Project Officer (Education for Health and Wellbeing)

OVERVIEW

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

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

Duration of contract: 1 year with possibility of extension subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

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. Increasingly, countries are acknowledging the strong links between health and education, and the potential of education systems to advance a wide range of positive health outcomes. Recognising that the education sector cannot achieve improved health and well-being 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 UN