Education Specialist (Learning and Skills Assessment)

Education Specialist (Learning and

Skills

• Assessment)

• Join UNICEF's Global Programme Division in Nairobi and play a leading role in advancing learning and skills assessment across education systems worldwide. As part of UNICEF's Centre of Excellence model, you will work with governments, Country Offices, Regional Offices and global partners to strengthen national assessment systems, improve education and skills outcomes, and support evidence-based policy and financing decisions. The role contributes directly to UNICEF's Every Child Learns Strategy 2019-2030 and the Strategic Plan 2026-2029, helping countries equip children and adolescents with the transferable, digital and green skills needed to thrive in school, work and society. Through high-level technical assistance, partnerships and innovation, you will help shape education system transformation and improve opportunities for the most disadvantaged learners globally.

• How can you make a difference?

• You will play a key role in advancing UNICEF's global agenda on learning and skills assessment by providing technical leadership and support to governments, Country Offices, Regional Offices and partners. Through the design, implementation and strengthening of assessment systems and evidence-generation initiatives, you will help improve learning outcomes and skills development opportunities for children and adolescents. Working across countries and regions, you will contribute to policy dialogue, capacity development, knowledge generation, partnerships and innovation that support education system transformation and ensure that all learners, particularly the most disadvantaged, acquire the skills needed to thrive in school, work and life.

• Join UNICEF's Global Programme Division and help shape the future of learning and skills development for children and adolescents worldwide. As a Programme Specialist (Learning and Assessment), you will provide technical leadership and strategic support to strengthen learning and skills assessment systems, generate evidence for policy and decision-making, and advance UNICEF's global education priorities. Working closely with governments, UNICEF Country and Regional Offices, and development partners, you will contribute to improving learning outcomes and skills development opportunities at scale. Key responsibilities include Technical Leadership and Programme Support; Knowledge Generation and Evidence Building; Partnerships and Advocacy; Capacity Development and Technical Assistance; and Innovation, Monitoring and Quality Assurance. Through this work, you will help countries strengthen education systems and ensure children and young people acquire the skills needed to thrive in school, work and life.

• If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: JD_Education Specialist - Learning and Assessment

Minimum requirements:

• Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in psychometrics, education, statistics, economics, learning and skills measurement, social sciences, or a related field is required.
• Work experience: Minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional experience in learning and skills assessment, education and labor market monitoring, or related is required.
• Language: Knowledge of English language at a Proficient/Fluent level is required.

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• 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.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
• 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.

UNICEF values and competencies:

• UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability underpin everything we do.

• UNICEF competencies required for this post include: Builds and maintains partnerships; Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness; Drive to achieve results for impact; Innovates and embraces change; Manages ambiguity and complexity; Thinks and acts strategically; Works collaboratively with others.

• Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

• 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 a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities.