[Hiring] Middle-level Consultant on Education @UNESCO

Role Description

The consultant will carry out the following tasks:

• Literature review on data systems for OOSCY, dropout and learner pathways
  • Review existing approaches and tools, drawing heavily on the OOSCI documents (framework, 2023 Operational Manual, country reports, synthesis reports and evaluations) and on work by UIS, UNICEF, UNESCO and others on administrative data, household surveys, learner identifiers, tracking across institutions, early warning, and the distinction between dropout and transfer.
  • Examine how these approaches work, and could work, beyond basic and secondary education: early childhood care and education (ECCE), TVET and higher education (including the EMIS-HEMIS interface), and at transitions between levels and routes back into education.
  • Identify the capacities and enabling conditions of systems able to detect and respond (learner-level longitudinal data, disaggregation, interoperability, governance and data protection, use of information for action) and document evidence gaps.
• Country case studies
  • Prepare 6 case studies on the capacity of national data systems to track out-of-school children, dropout and learner pathways, using a common template, mainly through desk review and remote interviews with ministry staff and partners.
  • Work with the countries identified by UNESCO in coordination with the other ED/PLS teams on this programme (rights-based approach, learning and engagement, pathways and assessment, TVET, higher education, teachers, lifelong learning), so that each case also serves their thematic work. Selection criteria include existing OOSCI or comparable studies, regional and income diversity, stable and crisis contexts, and varied data-system maturity.
  • Produce a cross-case synthesis of capacities, gaps and lessons.
• Development of the EMIS-PATT OOSCY and learning pathways module
  • Map the OOSCI dimensions and the review findings onto the EMIS-PATT structure and agree with the EMIS-PATT team how the module plugs into the wider assessment.
  • Define the capacities assessed: identifying non-enrolment; monitoring attendance and prolonged absence; identifying dropout risk for early action; following learners across institutions, levels and pathways; distinguishing dropout from transfer or migration; identifying populations missed by administrative systems; and supporting outreach, re-entry and follow-up. Cover the enabling conditions, early-warning systems as an institutional question, and all levels from ECCE to higher education.
  • Produce the self-assessment matrix with scoring and maturity logic, a facilitation guide, a template for the improvement roadmap and a short user guide, keeping hooks for screening of learning difficulties and for an EMIS-HEMIS interface.
  • Validate the drafts with the ED/PLS teams.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree in education planning, information systems, statistics, public policy or a related field.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in EMIS development or education data systems, including learner-level data, attendance and dropout monitoring.
• In-depth knowledge of the UNICEF and UNESCO OOSCI framework (seven dimensions, country reports and syntheses, 2023 Operational Manual).
• Proven expertise in quantitative and qualitative research, including structured literature reviews and comparative country case studies.
• Proven expertise in developing analytical tools, frameworks and guidelines for national education systems.
• Familiarity with data systems for ECCE, TVET or higher education, and with early-warning systems for dropout.
• Experience with international organizations, preferably in multilateral settings and in crisis-affected or displacement contexts.

Benefits

• The consultancy is expected to last about 3 months (approximately 60 working days) from November 2026 to end of January 2027.
• The work is home-based.
• All documents produced in the context of the consultancy will be the property of UNESCO.

Deliverables

• Inception report: Work plan, review framework and search strategy, case study template, annotated outline of the module - By week 1
• Case study countries: Selection criteria and list of countries validated with UNESCO and the other ED/PLS teams - By week 2
• Draft literature review: Review covering ECCE, basic and secondary education, TVET and higher education - By week 6
• Country case studies: 6 case studies based on the common template - By week 9
• Final literature review: Revised review with cross-case synthesis of capacities, gaps and lessons - By week 10
• Draft EMIS-PATT OOSCY and learning pathways module: Draft self-assessment matrix, with scoring and maturity logic - By week 10
• Final EMIS-PATT OOSCY and learning pathways module: Final self-assessment matrix, facilitation guide and roadmap template, with a proposal for piloting in two countries as a follow-up - By week 12
• Note on inputs to the OOSC toolkit: Short note on toolkit components, and briefing to the ED/PLS teams - By week 12

Application Process

Interested candidates will need to submit one consolidated PDF document which includes the following information:

• A short proposal (5 pages maximum), explaining the approach proposed for the literature review, the case studies and the development of the module.
• A financial proposal, one page only, for delivering the activities described in the call. The proposal shall detail the number of working days for each envisioned consultancy activity as well as daily rate.
• A short CV, focusing on previous relevant working experience, consultancy assignments and deliverables, and relevant expertise to the scope of work.

The complete application shall be submitted before 23:59 CET, 17/11/2026. Please note that only pre-selected candidates will be contacted.

Selection Process

A shortlist of the three most suitable applicants will be drawn up, and the selected candidates will be contacted by the UNESCO Section for Education Policy (ED/PLS/EDP-K12) team. The successful candidate will be selected and offered a contract based on the application review.

Additional Information

• UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of personnel shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
• UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
• Individuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
• All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
• UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the hiring process.