Education Specialist (Learning and Skills Assessment)

The Education Specialist (Learning and Skills Assessment) provides high-level technical assistance and strategic support to advance UNICEF's global strategy on learning and skills measurement. The role guides UNICEF's work on strengthening national assessment systems and their use in improving education and skills programmes, focusing on transferable, digital, green skills, and secondary education outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level technical assistance and strategic guidance to UNICEF Offices, Centres of Excellence (CoEs), governments, and partners to advance learning and skills assessment as a core driver of education system strengthening.
• Support the implementation of UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and the Every Child Learns Education Strategy 2019–2030 focusing on equitable resource allocation and improved learning outcomes.
• Guide the design and implementation of at-scale education programmes and sector planning.
• Support education sector institutional reform and capacity development.
• Contribute to quality improvements at scale and policy reform in education.

Requirements

• Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Education, Statistics, Economics, Social Science, Psychometrics, Learning Measurement, Skills Measurement or related fields.
• A Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in a relevant area combined with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree (applicable to internal staff only).
• At least 8 years of relevant work experience in learning and skills assessment, education and labor market monitoring, or related fields.
• Proven experience in supporting the design and implementation of national and large-scale learning and skills assessments or tracer studies.
• Experience in developing tools for assessing transferable skills, digital skills, green skills, or secondary education learning outcomes.
• Working knowledge in psychometrics, test development, and sampling.
• Working knowledge of global reporting frameworks such as SDG 4.1.1a/b and 4.7 indicators.
• Strong technical expertise in data analysis and visualization using statistical software (e.g., SPSS, Stata, R) and Visual Basic for Applications.
• Solid understanding of the broader education policy landscape, including sector planning and financing, monitoring frameworks, and the use of learning, skills and employment data for system reform.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to and engage in policy dialogue with governments and partners on skills assessment, linkages between education outcomes and labor market demands and education system strengthening.
• Experience working in a developing country.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of French is desirable.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• Experience with learning and skills assessments in emergency, displacement, or fragile contexts.
• Excellent communication, writing, and presentation skills, including the ability to translate technical findings into actionable policy recommendations.
• Familiarity with digital assessments, computer-based testing, or remote learning assessments.
• Understanding of intersectional equity issues in learning and skills assessment (e.g., disability-inclusive measurement, gender-responsive assessments).
• Experience collaborating with global and regional assessment programs (e.g., LLECE, PASEC, SACMEQ, SEA-PLM, PISA).
• Proficiency in data visualization platforms (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) and innovative communication of learning data.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

Skills

• Learning and skills assessment
• Education Policy Evaluation
• Labor market monitoring
• Psychometrics
• Test Development
• Sampling Techniques
• SDG reporting frameworks
• Data Analysis
• Data Visualization
• SPSS
• STATA
• Visual Basic for Applications
• Policy Dialogue
• Digital Skills Assessment
• Green skills assessment
• Transferable skills assessment
• Education system reform
• Learning outcomes measurement
• Digital assessments
• Computer-based testing
• Remote learning assessments
• Equity in education assessment
• Disability-inclusive measurement
• Gender-Responsive Assessment
• Collaboration with global assessment programs
• Tableau
• Power BI
• Education Sector Planning
• Education Financing
• Emergency education assessment
• Humanitarian context education

Languages

English, French