Consultancy – Lead Quantitative Research Consultant – Data Must Speak (DMS) – Global Office of Research and Foresight – approx. 213 working days (Remote/Work from home)

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, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, answers 

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 Lead Quantitative Research Consultant will lead the technical design, co-creation and co-implementation of the quantitative research component of the DMS SCALE research in a maximum of four participating countries The consultant will lead the design of the (quasi)-experimental research framework in all participating countries and provide technical advice and expertise to other quantitative researchers in the team. They will also assist with the triangulation and validation of research results, draft policy-relevant research outputs for diverse audiences, and engage in co-creation and dissemination activities alongside Ministries of Education, UNICEF Country Offices, and Regional Offices.

The consultant will perform the following activities in collaboration with other DMS researchers (incl. quantitative and qualitative consultants) and in partnership with Ministries of Education, UNICEF Country Offices and Regional Offices:

• Provide overall technical support and guidance to the DMS research team (incl. other quantitative research consultants) on quantitative methods and country-level approaches and activities.
• Lead the conceptual framework, theory of change, research questions, and quantitative methodologies (e.g., Impact evaluation or quasi-experiment) based on completed country-level scoping reviews and policy/literature reviews.
• Develop and finalize country-specific sampling strategies, including power calculations, sample sizes, and considerations for attrition and contamination.
• Work with Ministries of Education to access, clean, and analyze large education administrative datasets (e.g., EMIS, examinations, learning assessments).
• Collaborate with partners to create integrated datasets spanning multiple years of administrative data.
• Design and refine quantitative data collection instruments (e.g., surveys) in collaboration with in-country stakeholders.
• Train Ministries of Education and UNICEF Country Offices in quantitative research methodologies, data collection, and analysis through workshops and learning-by-doing activities.
• Guide survey firms/data collection entities in implementing ethical protocols, piloting, data collection plans, and quality assurance procedures (e.g., back-checks, high-frequency checks).
• Support the submission of Institutional Review Board (IRB) ethics protocols for quantitative data collection.
• Lead data analysis using statistical software (e.g., Stata), ensuring clarity and consistency in analysis files for external partners.
• Identify key analytical insights emerging from quantitative data.
• Draft country, regional, and global reports aligned with UNICEF Innocenti’s Quality Assurance processes.
• Develop dissemination products, including blog posts, presentations, and social media content, tailored to diverse audiences.
• Support donor reporting requirements and ensure research findings are accessible to decision-makers at all levels.
• Collaborate with the DMS research team and managers to refine and improve DMS SCALE methodologies using iterative processes.
• Provide regular technical expertise to the other quantitative researchers in the team.
• Contribute to activities that promote the use of research findings by policymakers and education stakeholders.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  Lead Quantitative Research Consultant Data Must Speak EXT.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child 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 five years of professional experience at national or international levels, with experience in developing country contexts considered an asset.
• Proven expertise in cleaning and analyzing large education administrative datasets (e.g., EMIS, examinations, learning assessments, household surveys).
• Strong experience with quantitative research methodologies, including conducting impact evaluations (e.g., Randomized Control Trials or quasi-experimental research).
• Robust experience in overseeing primary data collection activities, including piloting, field monitoring, and ensuring the quality of quantitative data.
• Advanced skills in cleaning and analyzing large quantitative datasets using statistical software such as Stata, SPSS, or R.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, particularly in translating research findings for policy audiences and education stakeholders.
• 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 in providing regular technical feedback and expertise to others is desirable.
• Experience in triangulating data across quantitative and qualitative sources is preferred.
• Experience working within the UN system or other international development organizations on education sector research is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate: 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility UNICEF.

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.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.