Mid-level Consultant for Database management and analysis

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Multiple

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 1 to 6 months

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 5-JUN-2024

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Echoing the core commitment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to ‘leave no one behind’, Sustainable Development Goal 4 calls for ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. Realizing this goal means taking immediate and concerted action to eliminate all forms of exclusion and marginalization, addressing disparities and inequalities in access, participation and learning outcomes, and building education systems that are resilient and responsive to contemporary challenges.

As the lead UN Agency for SDG 4, UNESCO is strongly committed to building the resilience of Education Systems worldwide, thus limiting the effects of disasters on the physical, emotional and social well-being of the most vulnerable learners and educators. Considering the contemporary challenges that education systems face, the multiplicity of crises that affect them and their extension over time, risk reduction and risk management within the education system have been recognized as a priority by the EME section at global, regional, and national levels. This is also aligned with the institutional commitments reported in UNESCO’s new Medium-Term Strategy (2022-2030) and its Programme and Budget (2022-2025).

Data and information on the education of crisis-affected and displaced populations are currently based on data collection mechanisms associated with programmes implemented by different organizations. One of the key challenges is the lack of accurate, reliable and timely data, needed to strengthen systems for humanitarian assistance and to guide effective education responses. Often, these data sources cannot be compared or readily interpreted because they lack standardized concepts and definitions and because they are based on diverse processing and verification procedures.

Long Description

IMPORTANT: APPLICATION PROCEDURES

In place of the Employment History Form, please upload the required documents. The whole package needs to be uploaded as a single PDF document (CV, Technical and financial proposal):
• an updated curriculum vitae
• a cover letter explaining how your profile and experience meet our mandatory requirements.
• a technical proposal including an approach and methodology for the assignment (1-2 pages)
• a financial proposal: The amount to be charged for the assignment, which should be quoted in US dollars, GBP or EUR as a monthly or daily fee.
• One or two previous writing samples of relevant work 

The position will be carried out remotely.

Please submit your supporting documents in English.

UNESCO places great emphasis on ensuring that the objectives of the work assignment, as described in the Terms of Reference, are met. Accordingly, in evaluating the proposals for the assignment, attention will focus first and foremost on the technical elements. From those proposals deemed suitable in relation to the criteria set forth in the Terms of Reference, UNESCO shall select the proposal that offers the Organization best value for money.

Long Description

PROJECT OVERVIEW

To support better tracking of Ukraine Refugee data and responses to inform education policy, programming and advocacy efforts, UNESCO, in collaboration with UNHCR, is developing a dedicated data platform for Ukrainian learners that aims to support the consolidation, analysis and presentation of data, policy and knowledge of regional and national responses for the education of Ukrainian refugees, and to promote the dissemination and use of evidence. 
The platform will provide easy access to a regularly updated database including validated datasets from hosting countries and Ukraine that are education-focused (e.g. Ukrainian EMIS) or include education indicators (e.g. multi-sector needs assessment). The data that will feed into the database will originate from diverse sources and will aid in promoting the analysis of education responses. It will also showcase linkages with policy and highlight good practices at both regional and country level. 
The aim of the platform is first, i) to bring all the data together in one place ii) to harmonize data and indicators reported across different sources, iii) ensure that data meeting certain quality standards is reflected in the database; iv) and increase uptake, analysis and use of data and evidence, to better understand the education responses on forcibly displaced Ukrainians provided in hosting countries as well as those in Ukraine. In the long run, it aims to further strengthen the humanitarian and development nexus at the national and regional levels through quality, comparable and reliable data.

Long Description

In response to these commitments, the Section of Migration, Displacement, Emergencies and Education (ED/E30/EME) is seeking to recruit a Technical Consultant to lead the database management, standardization and analysis. Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Education (ADG/ED), the direct guidance of the Director of the Division for Education 2030 (DIR/E30), the direct supervision of Chief of the Section of Migration, Displacement, Emergencies Education Section (ED/E30/EME), and in close coordination with the Programme Specialist for EiE Data and Statistics, and in collaboration with other key partners from the Technical Working Group for Ukraine Refugee Response, the consultant will perform the following tasks:

• Development of metadata guidebook: the guidebook will provide comprehensive information (definitions, methodologies, data sources, interpretations, limitations etc) regarding the key data, indicators, and policies (in a separate database) that the database and data portal will include. The guidebook will also provide guidance on the criteria and standards used to validate the datasets and map out the key data sources that are used for the data portal. The guidebook will ensure the consistency, reliability and quality of the data to be included into the database.

•  Build a consolidated database: The database will follow the standards set by the metadata guidebook and provide updated data that aggregates and harmonizes across various data sources from partners, host governments, existing surveys and studies, and others. The consolidated database will be updated regularly to ensure the consistency and timeliness of the data for analysis, visualization, dissemination and advocacy. 

Data flow/management system will be established to ensure various data sources will be provided timely for review, validation and incorporation into the database. Additional data collection and policy updates from host governments will be explored in collaboration with partners. The consultant will work with the data visualization expert on the database structure and flow to ensure easy update and modification of the portal.  Database sharing: the database should be easily accessed and downloaded by partners for further analysis, planning and programming purposes. Access will be restricted to members of the technical hub, initially.

• Produce analysis and contribute to a report on the educational situation of displaced learners from Ukraine using the validated database to provide a comprehensive overview, working collaboratively with other members in an informal regional Technical Hub as well as colleagues from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine 

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

Accountability (C)Communication (C)Innovation (C)Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)Planning and organizing (C)Results focus (C)Teamwork (C)Professionalism (C)

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For detailed information, please consult the .

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

Academic qualification:
• A bachelor degree in the fields of education, development, economics, information technology, data science, statistics, or a related field. A master’s degree or PhD degree is an asset. 

Professional experience: 
• Minimum 5 years of experience working in education data and statistics, database management, data analysis and visualization 
• Proficient in using data analysis and statistical tools (Stata, R, SPSS, Python etc) to process various datasets, clean data and produce rigorous analysis and reports 
• Experience in database standardization, data migration, and data visualization projects.
• Familiarity with a variety of database types (e.g. SQL, MS database).
• English as a requirement, and Ukranian is an asset 

Project management 
• Experience in managing education data-related projects, including planning, scheduling, and execution.
• Proven ability to meet project deadlines and deliver high-quality work.

Desired

• Familiarity with refugee displacement particularly that of Ukraine 
• Experience working in multinational environment especially the UN

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