across UNESCO’s Education for Health and Well-being portfolio. This includes initiatives focused on sexual and reproductive health and rights, school-related gender-based violence, and comprehensive sexuality education.
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST
Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Education, guidance from the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa, and the direct supervision of the Senior Project Officer (Education for Health and Wellbeing), the Project Officer will support the management of Education for Health and Wellbeing programmes in the ESA region, specifically the O3 Programme.
The incumbent will provide technical expertise on key thematic areas advancing comprehensive sexuality education, including curriculum development and support, pre- and in-service teacher training, key populations, and human rights.
KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Programme and Technical Support
- Contribute to the implementation of regional Education for Health and Wellbeing programmes, with a focus on curriculum development, teacher training, and promoting the International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education.
- Provide technical support and capacity building to partners in areas such as school health, SRGBV prevention, HIV prevention, and response to early and unintended pregnancies (EUP).
- Support strategic planning and budgeting for UNESCO’s EHW programming in ESA, aligned with UNESCO’s role as a UNAIDS Cosponsor; identify engagement opportunities and facilitate in-house capacity building as needed.
- Ensure timely preparation of narrative and financial reports for assigned programme elements, both internally within UNESCO and to external donors.
Scale Up and Strengthen the Delivery of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)
- Build capacity among curriculum developers, teachers, and teacher educators—including those supporting learners with disabilities—to deliver gender- and social norms-transformative CSE and school violence prevention, leveraging ICT-based solutions.
- Oversee in-country teacher training initiatives, including in-person and online courses, communities of practice, mentoring programs, and college hub models.
- Lead the development and dissemination of high-quality digital and non-digital teaching and learning resources on gender- and social norms-transformative CSE and school violence prevention.
- Advocate for integrating digital tools into national teacher CPD systems, school curricula, and SRHR policies, including participation in high-level forums on online safety and digital inclusion.
- Expand and strengthen the CSE Community of Practice for teachers and practitioners in the ESA region.
Digital Solutions for Empowering Adolescents and Young People (AYP)
- Oversee the conceptualization of digital innovations to empower AYP in school and out-of-school settings, incorporating a three-tier technology access model (Low-Tech, Mid-Tech, Hi-Tech).
- Coordinate management of regional and country-specific digital tools, such as chatbots (Dzidzo paDen, Ola Zed, Sinawe) and mobile apps (Future+, OwnU), including assigning tasks to vendors or internal IT support.
- Manage procurement processes for new digital tools and resources, ensuring quality control, accessibility, online safety, and compliance through vendor oversight and risk assessments.
- Maintain digital tools to ensure content is current, appropriately licensed, age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, and aligned with community standards.
Community Engagement in Gender and Social Norms Transformative Education
- Lead outreach initiatives targeting parents, religious leaders, traditional leaders, and community leaders on gender- and social norms-transformative education related to EUP, GBV, and child marriage.
- Collaborate with UNESCO’s Communication and Information Sector to engage community radios in disseminating resources addressing EUP, GBV, and child marriage.
- Support National Programme Officers in CSE interventions tailored to learners with disabilities, those in emergency settings, learners with HIV, and LGBTIQ+ learners.
- Organize and deliver capacity-building programs for religious and community leaders on gender-transformative CSE and violence prevention.
- Strengthen partnerships with Civil Society Organizations to enhance community engagement and advance the health and well-being of young people.
COMPETENCIES
Core (C) & Managerial (M)
- Communication (C)
- Accountability (C)
- Innovation (C)
- Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)
- Planning and organizing (C)
- Results focus (C)
- Teamwork (C)
For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
- Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) in a relevant field such as education, health, social sciences, public health, or related areas.
Work Experience
- Minimum 4 years of relevant professional experience in education, health, social sciences, public health, or related areas, preferably including 2 years at the international level.
- Experience in curriculum development, teacher training, or monitoring and evaluation in an international or regional context.
- Experience in joint programming.
- Experience in user-centric application design and administration of online learning in a health education environment.
- Experience with the UN or other international/regional organizations is an asset.
Skills and Competencies
- Strong technical expertise in CSE, human rights, and key populations.
- Excellent analytical, planning, and budgeting skills.
- Proficiency in project management, including proposal development and reporting.
- Ability to work collaboratively in multicultural teams and with diverse partners.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Critical thinking and innovation orientation.
- Ability to multitask, prioritize, meet deadlines, and work under pressure.
Languages
- Excellent knowledge of English (oral and written).
- French is an added advantage.
BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS
UNESCO’s salaries consist of a basic salary and other benefits, which may include:
30 days annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance, pension plan, etc.
Approximate annual starting salary: USD 89,953