Programme Officer, NO-1, Temporary Position, #00137865, 364 days, Sao Paulo, Brazil

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Opportunity

How can you make a difference?

Under the direct supervision of the Education Officer, the Programme Officer (Digital Education) will support the implementation of the strategy by leading advocacy efforts; developing and implementing school connectivity initiatives; designing digital skills projects for education managers, teachers, and students; and promoting the pedagogical use of digital resources to improve learning quality with equity.

Responsibilities include consolidating data and evidence, supporting national advocacy to advance equity, adapting Giga tools to the Brazilian context, coordinating with key stakeholders, and providing technical support to federal and subnational governments, as well as institutions such as NIC.br, Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Education, and Anatel.

This role will oversee the design, implementation, and quality monitoring of initiatives with national and local governments, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s digital education outcomes. It will support regional offices in engaging with local governments, education authorities, and schools, supervise implementing partners, and maintain coordination with key stakeholders.

Key functions/accountabilities include:

1. Provide technical and operational support for digital education and connectivity initiatives within UNICEF Brazil, in coordination with the Chief Education in UNICEF Brazil, Giga team and Global UNICEF Education team.
2. Serve as primary focal point on connectivity and digital education with relevant national stakeholders, governments entities, private sector players, civil society and ITU Brazil.
3. Advocate for equitable, sustainable technology and connectivity models.
4. Support data analysis on connectivity, monitoring systems, and evidence generation to strengthen accountability and improvement of learning outcomes and inclusion.
5. Ensure coordinated planning, implementation and monitoring of initiatives to improve education outcomes.
6. Support local partners in implementing school connectivity and digital education models.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Final TOR_TA_Digital Education_JRMP final Sao Paulo.pdf

To qualify an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in Education, Law, Public Administration, Technology, Education-Business, or any other related fields is mandatory.
• Work Experience:

A minimum of one year of professional experience in project management, management of educational programs using digital education in public schools, develop educational programs for populations in situations of social vulnerability, including Indigenous and quilombola communities, as well as residents of remote areas.

Strong experience in engaging and coordinating with diverse partners at national and regional levels, including government entities, telecommunications regulators and companies, international development organizations, and civil society is required.

Experience in presenting and promoting new ideas and business models to diverse stakeholders, including investors and government entities is fundamental. Experience in working with technical teams or telecommunications infrastructure systems to develop and deploy systems and solutions in digital education, network/systems engineering, or technical product/program in education is mandatory.

• Skills:

Understanding of emerging concepts and their practical application in digital education initiatives, including school connectivity and related policies/programs is essential.

Knowledge of Brazil’s educational, sociocultural, and political environment, particularly in vulnerable contexts (including Indigenous, quilombola, and rural communities) is required.

Ability to work effectively with diverse, geographically distributed teams and across different technical fields (education, telecommunications, ICT, public administration, procurement, etc.) is required.

Strong writing and communication skills, including ability to tailor messages to different audiences and manage multiple priorities is fundamental.

Ability to translate complex topics into clear guidance, combined with strong stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills, and resilience in challenging situations is essential.

• Language Requirements: Proficiency in Portuguese and in English is required.

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.
• Experience in contexts with cultural diversity and social vulnerability is an asset.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments are conditional on the selected candidates' willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reductions. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to UNICEF personnel only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member’s original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.