Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
The job posting organization is UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which was established in 194

• UNESCO's mission is to contribute to peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security by promoting international collaboration through educational, scientific, and cultural reforms. The organization operates in over 190 countries and has a workforce of approximately 2,000 employees. UNESCO is dedicated to fostering educational opportunities for all, promoting cultural diversity, and advancing scientific knowledge and research.

Job Overview:
The position of Consultant at UNESCO involves leading a demonstration project focused on AI-assisted analysis of learning assessment data. The consultant will work closely with national assessment analysts and policy officials in a case-study country, preferably in Southern or Eastern Africa. The primary functions of this role include producing policy-relevant findings on learning quality and equity, developing an updated analytical framework, and strengthening the capacity of national analysts. The consultant will also be responsible for ensuring that the analytical methods used are sound and actionable for policy-making. This role is crucial as it aims to enhance the use of existing learning assessment data, which is often underutilized, by providing insights that can inform educational policy and planning. The consultant will need to propose a detailed methodology and work plan for the project, which will be carried out in three stages: preparatory work, an in-country mission, and consolidation and finalization of findings and recommendations.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant's duties and responsibilities include:

• Conducting preparatory consultations with UIS and national counterparts to confirm the country, datasets, and participants involved in the project.
• Preparing an inception note that outlines the analytical plan and work plan, including a review of the dataset's quality and limitations.
• Collaborating with national analysts to identify priority policy questions and the most useful analyses for informing education policy.
• Developing and testing AI-assisted analytical protocols that allow analysts to perform and reproduce priority analyses with their own data.
• Conducting an in-country mission to work intensively with national analysts and meet with senior policy officials to discuss findings and implications.
• Preparing a comprehensive country report that includes statistical tables, figures, and findings relevant to learning quality and equity.
• Drafting an updated analytical framework for publication by UIS, incorporating lessons learned from the case study.
• Compiling a final report that summarizes activities, methods, and recommendations for replicating the approach in other countries.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for this position include:

• A PhD or equivalent advanced degree in statistics, econometrics, psychometrics, education, or a related field; a Master's degree is acceptable, but a PhD is preferred.
• A minimum of ten years of relevant professional experience in statistics, psychometrics, education data analysis, or a related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in analyzing large-scale learning assessment data, including experience with international or regional learning assessment programs.
• Senior-level experience in multilevel modeling and complex survey data analysis, including estimation using replicate weights and plausible values.
• Proven experience in policy-oriented analysis of learning assessment data and capacity building, including training delivery to national analysts and senior policy officials.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a PhD or equivalent advanced degree in a relevant field such as statistics, econometrics, psychometrics, or education. A Master's degree is acceptable, but a PhD is highly desirable. This educational background is essential to ensure that the consultant has the necessary theoretical knowledge and analytical skills to perform complex data analyses and contribute effectively to policy discussions.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of ten years of relevant professional experience in fields such as statistics, psychometrics, or education data analysis. Candidates should have demonstrated expertise in analyzing large-scale learning assessment data and experience with international or regional assessment programs. Additionally, candidates should have senior-level experience in multilevel modeling and complex survey data analysis, as well as proven experience in policy-oriented analysis and capacity building.

Languages:
Excellent proficiency in English, both written and spoken, is mandatory for this position. A working knowledge of French is considered an asset, as it may facilitate communication with stakeholders in bilingual contexts and enhance the consultant's ability to engage with a wider audience.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy contract will last for approximately four months, from mid-October 2026 to mid-February 2027, with an estimated workload of no more than 20 working days. The fee will be calculated based on actual working days, with a maximum of 20 days. The contract is structured around three stages: preparatory work, an in-country mission, and consolidation and finalization. The in-country mission is expected to occur in late November or early December 202

• Payment will be linked to the satisfactory delivery and acceptance of specified deliverables, which include an inception note, AI-assisted analytical protocols, a country report, an updated analytical framework, and a final report. The consultant will also be required to travel internationally to the case-study country for the in-country mission, and travel arrangements will be made in accordance with UNESCO rules and procedures.