JOBS

Work Remotely at UNICEF as an Education Research Consultant for the Global Office of Research and Foresight

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Closing Date: 12 March 2025

Work Remotely at UNICEF as an Education Research Consultant for the Global Office of Research and Foresight

Overview

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, UNICEF works for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

Data and evidence are critical for understanding and improving the performance and equity of education systems. Despite increased investments in Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) and learning assessments by countries and development partners, data and evidence remain vastly underutilized in education policy, planning, and decision-making at all levels.

Further research is needed to determine “what works” in improving data-driven policymaking and “how” to better align data and policy systems, particularly at the middle-tier level—a key bridge between national policy and school-level practices. The middle tier plays a critical role in translating national policies into actionable practices at the school level, influencing learning outcomes, equity, and inclusion. However, there is a significant research gap regarding how the middle tier uses data and evidence to inform education policymaking.

Data Must Speak to Strengthen Capacity and Advance Local Evidence Use (DMS SCALE) is designed to fill this evidence gap by fostering greater national ownership of knowledge derived from existing education data. The initiative collaborates with Ministries of Education (MoE) in Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, and Nepal to: (1) Align policy priorities with existing data; (2) Address key questions on learning, gender equality, equity, and inclusion outcomes and; (3) Harness data from local levels, such as school inspections and instructional supervision.

DMS SCALE employs experimental research methodologies to investigate evidence-based decision-making processes, including robust testing of knowledge co-production, mobilization, and dissemination approaches that could support data use and harmonization at central and local levels.

How can you make a difference?

The Data Must Speak (DMS) Education Research Consultant (Education Decentralization) will work Remotely at UNICEF and:

Lead the technical design, co-creation, and implementation of interventions to be rigorously tested within up to four DMS SCALE participating countries.
Provide technical assistance to the DMS SCALE research team and partner Ministries of Education on supporting improvements in the use of data and evidence at the middle tier.
Draft policy-relevant research outputs tailored to various audiences.
Engage in co-creation and dissemination activities in collaboration with Ministries of Education, UNICEF Country Offices, and Regional Offices.

In partnership with Ministries of Education, UNICEF Country Offices, and Regional Offices and in collaboration with other DMS researchers (including quantitative and qualitative consultants), the Education Research consultant will:

Provide overall technical support and guidance to the DMS research team (incl. other quantitative research consultants) on knowledge dissemination interventions to be robustly tested.
Understand the roles and responsibilities as well as best practices related to education middle-tier stakeholders (region, district, circuit actors) and their use of data for decision-making.
Lead the co-creation and design of knowledge dissemination interventions, together with selected Ministries of Education and development partners.

To qualify as an advocate you will have:

An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in education, economics, social sciences, political sciences, international development, or related field.
Minimum of three years of professional experience at national or international levels in international education, economics, development research, or a related field. Experience in Global South contexts is an asset.
Good knowledge of education decentralization or deconcentration processes as well as familiarity with middle-tier education stakeholders.
Strong grasp of administrative data (e.g., EMIS, examinations, household surveys) and data flows between central and decentralized education systems.
Some experience with (quasi-)experimental research design, including designing interventions for treatment groups and addressing methodological challenges (e.g., spillover, attrition).
Excellent written and oral communication skills, especially in translating research findings for policymaking and stakeholder engagement. Experience supporting knowledge management or research uptake activities is highly valued.
Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively as part of a team and manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Commitment to UNICEF’s core values of care, respect, integrity, transparency, and accountability.
Ability to work effectively in multicultural and multi-ethnic environments.
Fluency in English and French is required.
Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
Experience working within the UN system or other international development organizations on education sector research is an asset.