COSULTANCY: Data Analysis Consultant, WCARO Dakar, Senegal, 8 months

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, Hope

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF is a UN organization mandated by the UN General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. In the WCARegional Office, UNICEF is working with its partners to support the Governments to realize children’s rights on survival, development, protection and participation.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

High-quality, timely, and reliable data are essential for evidence-based policymaking and programmatic decisions. Large-scale surveys—such as Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS)—alongside administrative data sources provide critical insights into child well-being across health, education, poverty, and protection indicators. UNICEF, in collaboration with governments and partners, supports the generation, analysis, and use of these data to monitor progress toward national and global development goals.
UNICEF will continue to strengthen its data analysis support mechanism at the regional level, ensuring that diverse stakeholders in each country receive the necessary technical assistance to analyze and interpret data effectively. This will enhance their ability to generate actionable insights and inform evidence-based decision-making for child-focused policies and programs.

To enhance the use of survey and administrative data for decision-making in West and Central Africa (WCA), UNICEF WCARO is recruiting a Data Analysis Consultant to support data processing, analysis, and visualization for key Data Analysis (e.g., MICS, DHS) and complementary administrative datasets.

Under the overall supervision of the UNICEF Regional Monitoring Specialist (MICS and Other Surveys) in the Planning, Monitoring, Data, and Research Section of UNICEF WCARO, the Data Analyst will support the analysis, interpretation, and visualization of data from various sources, including MICS, DHS, BMZ endline/baseline surveys, and administrative data. The analyst will provide technical assistance and training to country teams and stakeholders to strengthen their capacity in data analysis, interpretation, and utilization for evidence-based decision-making. Additionally, the Data Analyst will explore and apply innovative analytical techniques, such as machine learning, geospatial analysis, and predictive modelling, to enhance the understanding of key child-related indicators and improve the effectiveness of programs and policies across the West and Central Africa region.

How can you make a difference? 

Scope of Work:

 

Under the overall supervision of the UNICEF Regional Monitoring Specialist (MICS and Other Surveys), the Data Analysis Consultant will be responsible to:

1. Data Processing & Management:
   • Clean, process, and manage large datasets from MICS, DHS, and administrative data sources.
   • Ensure data quality and consistency through validation and verification techniques.
2. Data Analysis & Interpretation:
   • Conduct statistical analysis using software such as R, Python, Stata, or SPSS.
   • Perform trend analysis, comparisons, and statistical modeling to derive insights.
   • Integrate multiple data sources (e.g., MICS, DHS, administrative data) for comprehensive analysis.
3. Data Visualization & Reporting:
   • Develop interactive dashboards and visualizations using Power BI, Tableau, or similar tools.
   • Prepare reports and presentations summarizing key findings for various stakeholders, using data storytelling techniques to communicate insights effectively and drive informed decision-making.
   • Contribute to the preparation of policy briefs, research papers, and publications.
4. Capacity Building & Technical Support:
   • Provide technical support and training to diverse stakeholders on data analysis techniques.
   • Assist in developing methodologies and tools for data integration and analytics.
   • Support the institutionalization of data-driven decision-making processes.
5. Collaboration & Coordination:
   • Work closely with government agencies, partners, and stakeholders to harmonize data usage.
   • Participate in cross-sectoral data initiatives to improve data accessibility and utilization (if possible).

As the result of his/her work, the Data Analysis Expert Consultant is expected to deliver all along the period of their contract:

• Evidence of other distance technical support through e-mail.
• Monthly activity log with the name of a country, type of support, date and time spent for each task specified clearly.
  and the following products at the indicated point of time, after the start of the contract, as indicated in the below table.

Administrative Requirements:

1. The consultant might be expected to travel in the designated countries for the surveys. Travel costs will be reimbursed based on the most direct and economy fare.
2. The consultant will work from his/her own office, provide their own equipment (stationary, hardware and software) and organize all aspects of field logistics themselves. During country visits, UNICEF CO or the implementing partner will provide working space for the consultant.
3. Payment will only be made for work satisfactorily completed and accepted by UNICEF and submission of an activity log and invoice.
4. If the final reports and documents are not submitted according to the deliverables stated in this TOR, the payments will be withheld.
5. The Regional Data Analysis Consultant can use the documents and the datasets only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.

Work Assignments Overview Deliverables/Outputs Delivery deadline Estimated Budget BMZ – Hazard Database Adapting Global Hazard Database with Niger BMZ Database May 2025 8% BMZ – Comparison Analysis Niger & Other Countries Climate Analysis of BMZ Niger June 2025 28% BMZ – Training Material Development Training for Niger on Climate Analysis using BMZ Niger Dataset August 2025 40% BMZ – Application to MICS Report on stocktaking, recommendations & feasibility of future work for MICS7 & other surveys’ data analyses September 2025 6% BMZ – Module Development Development of a Resilience-Risk (Climate, Conflict, etc) questionnaire module to implement in BMZ-Endline 2 November 2025 10% BMZ – Qualitative Data Collection Technical Support qualitative data collection complementing quantitative analysis December 2025 8%

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

• Advanced university degree in Statistics, Demography, Economics or Epidemiology, or other related technical field with significant measurement or analysis component is required.
• At least 5 years of experience in Data Analysis. Prior MICS/DHS data analysis experience is highly desirable,
• Expertise in the use of Excel, R, SPSS, Tableau, PowerBI
• Expertise in data visualizations and dashboards
• Expertise in report preparation and presentation using story telling techniques
• Fluency in English or French,
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills,
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently to the countries where data analyses are.
  Other competencies
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective relationships with national partners,
• Demonstrated leadership, managerial and supervisory ability.
• Demonstrated exceptional organizational skills and consistent quality delivery

Other Requirements

• Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system /Most updated CV
• Academic credentials/certificates
• Consultancy technical proposal;
• Financial proposal that will include:
  • Costs for each deliverable and total all-inclusive (lump sum) fees for the whole assignment
  • Travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per ToR
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable
• Previously relevant consultancy products & final evaluations (if available)
• Indicate your availability
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

 To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

 UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.