Country Lead, South Africa

General Information

Publication for

Hosted Entity

Entity Name

Education Outcomes Fund (EOF)

Position Title

Country Lead, South Africa

Job Category

Programme

Duty Station(s)

Pretoria

Seniority Level

Senior Level

ICS Level

ICS 11

Contract Type

ICA - LICA - Specialist - Regular

Contract Level

LICA 11

Posting Start Date

23-Jul-2026

Posting End Date

06-Aug-2026

Duration

Ongoing, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

Job Highlight

The successful candidate will be part of an exciting initiative to transform how ECCE initiatives are funded and delivered in South Africa. EOF offers its team the opportunity to drive system change at scale, while working in a mission-driven, high-performing team.

About the Region

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The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

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From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality servces, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

About the Group

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From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality servces, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

Job Specific Context

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About the Region

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

About the Country Office

From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality services, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approaches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

About EOF

Education is one of the most powerful drivers of progress, yet seven out of ten children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read with understanding by age 10. Meanwhile, half of education programmes show no measurable impact on learning or employment. Global spending on education is falling short by an estimated $100 billion each year. Traditional approaches have not delivered the transformation required to meet Sustainable Development Goal 4.The Education Outcomes Fund (EOF) was created to address these challenges — by shifting how education is funded, how success is measured, and how systems are held accountable. We are part of a global movement to turn education financing into real learning and employment outcomes, especially for the most disadvantaged children and youth.

Job specific context

in partnership with the South African Department of Basic Education (DBE), The Education Outcomes Fund (EOF) launched the $30 million South Africa ECCE Outcomes Fund (“Fund 1.0”) in December 2025. Over three years, five implementing partners (IPs) will open around 1.4k new Early Learning Programmes (ELPs) and support around 600 existing ones throughout the country. The Outcomes fund is a form of outcomes-based financing, wherein payment to IPs is dependent on their progress towards pre-specified target outcomes. Under this model, EOF, IPs, and pre-financers providing working capital and performance management to the IPs, will frequently collect monitoring and evaluation data related to the interventions.

Fund 1.0 was developed as a way to learn about how to improve ECCE quality, to provide space for innovation, and as an opportunity for the DBE to broaden partnerships with non-state ECCE providers. Towards the scaling objectives of the 2030 ECD strategy and as outlined in the Bana Pele Blueprint, the DBE and EOF are interested in surfacing learnings from Fund 1.0 to inform the design of a future outcomes fund (“ELP Fund 2.0”).

The scale of this programme (a total of $30m), the complexity of co