Planning Officer- Local Education Group (LEG)

Host entity: UNICEF SYR

Volunteer type: National

Areas of expertise: Economics, poverty reduction, livelihoods, Education, Finance, accounting

Application deadline: 19/10/2026

Mission and objectives

With the strong presence on the ground and partnerships with local communities and organizations across multiple sectors, UNICEF aims to reach more children and families. Upholding the humanitarian principles, UNICEF supports integrated, multi-sectoral programming and continues to improve sustained, equitable and safe access to critical basic services in areas where the needs are the highest.
UNICEF, in coordination with partners, aims to ensure accountability to affected populations with integration of gender, child safeguarding as well as prevention from sexual exploitation and abuse into its programmes.
UNICEF aims to reach children no matter where they are or live.

Assignment context

The Ministry of Education (MoE) is leading efforts to restore and transform Syria’s education system following years of crisis and disruption that have significantly affected access, equity, quality, learning outcomes, and institutional capacity. As the country transitions toward recovery and development, the Ministry is committed to ensuring that all children and young people, including returnees, internally displaced populations, and other vulnerable groups, have access to safe, inclusive, and quality education aligned with national priorities and Sustainable Development Goal

To advance sector recovery and reform, the MoE is strengthening its capacity for education sector planning, coordination, monitoring, and evidence-based decision-making. Central to this effort is the establishment of the Local Education Group (LEG), a Ministry-led, multi-stakeholder platform bringing together government entities, development partners, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and other education stakeholders to promote sector dialogue, align partner support, and advance collective action around national education priorities. A LEG Secretariat has been established within the Ministry to support the effective functioning of the LEG and strengthen Ministry-led sector coordination.

Syria’s accession to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) provides an important opportunity to further strengthen sector governance, planning, coordination, and accountability. The establishment of the LEG and its Secretariat provides an institutional mechanism to reinforce government leadership, strengthen partnerships, and support coordinated implementation and monitoring of national education priorities.

Given the scale and complexity of Syria’s education recovery and reform agenda, UNICEF recruiting a UN Volunteer Expert (LEG - Education Sector Planning) to strengthen the Ministry of Education’s capacity to lead sector planning, policy development, performance monitoring, and evidence-based decision-making. Working within and supporting the LEG Secretariat, the UN Volunteer Expert will support the development, implementation, monitoring, and review of education sector plans; strengthen sector analysis, data use, monitoring and reporting systems; and develop practical planning tools and analytical products to inform policy and implementation. The UN Volunteer Expert will ensure that stakeholder inputs, partner engagement, and coordination outcomes are effectively reflected in sector planning, monitoring, and implementation, while also supporting the effective functioning of the LEG and other sector coordination mechanisms.

The UN Volunteer will be based in the Directorate of Planning and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Education and will report to the Director of Planning, or his/her designated representative, on the daily delivery of tasks. The UN Volunteer's work plan will be agreed jointly by UNICEF and the Ministry of Education. Administrative and contractual accountability rests with UNICEF. While the UNICEF Chief of Education will approve leave and travel and will complete the UNV performance assessment, with formal input from the Ministry of Education. The UN Volunteer will keep regular communication with both supervisors, including monthly progress updates shared with both UNICEF and the Ministry.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the overall supervision of the UNICEF Chief of Education , and under the day-to-day functional guidance of the Director of Planning and International Cooperation, Ministry of Education (or his/her designated representative), the UN Volunteer will support the following:
1. Education Sector Planning and Policy Development
• Coordinate technical inputs from Ministry directorates, relevant partners and key stakeholders for the preparation, revision and implementation of national education sector plans, annual operational plans and related planning frameworks.
• Support the Directorate of Planning to develop practical planning products, including implementation roadmaps, annual planning calendars, results frameworks, costing inputs and prioritization criteria.
• Collect and consolidate inputs, and prepare policy briefs, options papers, technical notes and presentations to support Ministry leadership in setting priorities and making evidence-informed decisions.
• Ensure that equity, gender equality, disability inclusion, climate resilience, social cohesion and conflict sensitivity are reflected in sector plans and planning tools.
• Ensure the integration of emergency preparedness, disaster risk management, anticipatory action and the integration education in emergency indicators within education sector plans, to enhance resilience and ensure recovery of the education sector.
2. Sector Monitoring, Performance Review and Adaptive Planning
• Develop and maintain sector planning monitoring frameworks, indicator reference sheets, reporting templates and simple performance dashboards linked to agreed plans and priorities.
• Consolidate and analyse available data and implementation updates in collaboration with the ICT and M&E Departments to track progress against agreed objectives, indicators and targets.
• Prepare quarterly, bi-annual and annual sector performance analyses identifying achievements, gaps, implementation bottlenecks, emerging risks and recommended corrective actions.
• Coordinate the technical preparation of Joint Sector Reviews, Mid-Year Reviews, annual reviews and other sector performance assessments, including evidence packages, analysis and draft findings.
• Support scenario-based and contingency planning where required and propose adjustments to plans in response to changing needs, risks or implementation constraints.
3. Education Financing and Resource Prioritization
• Support the Directorate of Planning with analysis of education sector financing, partner contributions, funding gaps and resource allocation against national priorities.
• Provide technical inputs to investment cases, financing strategies, concept notes and funding proposals led by the Ministry, the Local Education Group, the Education Sector, or relevant partners.
• Support the Directorate of Planning to consolidate and share evidence and costing information for donor consultations and resource mobilization discussions, in collaboration with the Education Partnership and Coordination Consultant, hosted in the Ministry of Education.
• Support the Ministry to assess the alignment and complementarity of partner investments with national education plans and priorities.
4. Planning Systems and Institutional Capacity Strengthening
• Develop and institutionalize practical planning, monitoring and reporting tools, templates, guidance and standard operating procedures for use by the LEG Secretariat and relevant Ministry directorates.
• Provide on-the-job coaching and structured capacity-building support to Ministry staff on planning, costing, results-based management, performance analysis and reporting.
• Support harmonized planning and reporting processes across Ministry directorates and promote consistent use of agreed tools and standards.
• Document and transfer methods, tools and institutional knowledge to strengthen sustainability of the LEG Secretariat.
5. Collaboration with the Education Partnership and Coordination Consultant, hosted in the Ministry of Education.
• Prepare technical inputs, planning products and analytical materials for stakeholder consultations, policy dialogue, LEG meetings and sector review processes coordinated by the Education Partnership and Coordination Consultant, hosted in the Ministry of Education.
• Work with the Education Partnership and Coordination Consultant, hosted in the Ministry of Education, to consolidate stakeholder feedback, partner commitments and coordination outcomes and reflect agreed inputs in relevant plans, monitoring products and recommendations.
• Provide technical content for partner briefings and consultations, while the Education Partnership and Coordination Consultant leads organization, facilitation, communication and follow-up.

Skills and experience

Required:
• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in education sector planning, policy or management, including at national level.
• Demonstrated experience supporting the development, implementation or monitoring of national education strategies, such as Education Sector Plans (ESPs) or Transitional Education Plans (TEPs).
• Experience working directly with or within Ministries of Education to strengthen planning, policy or management systems.
• Proven experience in stakeholder engagement and coordination, including working with government counterparts, development partners and civil society. Experience with Local Education Groups (LEGs), Education Cluster or similar sector coordination mechanisms is strongly preferred.
• Working knowledge of education financing, including costing, budget analysis or public expenditure review.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and diplomatically in a government setting, manage multiple reporting lines, and build trusted working relationships with senior officials and partners.
• Fluency in Arabic and English (written and spoken) is required.


Desirable (considered an asset):
• Experience supporting Joint Sector Reviews (JSRs) or sector performance monitoring frameworks.
• Experience with education projection and simulation models (e.g. EPSSim or similar) and scenario planning.
• Experience with Global Partnership for Education (GPE) processes, such as the Partnership Compact, system transformation grant, enabling factors analysis or grant agent responsibilities.
• Experience in fragile, crisis-affected or transitional contexts, including humanitarian–development nexus programming.
• Experience with the UN system, international NGOs or development partners working in the education sector.
• Experience with capacity development of government staff, such as on-the-job coaching, training or mentoring.
• Familiarity with EMIS and the use of data for planning and decision-making.
• Knowledge of additional local languages (e.g. Kurdish) is an asset.

Competencies and values

• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Creativity
• Judgement and decision-making
• Planning and organising
• Professionalism
• Self-management

Living conditions

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. This position is based in Damascus, Syria. National UN Volunteers are expected to be culturally sensitive and adjust to the prevailing culture and traditions.

Damascus offers a unique and professionally enriching working environment at an important time of transition and recovery in Syria. The duty station provides opportunities to contribute meaningfully to education, recovery and development efforts, while requiring a high degree of cultural awareness, resilience, flexibility and sound security awareness. Staff should be prepared to live and work in a complex and evolving environment where services and amenities may be limited or disrupted and where operating conditions can change at short notice. Flexibility, and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions – sometimes involving physical hardship and limited comfort – are therefore essential.

Benefits Package:

• Entry lump sum (one-time payment): USD 350
• Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): USD 1,705.31
• Danger and Hardship Differential depending on the hardship classification and family/non-family status of the duty station.
• Free access to UNV's learning and career development resources

For more information on please visit the Entitlements Calculator: https://app.unv.org/calculator.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.