International Consultant for Education Planning, Research, Monitoring and Data

JOB DETAILS

Type of contract : Consultant Contract

Level :  Level 2 - Middle

Hiring Unit : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station : Kabul

Work location : Remote

Duration of contract : 8 months

Hiring open to : External candidates

Application deadline (Midnight UTC−4 Time) : 29/08/2026

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

OVERVIEW

UNESCO Kabul Office supports education sector development in Afghanistan through a broad portfolio of work covering sector planning and coordination, research and evidence generation, monitoring and evaluation, education data and information systems, capacity development, and technical support to education programmes and sector-wide processes. These areas contribute directly to the implementation of UNESCO Afghanistan’s Country Strategic Objective 4, particularly through strengthened research, planning, monitoring and evidence-informed programming functions.

Within this broader framework, UNESCO is implementing the GPE System Capacity Grant (SCG) to strengthen education sector planning, monitoring, coordination, evidence generation, data systems and institutional capacities. Under the SCG, UNESCO has initiated several key activities including the annual publication of the Education Situation Report in Afghanistan, Gender Preparedness and Recovery Plan, Integrated Education Dashboards, analytical work on the impact and costs of restrictions on girls’ secondary and higher education and NGO capacity development plan.

UNESCO therefore requires a Mid-Level Consultant – Education Planning, Research, Monitoring and Data to provide technical support in these key activities and also perform general functions of education planning, research, monitoring and data.

Long Description

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Head of Office and direct supervision of the Head of the Education Unit, the consultant, in close collaboration with the national project officer, will undertake the following duties:

Education Planning and Programme Implementation

• Provide technical review to GPE SCG activities and related UNESCO education programme priorities, including review of progress against agreed workplans, outputs and milestones.
• Support implementation, monitoring, review and operationalization of the AESSP and related education sector planning processes.
• Contribute to education sector analysis, scenario-based planning, programme prioritization and development of operational and implementation frameworks.
• Support analysis of AESSP implementation progress, emerging sector needs, operational constraints and programme coverage and translate findings into recommendations for programming and decision-making.
• Lead the development of gender preparedness and recovery plan, including relevant analytical frameworks, strategic priorities, operational considerations and linkages with broader education sector planning processes.
• Review technical inputs, briefing notes, presentations, planning documents and analytical materials for programme and sector-level consultations.

Research and Analytical Work

• Lead the design, implementation and finalization of the 2026 Education Situation Report and related sector analysis.
• Lead the analytical work on the impact and costs of restrictions on girls’ secondary and higher education, including analysis of the economic, social and fiscal consequences of continued restrictions and associated female professional and skills gaps across key sectors.
• Review research concepts, research questions, methodologies, analytical frameworks, Terms of Reference and data-collection instruments.
• Provide technical review and quality assurance of research products, including inception reports, methodologies, analytical outputs, draft reports and final studies.
• Support consultations with researchers, technical experts, education partners and other relevant stakeholders.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Provide technical support and review for monitoring, evaluation and learning arrangements under the GPE SCG, AESSP and other relevant UNESCO education activities.
• Review and quality assure monitoring methodologies, questionnaires, reporting templates, observation tools, key informant interview instruments and focus group discussion tools.
• Provide technical guidance for joint monitoring field visits and other field-based evidence-generation activities, including review of mission methodologies, data-collection tools, analysis approaches and reporting products.
• Review triangulated partner-reported information, field findings and other data sources to strengthen the reliability of programme and sector analysis.
• Support documentation and dissemination of monitoring findings and lessons learned.

Long Description

Education Data Collection, Management and Analysis

• Provide technical guidance on systematic collection, consolidation, validation and analysis of education programme and sector data.
• Provide guidance on periodic data collection from implementing partners and other relevant education stakeholders.
• Provide technical review and quality assurance support to the development and refinement of the integrated education sector dashboard, including review of indicator frameworks, data structures, source documentation, visualization approaches and alignment with sector monitoring and planning needs.
• Lead the beta testing and roll-out the integrated education dashboards in close consultation with ESJP members.
• Review and provide technical inputs to education dashboards and other analytical and data-visualization products.
• Provide support on effective use of available evidence in education planning, programme development, monitoring and reporting.

Technical Reporting and Knowledge Management

• Provide technical support to GPE SCG periodic reporting and project closure processes, with particular emphasis on review of the monthly reports and quality assurance of the final narrative report.
• Consolidate information on implementation progress, achievements, indicators, challenges, mitigation measures and lessons learned.
• Support preparation of technical closure and handover documentation to preserve relevant institutional knowledge and facilitate continued use of programme evidence and tools.
• Develop a brief concept note for the future of the upcoming GPE SCG project cycle.

Capacity Development

• Review and finalize capacity-development plan based on identified needs and AESSP and localization priorities.
• Technical inputs on delivery of capacity training workshops, Training-of-Trainers, technical sessions and other capacity-development activities.

Technical Coordination and Follow-up

• Participate in relevant technical meetings, consultations and working groups, as requested by the supervisor.
• Coordinate technical inputs with relevant UNESCO colleagues, consultants and education partners for assigned workstreams.
• Prepare technical documentation, meeting materials, presentations and follow-up notes.
• Track implementation of assigned technical activities and flag delays, risks, dependencies and issues requiring management attention.

Long Description

Required Qualifications:

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in education, international development, public policy, economics, social sciences, development studies, monitoring and evaluation, statistics or another field relevant to the assignment.

Required Professional Experience

• At least five years of progressively responsible professional experience in education sector planning, programme implementation, research, monitoring and evaluation, education data, capacity development or closely related areas.
• Demonstrated experience supporting education sector planning, sector analysis, programme planning or implementation of education system-strengthening programmes.
• Experience in the design or implementation of monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks, results frameworks, indicators and data-collection systems.
• Demonstrated experience conducting or managing quantitative and qualitative research and translating findings into policy- or programme-relevant analysis.
• Experience in education data collection, quality assurance, analysis, reporting and visualization.
• Experience preparing high-quality technical reports, analytical briefs, programme reports and presentations.
• Experience designing or supporting capacity-development activities, including development of training plans, technical materials and learning tools.
• Previous professional experience in Afghanistan education sector.
• Experience working with multi-stakeholder education programmes involving UN agencies, development partners, NGOs and/or other education sector actors.

Long Description

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

• Experience working in fragile, conflict-affected or emergency contexts.
• Experience with GPE-funded programmes or comparable donor-funded education system-strengthening programmes.
• Experience supporting education sector plans, sector analyses, operational plans and/or sector monitoring frameworks.
• Experience working with education coordination mechanisms and multi-partner sector processes in Afghanistan
• Experience in mixed-methods research, field monitoring and stakeholder consultations.
• Knowledge of the education context, institutional arrangements and operational environment in Afghanistan would be a strong asset.

Skills

The consultant should demonstrate:

• Strong knowledge of education sector planning, programming and results-based management.
• Strong analytical and research skills, including ability to synthesize quantitative and qualitative evidence.
• Strong monitoring, evaluation and learning competencies.
• Strong education data management, quality assurance, analysis and visualization skills.
• Ability to translate complex evidence into clear and actionable programme and policy recommendations.

Long Description

• Strong technical writing and reporting skills.
• Ability to design practical monitoring, research and data-collection methodologies and tools.
• Ability to develop structured and context-responsive capacity-development approaches and materials.
• Strong planning, organization and prioritization skills and ability to manage multiple technical workstreams.
• Ability to work independently and deliver high-quality outputs within agreed deadlines.
• Strong communication, teamwork and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to work effectively in multicultural and multi-stakeholder environments.
• Sound judgement, discretion and sensitivity in handling programme and sector information.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

• Communication (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowlegde sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Planning and organizing (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

Long Description

Working Arrangements and Institutional Responsibility

The consultant will work closely with relevant PMC team colleagues within the UNESCO Kabul Education Unit and with other technical consultants and programme personnel as required. The consultant may engage with UN agencies, development partners, implementing partners, research institutions and other education stakeholders in connection with assigned technical activities.

The consultant will be expected to independently organize and deliver assigned technical workstreams, maintain regular communication with the supervisor, provide timely updates on progress and emerging issues, and ensure the quality and timely completion of agreed outputs.

The assignment is technical in nature. Overall programme accountability, financial and contractual authority, formal institutional representation, approval of programme commitments and final approval of technical outputs will remain with authorized UNESCO officials.

DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINES

1. Monthly cumulated technical progress reports 
2. Beta-tested Integrated Education Dashboards by 30 Sept. 2026
3. Roll-out of the Integrated Education Dashboards & Finalized 2026 Afghanistan Education Situation Report by 31 Oct. 2026
4. Finalized and disseminated NGO capacity development plan by 30 Nov. 2026
5. Draft report on the impact and costs of restrictions on girls’ secondary and higher education & Draft gender response and recovery plan by 31 Dec. 2026
6. Finalized report on the impact and costs of restrictions on girls’ secondary and higher education by 28 Feb. 2027
7. Finalized gender response and recovery plan by 31 March 2027
8. A concept note for the upcoming GPE SCG project cycle by 30 April 2027

Long Description

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.

Interested individual consultants are invited to submit the following application package to UNESCO:

1. Up-to-date CV.
2. Technical proposal (technical approach, methodology, and work plan, no more than 5 pages)
3. Financial proposal in USD: The consultant should provide the estimates based on the expected deliverables above and should be quoted in US dollars. UNESCO covers Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) and travel expenses in line with the relevant UNESCO rules and regulations. Thus, there is no need to include the DSA and travel expenses in the professional fee estimate.
Upon completing the Word file with all the requested information above, upload the file to the “My Employment History Form / My Documents” section of the online application form. Only applications with the above requested information will be considered.
The remuneration for this consultancy will be proportionate to the qualifications and experience of the consultant and within the UNESCO consultancy rates/monthly fees.

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.
• lndividuals 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.