Programme Specialist

OVERVIEW
**Post Number**: SHS 303
**Grade**: P-4
**Parent Sector**: Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS)
**Duty Station**: Paris
**Job Family**: Social and Human Sciences
**Type of contract**: Fixed Term
**Duration of contract**: 2 years, renewable
**Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time)**: 11-AUG-2025
**UNESCO Core Values**: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information. UNESCO promotes knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate mutual understanding and a more perfect knowledge of each other's lives. The Organization comprises 194 Member States and 12 Associate Members and employs over 2,300 staff members from 170+nationalities at its Headquarters and 54 field offices worldwide.
This position is located in UNESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS), which strives to accomplish a fundamental humanist mission by enhancing efforts against violence, racism and discrimination, combatting gender stereotypes, deploying the power of sports for social inclusion, promoting intercultural dialogue and supporting youth, women and people with disabilities. Long Description
SHS also focuses on fostering inclusive societies and ensuring the ethical development of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), in line with UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. This global standard aims to leverage the positive impact of AI while addressing its inherent risks. Getting AI governance right is one of the most consequential challenges of our time, and countries around the world are now in the process of implementing the Recommendation, with UNESCO supporting them through various capacity-building efforts.
Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Sector (ADG/SHS), guidance from the Director of Research, Ethics and Inclusion Division and the direct supervision of the Chief of the Bioethics and the Ethics of Science & Technology Section, the incumbent is responsible for ensuring the development and delivery of a wide spectrum of programme and project notably from the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, adopted in November 2021 by Member States. This global standard aims to leverage the positive impacts of Artificial Intelligence while addressing its inherent risks.
**In particular he/she will be responsible for the following**: Long Description
Coordinate programme and project rollout and monitoring as reflected in work plans. Recommend programme and project approaches, plans, expansion, and changes and develop, propose, and advocate C/4 and C/5 thematic inclusions. Draft concept notes and project documents, including theory of change and action (input, output, and outcomes), budgets, resources, and results-frameworks (RRF) and results-based management dimensions, including monitoring and evaluation frameworks; and ensure that stakeholders, including beneficiaries and Field Office, are consulted adequately.
Initiate policy development and creation, in accordance with priority areas. Advocate for and lead inter-sectoral and divisional collaboration as well as quality assurance exercises. Represent and provide specialized advice to internal and external colleagues, peers and stakeholders. Advocate UNESCO's position/involvement and establish relevant guidelines. Advise peers, colleagues, partners and governments on policy formulation, programmes and projects and developments and best practices and emerging trends in area(s) of assignment.
Organize consultations and events and ensure regular contributions and updates to online and knowledge management systems. Plan, develop and Implement outreach strategies, aimed at expanding and communicating programmes, UNESCO projects and increasing visibility, resources, and partnerships. Provide specialized expertise, interpretation, assessment and communication to Field Offices, Ministries, peers, and other stakeholders. Identify and engage adequate network and knowledge partners.
Actively contribute to and engage in the identification, development and management of strategic partnerships to ensure programmes and initiatives are adequately funded. Develop projects, programme and funding proposals, oversee agreements and contracts as well as define UNESCO's involvement and mobilize relevant resources. Explore innovative/alternative funding mechanisms, draft concept notes, coordinate and contribute to - and follow-up on - donor consultations and funding initiatives and related reports; contribute to terms and deliverables, ensuring alignment with overall programme/project objectives.
COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial) Communication (C) Accountability (C) In