Remote Research Opportunity: UNICEF’s Data Must Speak (DMS) Research. APPLY NOW!

August 27, 2024

3 minutes read

Remote Research Opportunity: UNICEF’s Data Must Speak (DMS) Research. APPLY NOW!

UNICEF, a global leader in advocating for children’s rights and well-being, is on a mission to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. We operate in over 190 countries and territories to ensure every child can survive, thrive, and reach their full potential. Our unwavering commitment to children drives us to work in some of the world’s toughest places, and we never give up.

About the Role:

UNICEF’s Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight (UNICEF Innocenti) is seeking a Francophone Quantitative Researcher to support the Data Must Speak (DMS) research initiative. Despite the global learning crisis, some schools excel in challenging environments. The DMS Positive Deviance research aims to identify these “positive deviant” schools—those outperforming others in similar contexts with the same resources—and understand the practices and behaviors that contribute to their success. This research will provide critical insights to scale these practices and improve learning outcomes globally.

Position Details:

Title: Francophone Quantitative Researcher – Data Must Speak (DMS) Research
Contract Type: Consultancy
Duty Station: Remote/Work from home, with some coordination with UNICEF’s office in Florence, Italy
Duration: Approx. 108 working days
Categories: Education, Research, Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation

Key Responsibilities:

As a Francophone Quantitative Researcher, you will play a pivotal role in the implementation of the DMS research by collaborating closely with Ministries of Education, UNICEF country offices, regional offices, and other partners. Your primary responsibilities will include:

Data Integration and Analysis:

Work with Ministries of Education to access, clean, and link administrative education datasets, improving their relevance and reliability.
Perform quantitative data analysis to identify the resource and contextual factors associated with school performance, focusing on learning outcomes, gender equity, and retention.

Research and Reporting:

Undertake quantitative research to analyze positive deviant practices and behaviors.
Collaborate with qualitative research consultants to triangulate findings from both quantitative and qualitative data.
Draft country, regional, and global synthesis reports, ensuring they meet UNICEF Innocenti’s Quality Assurance standards.
Develop additional dissemination materials, including blog posts, presentations, and social media content.

Capacity Building:

Strengthen the capacity of Ministries of Education and UNICEF field offices through training and ‘learning-by-doing’ activities in data cleaning, analysis, and interpretation.
Provide guidance on education database management to enhance data handling practices.

Qualifications and Skills:

To qualify as a successful candidate for this role, you must meet the following requirements:

Educational Background: Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Education, Database Management, Education Economics, Political Sciences, or other related Social Sciences.
Professional Experience: Minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional experience at the national or international level in education research, database management, and education economics. Experience in developing countries is essential.
Technical Skills:
Strong quantitative research skills, with expertise in database management and data analysis.
Proficiency in statistical analysis software packages (e.g., Stata).
Proven ability to translate research findings for policy audiences and education stakeholders.
Communication Skills:
Excellent written and oral communication skills in both English and French.
Ability to work effectively as part of a team and to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including Ministries of Education, academics, and development partners.
Additional Assets:
Familiarity with the Data Must Speak research methodology.
Experience working within the UN or other international development organizations.
Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language.

UNICEF’s Values:

UNICEF is committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion, reflecting the diversity of the children we serve. We value and uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, accountability, and respect for all individuals.

Application Process:

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply before the deadline of 27 August 2024. UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities, and we encourage applicants to disclose any need for such accommodation during the selection process.

Keywords: Consultancy, Francophone Quantitative Researcher, UNICEF, Data Must Speak, Positive Deviance, Education Research, Database Management, Statistical Analysis, Capacity Building, Learning Outcomes, Global Office of Research and Foresight, Remote Work, Ministries of Education, Education Economics, International Development.