Programme Specialist (Culture) (Beirut, Lebanon) contract

Post Number : 5LBCLT0001RP

Grade : P-4

Parent Sector : Culture Sector (CLT)

Duty Station: Beirut

Job Family: Culture

Type of contract : Fixed Term

Duration of contract : 2 years, renewable

Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 9-APR-2025 (EXTENDED)

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Culture and the direct supervision of the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Beirut, and in close cooperation with Culture Programme Specialists of the Field Offices in Amman, Baghdad and Ramallah and at Headquarters, the incumbent shall coordinate the programme and projects in the field of Culture to ensure the design, development, planning, monitoring and implementation of activities carried out under Major Programme IV – Culture in the countries covered by the Office (Lebanon, Syrian Arab Republic, Iraq, Jordan and State of Palestine). The incumbent is also responsible for preparing inputs for the UNESCO Medium-Term Strategy (C/4), the Programme and Budget (C/5) and related work plans, as well as for developing partnerships and fundraising activities, and for UNESCO’s contribution to the ‘Delivering as One’ exercise in the field of Culture in the countries covered by the Office, as well as to emergency/crisis preparedness and response in (post) conflict or (post) disaster countries, in line with the Strategy for the Reinforcement of UNESCO’s Action for the Protection of Culture and the Promotion of Cultural Pluralism in the Event of Armed Conflict and its Action Plan.

The incumbent shall also contribute to the implementation of initiatives related to the UNESCO global priorities (Africa and Gender Equality), priority groups and transversal thematic areas, such as Culture and Education, Culture and Climate Change, Indigenous People, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Youth.

In particular, the incumbent shall:

• Ensure the delivery of the Culture Programme in the countries covered by the Office in line with the Culture Sector’s strategies and priorities, particularly through capacity-building, policy advice, technical assistance and networking of relevant stakeholders in the Culture Sector’s field of competence and in the advocacy of the linkages between culture and development.

• Facilitate the coordination of the Culture Programme at sub-regional level by providing technical advice and guidance to the National Offices, Antennas and Focal Points of the sub-regional in the planning and development of programmes, projects and activities of the Culture Sector.

• Contribute to the design, implementation, reporting and monitoring of programmes and projects in the field of culture, funded by the Regular Programme and voluntary contributions. Provide inputs, including qualitative and quantitative data, for the preparation of reports and briefings on programme implementation. Contribute to the overall delivery of and reporting on the Office’s programme objectives and intersectoral working modalities.

• Provide policy advice and technical assistance to relevant stakeholders at regional, national and local levels, in the Culture Sector’s fields of competence as well as substantive contributions in the field of culture for the development of local, national, regional and international strategies.

• Facilitate and develop capacity building and training activities and projects to support Member States, cultural institutions and culture professionals in view of the strategic objectives of protecting, promoting and transmitting heritage and fostering creativity and the diversity of cultural expressions, including preparedness and response in case of crises and emergencies.
• Assist Member States in their efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and specifically promote the role of culture for sustainable development, as well as to undertake assessment needs related to culture.
• Build, maintain and enhance strong and strategic working relationships with the concerned national/local authorities, cultural institutions and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.
• Build and enhance partnerships with UN Agencies, bilateral and multilateral donors/partners, development banks, international institutions and the private sector in order to conceptualize and design concept notes and project proposals based on situational analyses in line with the priorities of Major Programme IV – Culture and the CLT Resources Mobilization Framework. Ensure the required fundraising in order to reinforce the Regular Programme by mobilizing resources and building partnerships, including with the private sector.
• Develop actions, programmes and activities in the framework of the UN Reform and ‘Delivering as One’, through national, regional and sub-regional joint initiatives and programmes, etc.

Education

• Advanced University degree (Master’s or equivalent) in the field of culture, social sciences, political science, international law, humanities, or a related discipline.

Work Experience

• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible relevant professional experience in the field of culture, of which preferably three (3) years acquired at the international level.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing programmes/projects in the field of culture.
• Demonstrated experience in fundraising and resource mobilization.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent project management skills and ability to coordinate complex projects.
• Ability to make technically sound decisions on all aspects of programmes/projects implementation.
• Excellent capacity to collect, synthesize and analyse information from various sources and to draft documents in a clear and concise manner.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated capacity to provide guidance and to lead and motivate a multicultural team with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Proven ability to maintain effective working relations in a multicultural environment.
• Proven ability to build, maintain and enhance working relations with national/local authorities, cultural institutions and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.
• Proven ability to engage in resource mobilization and build strategic and sustained partnerships.
• Ability to provide upstream policy advice at highest levels.

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of English (both written and oral) or French and a good knowledge of the other language.

Education

• Advanced University degree (PhD) in the field of culture, social sciences, political science, international law, humanities, or a related discipline.    

Work Experience

• Relevant professional experience in the United Nations System or other international organization(s).

Skills/Competencies

• Good knowledge of the UNESCO Culture Conventions, Recommendations, and programmes in the field of culture.
• Good knowledge of UNESCO’s rules, regulations and procedures.
• Proven ability to maintain effective working relations in a multicultural environment.

Languages

• Knowledge of another/other UNESCO official language(s) : Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish.