Education Research Specialist (Systems and Foundational Learning) P3 - Fixed Term - Outposted to Côte d'Ivoire

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 123,320 USD and 161,478 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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, Education

Job organizational context

The Office of Research-Innocenti (OoR-Innocenti) is the dedicated research office of UNICEF. It undertakes and commissions research on emerging or current issues of relevance for children to inform the strategic directions, policies and programmes of UNICEF and its partners. The Office explores emerging issues, identifies research gaps, brings together existing researchers, and supports or undertakes research and data collection to address critical questions and to inform global debates.

Every Child has the right to learn. Although more children than ever before are enrolled in school, the duty-bearers obligated to realize this right for every child are collectively failing to improve learning, and this failure is deep, broad and with significant consequences for children and young people. Many children lack the knowledge and skills to realize their full potential and maximize their contribution to their communities. At the current rate, by 2030, of the 1.4 billion school-age children in low- and middle-income countries, 420 million will not learn the most basic skills in childhood. The gap between what education systems are providing in terms of learning achievements, and what children, communities and economies need, is growing. The breadth and depth of this learning crisis provides the greatest global challenge to preparing children and adolescents for life, work and active citizenship.

UNICEF vision for education is that ‘every child learns’, articulated in the 2019-2030 Education Strategy across three inter-related goals: (i) equitable access to learning opportunities; (ii) improved learning and skills for all; and (iii) improved learning and protection for children in emergencies and transitions. The generation and use at country level of research and robust evidence are key for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Education Strategy and the UNICEF Strategic Plans.

UNICEF needs to enhance its emphasis on generating and using evidence and data in education, a contribution that will be crucial in supporting education system strengthening and policy dialogue and decision-making at country level for advancing learning results for all children and adolescents, in particular the most vulnerable.

Purpose of the post

UNICEF aims to strengthen its capacity to deliver the production and use of high-quality research on education systems and foundational learning.

Under the supervision and guidance of the OoR-Innocenti Education Chief and in close collaboration with the Côte D’Ivoire Country Office Education Chief, the post holder will support the implementation and expansion of the research on education systems and foundational learning (in particular through the coordination of the Data Must Speak multi-country/region research programme), provide technical guidance and support to Côte d’Ivoire Country Office (including for the research work of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework’s education pillar, led by UNICEF) and other UNICEF field offices and Governments and ensure dissemination and use at country level of research findings for equitable and effective education sector policies and plans.

The post-holder will work with colleagues in the OoR-Innocenti, Headquarters (including the Evaluation Office), Regional and Country offices, as well as, other parts of UNICEF, to build on the existing research and to develop new ones. The role will also involve fostering the development of partnerships and mobilizing resources for the generation of research and data and their utilization by decision and policy makers at country level. The post-holder will also support the coordination of the various UNICEF-Innocenti education research projects being implemented in Côte d’Ivoire.

The position will report to the Chief, Education Research, OoR-Innocenti, Florence Italy in close collaboration with the Côte D’Ivoire Country Office Education Chief.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

1. Research and its use (40%)

• Support the implementation and expansion of the education research portfolio on foundational learning and on how to strengthen data ecosystems, including through management and implementation of the multi-country/multi-region Data Must Speak (DMS) Positive Deviance research; • Liaise effectively between the Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Education, the UNICEF Côte d’Ivoire CO, and the education team at OoR-Innocenti to ensure the smooth implementation of the DMS research in Côte d’Ivoire and the identification and implementation of synergies between research projects; • Support the co-creation and use of positive deviance evidence at country/regional/global level to inform the operationalization of the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) initiative – a key UNICEF corporate priority; • Develop and implement quantitative and qualitative methodologies for research -including but not limited to, behavioral science, implementation research, scaling science, mixed methods impact evaluation, and deliver demand-driven rigorous research in a timely, ethical and efficient manner to ensure research uptake and impact at country level; • Contribute to the dissemination and exchange of DMS research findings, related policy recommendations and best practices related to education systems and foundational learning; • Develop proposals and mobilize resources to support the DMS research and its use at country level; maintain and strengthen donor networks through proactive communications and reporting; and ensure donor contributions are well managed, donor expectations are met and donor reports are of high quality and on time; • Maintain close relationship with UNICEF HQ, Regional Offices (ROs), Country Offices (COs), National Committees and all relevant in-country stakeholders (including Ministries of Education, networks of researchers and development partners).

2. Technical guidance and support (25%)

• Provide guidance and quality assurance on education and foundational learning research design/methodologies to UNICEF ROs, Côte d’Ivoire CO and other COs and Ministries of Education in DMS participating countries; • Strengthen the capacity of UNICEF ROs, Côte d’Ivoire CO and other COs and Ministries of Education in DMS participating countries for co-creation and co-implementation design of research in the areas of education and foundational learning; • Strengthen and support research uptake and impact for policy dialogue and education system strengthening at country level; • Support the coordination of research-related capacity-building (including for the research work of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework’s education pillar, led by UNICEF) with stakeholders in Côte d’Ivoire, including the Ministry of Education.

3. Resource Mobilization and Partnerships (25%)

• Identify and curate lists of relevant research funding opportunities for the DMS Positive Deviance research, new research on data systems and foundational learning as well as for the overall OoR Education unit; • Establish and maintain partnerships with networks of researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and donors to timely identify fundraising windows and global/regional/country priorities; • Ensure smooth communication with the OoR-Innocenti’s Partnership Specialist; • Be the point of contact for the identification of new education research projects and/or partnerships with stakeholders in Côte d’Ivoire (academics, donors, implementation organizations).

4. Contribution to the OoR-Innocenti and Côte D’Ivoire Country Office work programme and support to the cross-cutting research agenda (10%)

• Prepare inputs and participate in relevant conferences, workshops and meetings, including through effective knowledge mobilization and use of key research outcomes; • Support and participate in networks of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in the areas of education and foundational learning; • Act as a resource person for key UNICEF meetings and advocacy activities as requested by the manager; • Participate in and/facilitate interdisciplinary research through involvement in selected cross functional teams and consultations, including Annual Results report and participation in office seminars; • Contribute to the overall research activities of the Office and to the use of their findings by policy and decision makers at country level; • Synthetize and organize materials and contribute to the relevant sections of the OoR website.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

• Advanced university degree in education, economics, social policy or other social sciences.

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional work experience at national or international levels in education, with low/middle-income country level experience essential and experience in programme planning, management and/or research in education.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
• Demonstrated experience in management of complex projects;
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of some of the areas related to DMS research: education management information systems/administrative education data; learning assessment; education sector analysis; education sector planning; school typologies.
• Experience in behavioral and scaling science, and/or implementation research an asset
• Demonstrated experience in fundraising and resource mobilization;
• Demonstrated ability to work well as part of a team and to forge and manage partnerships;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Commitment to UNICEF’s core values of care, respect, integrity, transparency and accountability
• Fluency in English and French required

Ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment. Experience working in the UN or other international development organization an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

Core competencies

· Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)

· Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)

· Works Collaboratively with others (2)

· Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)

· Innovates and Embraces Change (2)

· Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)

· Drives to achieve impactful results (2)

· Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Functional Competencies:

· Analyzing (3)

· Deciding and Initiating action (2)

· Applying technical expertise (3)

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 and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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