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 a Future

How can you make a difference?

Kyrgyzstan is a lower-middle-income country where notable progress in education access coexists with persistent challenges in learning quality, equity and adolescent outcomes. UNICEF supports the Government in advancing inclusive, child-centered education reforms, with a focus on foundational learning, early childhood development, teacher capacity and system strengthening. Significant disparities remain across regions, particularly affecting rural, migrant, and vulnerable children, while adolescents often face limited opportunities for skills development, participation and smooth transitions to employment or further education. Within this framework, the Chief of Education and ADAP leads UNICEF’s strategic engagement to build equitable, resilient, and responsive education systems, while promoting adolescent development and participation. The role also provides leadership and management to a team comprising four national officers and one programme associate, ensuring effective programme delivery and impact for all children and young people, especially the most marginalized.

UNICEF’s Country Programme 2023–2027 in Kyrgyzstan aims to advance the rights and well-being of children, with a strong focus on reaching the most disadvantaged children and adolescents. Operating through its Country Office in Bishkek and Zone Office in Osh, UNICEF collaborates closely with the Government, civil society, UN organisations and development partners to strengthen national systems in health, education, child protection, social policy and climate resilience.

The long-term vision for change in the Education and ADAP area is that, by 2027, all children and adolescents in Kyrgyzstan, including those with disabilities, have equitable access to inclusive quality education from early years, improve learning outcomes, develop skills for life and work and participate in decision-making. This result directly contributes to United National Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework-UNSDCF.

Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Representative, the Chief Education and ADAP is responsible for managing and supervising all stages of education and ADAP programmes/projects. This includes strategic planning and formulation, as well as delivery of results on strengthening national education systems to improve learning outcomes, universal access to quality, equitable and inclusive primary/early childhood education, and renewed involvement in secondary education, especially for children who are marginalized, disadvantaged and excluded in society. Incumbent leads a group of professional and support staff to develop and manage the education programme in the country.

The Chief Education and ADAP is responsible for establishing the plans of action and overseeing work progress to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable programme/project results, according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), as well as UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

Managerial leadership
Programme development and planning
Programme management, monitoring and quality control of results
Advisory services and technical support
Advocacy, networking and partnership building
Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File Chief Education ADAP Level 4 final (1).pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in one of the following fields is required: education, economics, psychology, sociology or another relevant technical field.
Work Experience: At least 8 years of relevant professional experience in programme planning, management, and/or research in education at the international level is required.
Skills: Management, Programme Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Leadership, Technical Competencies, Capacity Building.
Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

Language: Fluency in Russian is an asset. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, or Spanish) or a local language.
Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
Familiarity/background with emergency is considered as 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
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children's data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

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 may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

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 male 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.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.

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.

Chief Education/ADAP, P-4, FT, #137902, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan - ECAR