Lead Policy and Partnership Specialist (GPE System Capacity Grant)

JOB DETAILS

Type of contract : Service Contract

Level : SC10

Hiring Unit : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station : Beirut

Work location : On site

Duration of contract : 6 months

Hiring open to : External candidates

Application deadline (Midnight UTC+3 Time) : 24/06/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND

Lebanon’s education system is operating in an extremely complex environment shaped by prolonged economic collapse, fiscal constraints, and repeated humanitarian shocks. Over the past six years, consecutive crises have disrupted schooling for hundreds of thousands of learners. Public education institutions—including schools, TVET centres, and university branches—have faced operational interruptions, infrastructure strain, and significant learning losses among students.

Despite these challenges, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) has demonstrated strong commitment to system recovery and long-term reform through the development of Vision 2030 and the Seven Pillars for Educational Renewal. These reforms aim to strengthen governance, improve quality and equity, professionalize the teaching workforce, enhance resilience, and institutionalize evidence-based planning across the sector.

Lebanon joined the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in 2024. Since then, the MEHE has been working closely with GPE to advance quality and inclusive education in Lebanon. This partnership supports Lebanon’s efforts for transforming education through advancing quality, relevant and equitable learning. In line with these efforts, Lebanon is implementing its first System Capacity Grant (SCG) to strengthen national systems for inclusive coordination, evidence-based planning, and data-driven decision-making in alignment with MEHE’s Vision 2030 and the Seven Pillars for Educational Renewal.

The UNESCO Regional Office in Beirut has a long-standing partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) in Lebanon and serves as the Coordinating Agency. In this capacity, UNESCO Beirut supports MEHE with the coordination of the education sector dialogue, convening and facilitating partnerships and plays a critical role in delivering on GPE’s vision, mission, goals and objectives.

PURPOSE

UNESCO Beirut is seeking a Lead Policy and Partnership Specialist to provide high-level strategic technical and advisory support and policy guidance within the scope of UNESCO’s role as Co-Grant Agent under the Lebanon System Capacity Grant with specific responsibilities for undertaking the following tasks and delivering the following outputs:

Outcome: Strengthened education system transformation through strategic guidance in the development of the GPE Partnership Compact and the institutionalization of an effective, results-oriented Local Education Group (LEG), while ensuring coherent reform prioritization, enabling factor advancement, financing alignment, and mutual accountability mechanisms to accelerate equitable, resilient, and SDG 4–aligned sector outcomes under Lebanon’s Vision 2030.

The Lead will also be expected to support resource mobilization efforts aligned with the GPE SCG and MEHE Vision 2030.

SCOPE OF WORK/KEY ACTIVITIES

Under the overall guidance of the director of UNESCO’s Regional Office in Beirut and the direct supervision of the Senior National Education Programme Officer, the Lead Policy and Partnership Specialist shall act as a senior strategic advisor to UNESCO and national counterparts on education sector transformation, providing leadership, policy guidance, and strategic recommendations to strengthen governance, financing, coordination, and accountability across the education sector as relates to the System Capacity Grant and resources mobilization by undertaking the following tasks and responsibilities:
• Strengthen education system reform and transformation through strategic development of the GPE Partnership Compact:
o Provide high-level strategic advisory support to UNESCO on the education sector reform and transformation, leading the development, implementation of the GPE Partnership Compact.
o Lead strategic and technical engagement with the GPE Secretariat, development partners, government counterparts and national stakeholders to advance the development, implementation, and review of the Partnership Compact including through the Joint Sector Review process.
o Provide technical leadership and quality assurance for the identification, prioritization and sequencing of sector reforms.
o Ensure strategic coherence and alignment between ESA findings, ESP priorities, Vision 2030, and Compact reform commitments, further advising and identifying reform priorities and pathways emerging from each of the ESA, ESP and Vision 2030.
o Lead on discussions with government counterparts, partners and donors on education sector financing strategies and resource mobilization efforts, ensuring alignment between Compact commitments, domestic financing priorities, development partner investments, and external funding opportunities. This includes resource mobilization beyond the current SCG, to include other sources of financing.
o Lead the preparation of strategic policy briefs, analytical papers, and recommendations to inform decision-making, strengthen sector governance, and support evidence-based education reform.
o Identify strategic opportunities, institutional bottlenecks, and systemic risks that may affect reform implementation, and provide recommendations to strengthen policy effectiveness, sector resilience, and reform sustainability.

Part 2

• Strengthen effective functioning of the Local Education Group (LEG) and advance high-level policy dialogue, strategic coordination, and partner engagement:
o Provide strategic leadership and technical oversight support UNESCO in strengthening the LEG as the principal platform for education sector policy dialogue, reform coordination, and mutual accountability.
o Lead the development, institutionalization, and continuous improvement of LEG governance architecture, including standard operating procedures, accountability frameworks, membership protocols, Joint Sector Reviews, LEG self-assessments and stakeholder mapping exercises, all of which would provide evidence to inform reform prioritization.
o Lead quality assurance mechanisms and strategic approaches for elevating the LEG discussions from operational coordination to strategic policy dialogue, education sector transformation, financing alignment, reform prioritization and risk management.
o Lead high-level engagement and policy dialogue with MEHE leadership, development partners, UN agencies, donors, civil society organizations, and other key stakeholders to build consensus around reform priorities and implementation strategies.
o Provide strategic guidance for the harmonization and strengthening of sector coordination mechanisms and technical working groups to improve coherence, efficiency, and collective impact across the education sector.
o Ensure alignment of partner investments and donor-funded programmes with the GPE Partnership Compact, national education priorities, Vision 2030, and broader sector reform architecture.
o Conduct strategic analysis of the political economy, institutional landscape, and reform environment, identify emerging risks and bottlenecks, and provide actionable recommendations to support effective implementation of sector reforms.
o Represent UNESCO, as required, in high-level national and international forums related to education sector coordination, policy development, partnership engagement, and GPE processes.

DURATION OF THE CONTRACT

6 Months

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

• Communication (C)
• Building and Maintaining Partnerships (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowlegde sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Planning and organizing (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)
• Driving and Managing Change (M)
• Managing Performance for Results (M)
• Building Consensus and Facilitating Dialogue (M) For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• A minimum of a Masters degree in Education or Social Sciences (Political Sciences, Development Studies, Sociology etc.), or a higher academic qualification.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Professional experience of at least 10 years, relevant to the field of education or international development;
• Knowledge about GPE and education and its challenges and issues in Lebanon
• Directly relevant professional experience in Lebanon is an asset, especially in strategi advisory positions or ranks;
• Proven capacity to provide strategic resource mobilization efforts;
• Experience in building and maitaining partnerships;
• Familiarity of work with UNESCO and UN agencies is an asset.

Long Description

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Strong business and grant writing, report writing and communication skills;

LANGUAGES

Professional proficiency in English and Arabic (French is an asset).

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.

To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted.

The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications.

Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course.

Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of personnel shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
• UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
• lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
• All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
• The statutory retirement age at UNESCO is 65 years.
• UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the hiring process.