Consultancy - Database Management and Education Analysis Consultant, Data & Analytics (D&A) Section, DAPM NYHQ-home based

UNICEF plays a critical role in monitoring the situation of children and women in the world and for reporting on progress toward internationally set goals such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the World Fit for Children (WFFC) goals and UNICEF’s Strategic Plan (SP) targets. To support the global monitoring, UNICEF maintains a series of global databases on key indicators, assists countries in collecting necessary data through the UNICEF-supported Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and conducts statistical analyses of the data for global reporting purposes.

Consultancy Title:  Database Management and Education Analysis Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Data & Analytics (D&A) Section/DAPM/New York-home based

Duration:  11.5 months

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

UNICEF plays a critical role in monitoring the situation of children and women in the world and for reporting on progress toward internationally set goals such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the World Fit for Children (WFFC) goals and UNICEF’s Strategic Plan (SP) targets. To support the global monitoring, UNICEF maintains a series of global databases on key indicators, assists countries in collecting necessary data through the UNICEF-supported Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and conducts statistical analyses of the data for global reporting purposes.

The global education databases are used for reporting on progress toward SDGs as well as regular reporting in the statistical tables of The State of the World’s Children report, UNICEF web-related pages, sector-specific and special reports, peer review journal articles and responding to internal and external data requests including SDG custodian agencies such as UNESCO UIS and ITU.

UNICEF maintains high standards regarding the quality of data included in the global statistical databases. The data undergo a rigorous review process and must meet a series of objective criteria. Comprehensive documentation of the estimates is maintained in order for the organization to be able to respond to any queries raised about the source of the estimates it publishes. The process of assessing data for inclusion in global databases may involve correspondence with UNICEF field offices and other UN agencies and key partners and involves close coordination within UNICEF. In the context of the new SDG education, there is a growing demand to improve the geographical data coverage and more demand-driven timely data analysis using household surveys. 

The purpose of the consultancy is to support data and statistics work on education including updating the specific global education databases related to remote learning and remote learning readiness index, development of equity and learning index, and develop R-codes to improve the efficiency of data analysis for both internal and external data users.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

The Consultant is responsible for the following:

Updating education databases

• Update existing global databases on (a) the remote learning readiness index, (b) the internet access at home among school-age children, (c) ICT skills and (d) the household survey customization database.
• Draft analytical products (e.g., blog) to summarize the key findings using the new datasets.
• Finalize and disseminate the newly updated databases based on coordination with UNICEF Country Offices, Regional offices, and external partners through global webinar(s). 

Development of R codes for education data analysis using household surveys

• Develop a set of R codes to standardize household survey datasets to calculate key education indicators.
• Develop a standardized household survey data sets using R.
• Develop R codes to calculate key education statistics using MICS data.
• Develop R codes to produce MCIS-EAGLE education factsheet drafts.
• Draft a blog to disseminate the new R codes.

Methodological development and technical support

• Develop an index to measure educational inequality focusing on learning outcomes.
• Develop an index to measure the remote learning readiness index.
• Provide technical support for methodological development to measure education and child wellbeing outcomes.

Other technical supports

• Provide technical support for ad-hoc requests.

Qualifications

1) Education

• University degree (M.A.) in statistics, mathematics, data science or a relevant field.
• The individual should be highly proficient in a range of PC/web applications, including but not limited to: MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint and MS Outlook.
• Proficient in R and data visualization program (e.g., Tableau).

2) Work experience

• Minimum of three years of progressively responsible professional work experience in data work.
• Advanced knowledge about education data and statistics.
• Advanced knowledge about database management.
• Advanced analytical and statistical skills.

3) Competencies

• Advanced communication skills both orally and in writing.
• Strong organizational, planning, and analytical skills.
• Ability to work in an international environment and under tight deadlines.
• Ability to take initiatives and work independently.
• Ability to work well in a team environment.

Requirements

• Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) Upload copy of academic credentials.
• Financial proposal that will include:
  • your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference (can be downloaded here: https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_consultancy_assignments.html 
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

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

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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.

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.