UNESCO's International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) is recruiting an Associate Project Officer (Education) at P-2 grade in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on a one year Project Appointment open to internal and external candidates. The approximate annual starting salary is USD 80,368, and applications close on 06 November 2026 at midnight Paris time. At Youth Works Hub, we went through the full vacancy notice to put every requirement, duty and condition of this post in one place.
The Post at a Glance
The vacancy is published on the official UNESCO Careers website, and the key details of the post are these.
🔢 Position number: 6ETEDPA029CB
🏅 Grade: P-2
🏛️ Parent sector: Education Sector (ED)
📍 Duty station: IICBA Addis Ababa
🧭 Job family: Education
📝 Contract type: Project Appointment
⌛ Duration of contract: 1 year, with possibility of extension subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance
🌐 Recruitment open to: Internal and external candidates
🗓️ Application deadline: 06/11/2026 (midnight Paris time)
UNESCO's core values for this post are Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity and Professionalism.
About UNESCO IICBA in Addis Ababa
The UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) is a Category I Institute of UNESCO and is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Institute works to meet the goals and targets of the 2030 SDGs by supporting Member States with their education policies, teacher professional development and the capacity of education institutions in Africa.
IICBA has been actively engaged in capacity-building interventions in three areas.
🔬 Research and knowledge
📣 Policy and advocacy
🛠️ Capacity enhancement
With its commitment to empowering teachers for all learners to thrive, the Institute supports education institutions, including in emergency settings. UNESCO IICBA has expanded its programmes substantially in the last three years, most recently with a new grant focusing on improving learning, among other things, through accelerated learning programmes for children out of school.
What the Associate Project Officer Is Responsible For
The incumbent will be responsible for the planning and implementation of the Japan-funded projects, including the recently approved project focusing on accelerated learning programmes. The focus of the post is on information and knowledge management, coordination, monitoring, reporting and communication.
Reporting Lines
The post sits within a clear chain of authority.
👤 Overall authority: the Assistant Director-General for Education (ADG/ED)
🎯 Functional authority: the Director of the International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA)
👥 Direct supervision: the IICBA Senior Project Coordinator
Who You Will Work With Inside and Outside UNESCO
Internally, the incumbent will work closely with the UNESCO country offices and regional offices. Externally, the incumbent will liaise with these counterparts.
🏫 Government counterparts and national stakeholders: Ministries of Education, Teacher Training Colleges and Institutions, Universities, Teacher Unions and academic institutions
🌍 Global partners and donors
🇺🇳 UN offices, mainly UNICEF
🤝 The regional economic communities, including IGAD, and the African Union
The post also highly requires cooperation with the funding agency, in this case the government of Japan.
Knowledge Management, Innovation, Research and Capacity Building
This is the first group of key roles and responsibilities.
📋 Support the implementation of Japan-funded projects through planning, coordination, and information and knowledge management
🔎 Coordinate interventions to generate evidence and lessons learned for Japan-funded projects, to inform decision-makers for better planning, supervision, monitoring and scale-up
🗂️ Assist in the conceptualization and implementation of information and knowledge management for the overall implementation of the projects
📰 Coordinate the timely and quality development, production and dissemination of communications materials and content that support the goals and priorities of the projects, including UNESCO IICBA's other projects
✍️ Write and edit stories, press releases, speeches, brochures, factsheets and similar materials for different platforms, including the UNESCO websites and the donor's platform
💻 Support the project in developing communication materials, both offline and online, ensuring high quality standards
📊 Collect and analyze data to identify trends or patterns of issues, and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports, using data visualization to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting
📢 Plan and facilitate strategic advocacy and programme activities about the projects, in coordination with partners including the African Union, donors and other relevant agencies
📚 Support the IICBA team in the production of training material, brochures and virtual campus development
Networking and Partnership Building
The second group of responsibilities is about relationships with donors, governments and partners.
📞 Act as the focal point for communication with the project donor, and contribute to donor relations as well as resource mobilization
🏛️ Establish and sustain effective and close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts and national stakeholders such as Ministries of Education, Teacher Training Colleges and Institutions, Universities, Teacher Unions and academic institutions
🌟 Support target countries and colleagues in identifying success and narrative stories from their work, and ensure they are featured in relevant publications and platforms such as the website, social media, annual reports and external media
🎤 Support the planning and organization of advocacy events, ensuring coordination with partners, authorities, media representatives, members of academia and other relevant stakeholders for high visibility and impact
Resource Mobilization
The third group of responsibilities focuses on funding for the Institute.
💡 Identify and develop opportunities to mobilize extra-budgetary resources for the Institute, by developing concept notes and project proposals based on situational analysis and needs assessments, following the Institute's programme results framework, priorities and strategic approaches
🙌 Perform additional duties as required to enhance teamwork in the Institute
🔍 Browse more job opportunities on Youth Works Hub.
Core Competencies
UNESCO lists eight core competencies for this post, and for detailed information candidates are asked to consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.
💬 Communication
✅ Accountability
🚀 Innovation
🔄 Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement
🗒️ Planning and organizing
🏆 Results focus
👫 Teamwork
🎖️ Professionalism
Education and Experience Required
The required qualifications cover one education level and one experience level.
🎓 Education: an advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in Education, Social Sciences, Development Studies or a related area
💼 Work experience: at least two (2) years of experience in project coordination, knowledge and information management, and communications in education and/or related areas
🗣️ Language: excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English
Skills and Competencies Required
The notice lists these skills and competencies as required.
🧩 A high degree of independence in the execution of daily and programmatic activities and responsibilities
🧠 Ability to provide inputs and recommendations to programme monitoring, communication and knowledge management
🤲 Ability to create positive collaboration and partnerships, and to maintain partnerships with internal and external stakeholders
🌐 Ability to work in a team and to maintain effective working relationships in a multi-cultural environment with high political sensitivity
📘 Familiarity with the African Union Agenda 2030, the SDG-Education 2030 Agenda and related international and regional agendas, especially those related to peace education, prevention of violent extremism (PVE), education in emergencies, health, gender and refugee education
🔬 Ability to collect evidence, and to synthesize and analyze information or data from various sources for informed decision-making
⌨️ Good computing skills with excellent writing skills
🖋️ Excellent editorial and analytical skills
⏱️ Ability to multi-task, prioritize and deliver to deadline, as well as work under pressure
Desirable Qualifications
These qualifications are not mandatory but count in your favour.
🌱 Education: additional qualifications or training in fields relevant to the areas of the post, such as strong interpersonal and communication skills, including interacting with various actors and working in diverse environments
🏢 UN knowledge: familiarity with the work and general functioning of international organizations and/or the UN System, particularly in the African context
🍎 Sector knowledge: familiarity with teacher development in Africa, as well as resource mobilization
🈯 Languages: knowledge of other official languages of UNESCO (Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, Russian)
🇯🇵 Japanese: excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of Japanese will be an asset
Salary and Benefits
UNESCO's salaries consist of a basic salary and other benefits, which may include, if applicable, the following.
🏖️ 30 days annual leave
👪 Family allowance
🩺 Medical insurance
🏦 Pension plan
The approximate annual starting salary for this post is USD 80,368. For full information on benefits and entitlements, candidates are directed to UNESCO's Guide to Staff Benefits.
Selection and Hiring Process
All candidates must complete an online application and provide complete and accurate information by the deadline. To apply, candidates visit the UNESCO Careers website, and no modifications can be made to the application once it is submitted.
The process may include several stages.
🎥 Pre-recorded video interviews
📄 Written assessments
🪑 Interviews with a panel
☎️ Reference checks
Candidates may also be requested to provide additional information that may be pertinent to the position's qualifications. All candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course. Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools, subject to their consent (Data Privacy Statement).
Diversity and Representation
UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. It is also committed to workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.
🗺️ Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply
🪪 Individuals from minority groups and indigenous groups are equally encouraged to apply
♿ Persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply
All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
Conditions of Appointment
The notice sets out several conditions that apply to staff members and candidates.
🧳 Geographical mobility is required for staff members appointed to UNESCO's international posts
📜 If your candidature is retained for an interview, you must provide in advance a scanned copy of the degree(s), diploma(s) and certificate(s) required for this position
🏫 UNESCO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited or recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) and UNESCO
🎂 The statutory retirement age at UNESCO is 65 years
🏥 UNESCO appointments are subject to medical clearance
🛂 Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by the Organization, is required for International Professional positions
UNESCO recalls that the paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity. UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment, and it does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UNESCO IICBA Associate Project Officer (Education) job?
It is a P-2 Project Appointment based at the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The post plans and implements Japan-funded education projects, with a focus on information and knowledge management, coordination, monitoring, reporting and communication.
How long is the contract?
The contract lasts 1 year, with the possibility of extension subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance.
Who can apply for this UNESCO job?
Recruitment is open to internal and external candidates. The notice does not set a nationality restriction, and candidates from non- and under-represented Member States are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply.
What qualifications and experience do I need?
You need an advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in Education, Social Sciences, Development Studies or a related area, plus at least two years of experience in project coordination, knowledge and information management, and communications in education and/or related areas. Excellent written and spoken English is required.
What is the salary?
The approximate annual starting salary for this post is USD 80,368. UNESCO's salaries consist of a basic salary and other benefits, which may include 30 days annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance and a pension plan.
Is knowing Japanese or another language required?
No. Excellent English is the only required language. Knowledge of other official UNESCO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, Russian) is desirable, and excellent Japanese will be an asset.
How does the selection process work?
Candidates complete an online application on the UNESCO Careers website. The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a panel, and reference checks.
Does UNESCO charge a fee to apply?
No. UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
Deadline
⏳ 06 November 2026 (midnight Paris time)
Links
🔗 Job description (UNESCO Careers): https://careers.unesco.org/job/Associate-Project-Officer-%28-Education%29/1375707757/
📝 Application: https://careers.unesco.org/talentcommunity/apply/1375707757/?locale=en_GB
🎓 World Higher Education Database (WHED): https://www.whed.net
