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Home Based Consultancy Opportunity: Qualitative Research Consultant – Data Must Speak at UNICEF

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Job Title: Qualitative Research Consultant

Job Number: 580789
Contract Type: Consultant
Duty Station: Florence (Remote/Work from Home)
Approx. Working Days: 181
Categories: Education, Research, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

About UNICEF

UNICEF stands at the forefront of global efforts to improve the lives of the world’s most disadvantaged children. Operating in some of the toughest places on Earth, UNICEF’s mission is simple yet profound: to save lives, defend rights, and help children fulfill their potential. With a presence across 190 countries and territories, UNICEF diligently works for every child, every day, ensuring a better world for everyone. Driven by a tenacious spirit, we never give up on our commitment to children and their rights.

The Role of Data in Education

Understanding and improving educational performance and equity relies heavily on data and evidence. Although countries and development partners have made significant investments in Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) and learning assessments, the actual utilization of this data to inform education policy, planning, and decision-making remains alarmingly insufficient. There is an urgent need for further research to explore what “works” for enhancing data-driven policymaking and to establish better alignments between data and policy systems, especially at the intermediate levels.

Given the importance of bridging national policies with school-level practices, the middle-tier plays a crucial role in shaping learning outcomes and promoting equity and inclusion in education. However, empirical research focusing on the middle-tier’s role in employing data and evidence for effective education policymaking is notably lacking.

Data Must Speak—Advancing Local Evidence Use

The Data Must Speak to Strengthen Capacity and Advance Local Evidence Use (DMS SCALE) initiative aims to address this gap by fostering national ownership of education data. This research initiative will collaborate closely with Ministry of Education officials in Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, and Nepal to identify their policy priorities and formulate pertinent questions on learning, education, gender equality, and inclusion outcomes that data can effectively address. The project also emphasizes the importance of local-level data, including insights from school inspections and instructional supervision, to inform policy-making. By employing experimental research methodologies, DMS SCALE will explore evidence-based decision-making and rigorously test strategies that promote knowledge co-production and data mobilization across central and local levels.

Responsibilities of the Consultant

As a Qualitative Research Consultant working within the DMS SCALE initiative, you will engage in collaborative research activities that are critical to advancing the use of data in educational policymaking. Your responsibilities will encompass:

  • Conceptual Framework Development: Collaborate with the DMS research team to refine the conceptual framework, theory of change, research questions, and methodologies based on previously completed scoping reviews and literature analyses.
  • Country-Specific Research Instruments: Design qualitative data collection instruments tailored to each country context, including Key Informant Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, and observational protocols.
  • Sampling Strategy Development: Develop a qualitative sampling strategy and criteria for participant selection to ensure a representative and meaningful data collection process.
  • Training and Capacity Building: Organize capacity-building workshops with local stakeholders, which include training on ethical protocols, piloting data collection methods, and setting up data quality assurance measures.
  • Institutional Review Board (IRB) Protocols: Contribute to the development and submission of ethical protocols to the IRB for qualitative data collection initiatives before project implementation.
  • Data Quality Assurance: Oversee the quality of audio recordings and transcriptions provided by the survey firm to ensure the accuracy and integrity of collected data.
  • Data Analysis and Reporting: Collaborate with the DMS research team to develop analytical frameworks for qualitative data, code qualitative data using NVivo software, and ensure that the codebook is consistently applied across all research consultants.
  • Drafting Reports: Prepare comprehensive reports at the country, regional, and global levels based on phase-specific research findings. Ensure compliance with UNICEF Innocenti’s Quality Assurance processes, soliciting and responding to internal and external reviews.
  • Dissemination of Findings: Develop additional outputs such as publications, blog posts, presentations, and social media content aimed at increasing the visibility of research findings and fostering decision-making at the country level.
  • Team Collaboration: Actively participate in ongoing team meetings and iterative learning sessions to refine DMS SCALE methodologies collaboratively.

Qualifications and Skills

To be considered for this consultancy role, you must meet the following qualifications:

  • Educational Background: An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in education, social sciences, political sciences, international development, or a related field.
  • Professional Experience: A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience at the national or international levels is required, with experience in developing countries viewed as an asset.
  • Research Expertise: Demonstrated experience in qualitative research methodologies, trialing participatory methods, and conducting interviews and focus group discussions.
  • Data Oversight: Experience managing primary data collection processes and ensuring the quality of qualitative data.
  • Analytical Skills: Proficiency in coding and analyzing large qualitative datasets using NVivo software.
  • Communication Abilities: Excellent written and oral communication skills, particularly in translating complex research findings for policy audiences and relevant educational stakeholders.
  • Collaboration and Relationship Management: A proven ability to work cohesively within a team, effectively managing relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
  • UNICEF Values: A commitment to UNICEF’s core values of care, respect, integrity, transparency, and accountability.
  • Cultural Competence: Capability to work effectively in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment.
  • Language Proficiency: Fluency in English is required; proficiency in French is preferred, while fluency is highly desirable.
  • Research Methodology Insights: Some experience with data triangulation across qualitative and quantitative sources is advantageous.
  • UN Experience: Familiarity with working in the UN or international development sectors, particularly in education-related research, is favorable.
  • Emergency Context Experience: Background experience working in developing countries or familiarity with emergency contexts can be considered an asset.

If you are passionate about leveraging qualitative research to inform and improve education policy and practice, and if you wish to contribute to foundational work that influences the lives of millions of children, we encourage you to apply for this consultancy position with UNICEF. Your expertise can help bridge the gap between data and policy, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. Join us in our quest to make a lasting impact on global education and child well-being.

Also Read

The post Home Based Consultancy Opportunity: Qualitative Research Consultant – Data Must Speak at UNICEF appeared first on Scholarly Africa.

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Job Title: Qualitative Research Consultant Job Number: 580789Contract Type: ConsultantDuty Station: Florence (Remote/Work from Home)Approx. Working Days: 181Categories: Education, Research, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation About UNICEF UNICEF stands at the forefront of global efforts to improve the lives of the world’s most disadvantaged children. Operating in some of the toughest places on Earth, UNICEF’s mission …

The post Home Based Consultancy Opportunity: Qualitative Research Consultant – Data Must Speak at UNICEF appeared first on Scholarly Africa.

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