UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

How can you make a difference? 

UNICEF is developing a global framework to estimate the economic cost of the learning crisis, including learning denial, deprivation, and disruption affecting millions of children worldwide. The framework will quantify the impact on economic growth, productivity, public finances, and human capital to strengthen the case for education investment.

The consultant will support the development, testing, validation, and documentation of this country-level analytical model, including data analysis and cost estimation. Country results will be aggregated to produce regional and global estimates of the learning crisis’s economic impact.

The purpose of this consultancy is to support UNICEF in developing, operationalizing, validating, and documenting a country based analytical framework for estimating the economic cost of the learning crisis. The assignment will include methodological development, data compilation and analysis, model construction and testing, estimation of country, regional, and global costs, and validation of the

analytical framework and findings. Countries will constitute the primary unit of analysis. Regional and global estimates will be generated through aggregation of country-level results using the agreed methodology.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy expected deliverables and scope of work, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: TMC0004072 TOR.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

Minimum requirements:

Education: Advanced university degree (Master's or PhD) in: Economics, Education Economics, Development Economics, Public Policy, Statistics, Quantitative Social Sciences, Related disciplines
Work Experience: Minimum eight years of progressively responsible professional experience in quantitative economic analysis, education economics, public finance, human capital analysis, or related fields.
Demonstrated experience developing economic simulation models, cost-benefit analyses, or macroeconomic analytical frameworks.
Experience working with international datasets and cross-country comparative analysis.
Experience conducting policy-oriented analytical work and producing technical reports or knowledge products.
Previous experience working with international organizations or development partners is desirable.
Skills: Strong knowledge of education economics, human capital, education financing, and quantitative analytical methods.
Demonstrated expertise in economic modelling, statistical analysis, and sensitivity analysis.
Proficiency in Excel and at least one statistical software package (R, Stata, Python, or equivalent).
Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings into policy-relevant messages.
Language Requirements: Fluency in English language

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal (Talent Management System):

An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
Cover letter
Technical proposal - Sample of Quality of previous analytical work or peer-reviewed publications, or technical reports relevant to education financing or human capital.
A separate financial proposal TMC0004072 Financial proposal template.docx

Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not visible on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Estimation of the Economic Cost of the Learning Crisis Consultant, GPD-Education, COE Nairobi, 5 months, Remote, International