Expert for Enhancing Educational Governance through IT System

Mission and objectives

UNESCO's founding mission, which was shaped by the events of World War II, is to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights by facilitating collaboration and dialogue among nations.[It pursues this objective through five major programme areas: education, natural sciences, social/human sciences, culture and communication/information. UNESCO sponsors projects that improve literacy, provide technical training and education, advance science, protect independent media and press freedom, preserve regional and cultural history, and promote cultural diversity. UNESCO assists in the translation and dissemination of world literature, helps establish and secure World Heritage Sites of cultural and natural importance, works to bridge the worldwide digital divide, and creates inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication.[14] UNESCO has launched several initiatives and global movements, such as Education For All.

Context

Ukraine is at a critical juncture in its journey towards digital transformation, recognizing the instrumental role of technology in propelling sustainable development and bolstering its position on the global stage. In the education and science sectors, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU) has laid out a strategic vision through the Strategy for Digital Transformation of Education and Science by 2025. This comprehensive framework aims to cultivate a unified digital education ecosystem, addressing the prevailing challenges of fragmented data management and limited access to and use of information for educational administration and management. These barriers have historically hindered effective policy execution and restricted the growth and optimization of the education sector management, necessitating a pivot towards a cohesive, technology-enabled environment. The envisaged digital transformation strategy underscores the creation of an integrated digital platform that facilitates seamless education planning, management, monitoring, and evaluation. This initiative is synergized with the national e-government services, under the aegis of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, to ensure streamlined communication and data sharing among educational stakeholders. The strategy prioritizes the enhancement of the New Ukrainian School (NUS) reform, focusing on the integration of technology in the curriculum, improving statistical and analytical systems, and advancing e-governance in education to mitigate bureaucratic bottlenecks. Additionally, the strategy recognizes the accelerated adoption of online learning solutions, spurred by the pandemic and ongoing conflicts, as a cornerstone for resilient educational delivery. In alignment with MESU's digital roadmap, the integration of AIKOM into the national digital ecosystem, DIIA, marks a significant leap towards enabling cross-sectoral data sharing and automating personal data verification processes. This integration facilitates the provision of convenient online educational services to citizens, exemplifying MESU's commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and accessibility.

Task description

To support this process and within the framework of UNESCO's project funded through the Global Partnership for Education and implemented jointly with UNICEF, "Strengthening resilience of education system in Ukraine for emergency response and recovery", the incumbent individual expert will serve in a critical capacity to support the MESU in its initiative to expand e-governance within the education sector. This role entails focused responsibilities and outputs aligned with the UNESCO project's objectives, under Component 4, e-governance in the education sector. To support this process and within the framework of UNESCO's project funded through the Global Partnership for Education and implemented jointly with UNICEF, "Strengthening resilience of education system in Ukraine for emergency response and recovery", the incumbent individual expert will serve in a critical capacity to support the MESU in its initiative to expand e-governance within the education sector. This role entails focused responsibilities and outputs aligned with the UNESCO project's objectives, under Component 4, e-governance in the education sector. Under the overall authority of the Senior Project Coordinator - UNESCO Kyiv Antenna and under the direct technical supervision of the Senior Programme Officer within the Education Policy Section – UNESCO HQ, the Expert is tasked with executing the following functions: 1. National focal point for UNESCO's interventions on e-governance and data in education: The individual expert will serve as the primary on-site focal point for UNESCO regarding the Component 4 of the project, orchestrating on-site project coordination and alignment between UNESCO, contractors, and other stakeholders involved in the delivery of project activities linked to e-governance and more broadly data in education. This role involves steering project communications, managing stakeholder expectations, and facilitating the collaborative efforts needed to advance the project's objectives effectively (LoE: 6 days/month). 2. Project implementation monitoring and oversight: The individual expert will act as national focal point for UNESCO's interventions on e-governance and data in education: ensuring that milestones are met, and deliverables are achieved within specified timelines and ensuring quality assurance standards. This role involves regular communication with contractors, identifying potential areas of improvement or necessary adjustments to keep the project on track, and report back to UNESCO on the implementation progress, offering insights into the project's impact and strategic recommendations for further actions (LoE: 6 days/month). 3. Analytical and Technical Support: The expert will provide analytical and technical support to the project for scoping and drafting of Terms of Reference (ToRs) and Software Specification Documents (SRS) for procurement of AIKOM components and their integration into the national digital ecosystem, as well as for developing analytical summary reports on UNESCO's interventions on E-governance in education in Ukraine (LoE: 6 days/month)

Qualification requirements:

• Master's degree in information technology, computer science, economics, or a related discipline, preferably a PhD

• Fluency in English and Ukrainian

• 7 years of experience in full-cycle software development projects implementation, preferably in education;

• More than 3 years of experience in educational IT projects.

• More than 3 years of experience in the implementation of information systems.
• More than 3 years of experience in GovTech.

• Experience in the development of information system architecture solutions and prototype development;

• Ensuring quality control of created functionality, code analysis, and system launch;

• Excellent knowledge related to databases: relational databases and non-relational databases;

• Excellent knowledge related to integrations: API methods, SOAP protocol, RESTful.

Living conditions and remarks

• Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) USD 1587 (equivalent in UAH) is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities, and normal cost of living expenses. This includes Well-Being Differentials for the period while the ICSC applies hardship classification to duty stations in Ukraine as "E".

• USD 400 entry lump sum, one-time payment.

• Medical insurance: The UN Volunteer and eligible PFU dependents will receive UNV provided medical insurance coverage. Coverage for UN Volunteers begins from the Commencement of Service and normally ceases one month after the last day of the UN Volunteer Contract date.

• Life Insurance: UN Volunteers are covered by life insurance for the duration of the UN Volunteer assignment. If a UN Volunteer dies during the UN Volunteer assignment, the eligible designated beneficiaries will be entitled to receive a life insurance lump sum.

• Annual leave: UN Volunteers accrue an entitlement to 2.5 days of Annual Leave per completed month of the UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave up to a maximum of 30 days is carried over in case of a contract extension within the same UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave may not be carried over in case of reassignment or a new assignment.

• Learning leave: Subject to supervisor approval and exigencies of service, UN Volunteers may request up to ten working days of Learning Leave per consecutive 12 months of the UN Volunteer assignment, starting with the Commencement of Service date, provided the Learning Leave is used within the contract period.

• Certified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers are entitled to up to 30 days of certified sick leave based on a 12-month cycle. This amount is reset every 12-month cycle.

• Uncertified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers receive seven days of uncertified sick leave working days in a calendar year. This amount will be reset at the established interval period.