Current vacancies

Contract Duration- 11 Months

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

Purpose of Assignment:

UNICEF Innocenti seeks a Senior Education Research Consultant to support the development and dissemination of education research under the education policy and systems research workstream. The consultancy will contribute primarily to current initiatives, including Data Must Speak (DMS), Women in Learning Leadership (WiLL), and Teachers for All (T4A), with a strong focus on strengthening knowledge products and public goods.

The consultant will leverage analytical inputs and outputs produced by the research team to strengthen their analytical coherence, and narrative quality, helping shape them into high-quality, decision-grade global knowledge products.

Scope of Work:

The consultant will support the development of high-quality knowledge products and global public goods based on country-level and cross-country education research currently underway in six countries—Chad, Ethiopia, Guinea, Madagascar, Nepal, and Togo. Working from analytical inputs and research findings generated by the research team, the consultant will help consolidate, frame, and strengthen these materials into coherent and policy-relevant outputs for wider organizational and external use.

• Contribute to the development and refinement of analytical plan packages for country-level and cross-country outputs, including the prioritization of key findings, the conceptual framing of results, and the identification of proposed tables, figures, and output outlines.

• Undertake peer review and quality assurance of analytical outputs and research findings, providing written feedback to identify evidence gaps, inconsistencies, and required revisions, and to strengthen analytical rigor, coherence, and alignment with research objectives.

• Provide written feedback on draft research outputs and support the integration of quantitative and qualitative findings to strengthen conceptual clarity, internal consistency, and the articulation of key messages across country-level and cross-country products.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Terms of Reference TMC0001735.pdf

Minimum requirements: (QUALIFICATIONS / SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE / EXPERIENCE)

Education: Doctoral degree in education, economics, sociology, social policy, political science, public policy, public administration or another relevant social science discipline.

• At least 15 years of progressively responsible professional experience in applied education research at international level, including in low- and middle-income countries.

• Strong skills in applied mixed-methods research design, implementation, and analysis.

• Demonstrated experience supporting field education research, primary data collection, and synthesis of findings for policy and programme audiences.

• Strong writing skills, including demonstrated experience preparing reports, briefs, presentations, and knowledge products.

• Proven track record of authorship of education research publications, including high-quality reports, briefs, journal articles, or other knowledge products.

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in an international, multicultural environment and to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders.

• Fluency in English and written skills of French are required.

• Commitment to UNICEF’s core values of care, respect, integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Desirable qualifications:

• Experience in research on education topic areas such as Teachers, School Leadership, Decentralization, and Gender equality.

• Experience working in countries with ongoing research activities.

• Prior experience with UNICEF or other international development organization.

• Fluency in another UN language.

 For every Child, you demonstrate Love.

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter
• A separate financial proposal (PLEASE USE THIS TEMPLATE:  Financial Proposal TMC0001735.docx)

Remarks:  If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not visible on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers.

 UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.