Project Coordinator (Education) at UNESCO

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The vision of an emerging Burundi by 2027, championed by the government and supported by Development Partners (DPAs), is outlined in the National Development Plan for the period 2018-2027 (PND Burundi 2018-2027), which aims, among other things, to "develop a high-performing education system that meets national needs and international standards." This strategic direction is operationalized in the Education Sector Plan 2022-2030, adopted by the Council of Ministers in March 2023.

Within the framework of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) new funding model, Burundi, together with its Development Partners (DPAs), has developed a partnership pact focused on a priority reform aimed at improving the performance of the education system as a whole. The Burundi Partnership Pact, which serves as the basis for determining the direction and modalities of GPE funding, is the result of extensive consultations with stakeholders in the education system who identified "the equitable and inclusive improvement of the quality of learning" as the priority reform for transforming the system.

On April 8, 2025, the Board of Directors of the PME approved a funding request for System Transformation (STG) for the implementation of the project to improve the quality of learning in Burundi (PAQABU, IGA NEZA KIBONDO in Kirundi). This project aims to contribute to the equitable and inclusive improvement of the quality of learning by addressing the bottlenecks identified in the analysis of enabling factors, while taking gender issues into account.

JOB OVERVIEW

Under the general authority of the Assistant Director-General for Education (ADG/ED), the guidance of the Regional Director and UNESCO Representative for Central Africa and the direct supervision of the Regional Education Advisor, the Project Coordinator (Project to Improve the Quality of Learning in Burundi - PAQABU) will be responsible for the overall management of the project (planning, implementation, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, communication) in close collaboration with UNESCO's specialized institutes and other stakeholders (the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research, the AFD and UNICEF).

More specifically, the Project Coordinator will perform the following tasks and responsibilities:

Project implementation

• Coordinate the implementation of PAQABU by ensuring that the project maintains quality and complies with UNESCO rules and procedures, as well as donor requirements (SME), by supervising all operational, administrative and technical aspects, including financial management and procurement;
• Ensure that the expected results are achieved on time and with quality, in accordance with the project document, the results framework and the project procedures manual;
• Ensure, in close collaboration with the staff in charge of the sub-components of the project, the timely preparation of work plans, budgets and project supply plans based on the results of the start-up phase and monitor their implementation to achieve the project objectives and expected results;
• Plan, manage, implement and monitor overall project activities in accordance with the work plan and budget, including organizational meetings, workshops, conferences and other events planned in the project document and work plans;
• Ensure smooth coordination and communication with the government through the MENRS, the PME, other partner agents and other national and international partners;
• Ensure the management and supervision of other project staff members, good collaboration with UNESCO specialized institutes and with consultants as well as partners and implementing bodies contracted within the framework of this project.

Planning and reporting

• Attend planning meetings, missions and meetings in the country and abroad as needed, and provide timely reports on project progress;
• Prepare monthly project implementation reports, as well as all required periodic and annual reports, both narrative and financial, on project activities, as needed.

 Monitoring and evaluation

• Supervise and guide project staff responsible for monitoring and evaluation, ensuring the collection of all necessary data to track the project's progress towards achieving the planned results and outcome indicators (as defined in the project document and results framework) in accordance with the monitoring and evaluation framework;
• Maintain a tracking system capable of providing current and real-time information on progress.

 Communication

• Support and cooperate with communications officers to ensure the visibility of project results and impact, in accordance with GPE and UNESCO guidelines on communication and visibility.
• Contribute to the production of public information documents such as news articles, social media posts, infographics, audiovisual materials and other awareness-raising materials.

 Resource mobilization and partnership

• Identify opportunities for resource mobilization and lead or support the development of project documents;
• Provide technical advice/support to enable the country to access additional funding for education transformation;
• Participate in working groups on financing and joint United Nations missions on resource mobilization at the country level.

 Leadership and supervision

• Supervise the professionals, consultants and trainees involved in the implementation of the Project;
• Provide leadership on the annual project planning (work plan, budget and monitoring and evaluation);
• Ensure that the human resource needs for the job are planned and met.

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