Consultant - EMIS (Education)

• Job Title: Consultant - EMIS (Education)

The consultancy aims to provide hands-on technical support for the effective implementation, monitoring, and sustainability of the EMIS and its sub-systems, including RTSM, school census modules, formative assessments, and student dropout prevention tools in Balochistan. The consultant will be responsible for rigorous system testing, validation, training, coordination, data analysis, and the development of integrated reporting dashboards. This role is crucial in bridging communication between development partners and government stakeholders, ensuring system readiness, user capacity, and alignment with policy priorities. Payment shall be made on a deliverable basis, contingent upon the submission of monthly progress reports and verification of deliverables through Means of Verification (MoVs). This is part of UNICEF's overall technical support for strengthening the Performance Management System, including the standardization and integration of EMIS, RTSM, CMS and other data systems.

How can you make a difference?

You can make a difference by achieving the following:

Tasks/Milestones

• Upgradation of EMIS School Census Module
• Upgradation of RTSM application:
• EMIS data validation ,cleaning and analysis.
• Classroom observation
• Formative assessment and Student Dropout prevention modules
• Design and Test Reporting Dashboard of EMIS , RTSM
• Training of PMC Staff and Transfer of Technology

Deliverables/Outputs:

• Conduct rigorous testing of all developed EMIS modules, including the Census module, to validate their functionality, performance, and alignment with the defined user requirements and Terms of Reference (TORs). This includes iterative testing cycles and validation prior to deployment.
• Facilitate continuous coordination with the EMIS design consultant and relevant stakeholders to support the development, refinement, and successful deployment of the EMIS Census module. Provide ongoing technical support to maintain and optimize the current EMIS infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted functionality.
• Prepare detailed testing reports, identify bugs or issues, and communicate them in a timely manner to the development team for swift resolution. Maintain clear documentation of system performance, user feedback, and resolved issues.
• Organize and participate in regular monthly coordination meetings with PPIU and the Performance Management Cell (PMC) to review implementation progress, address challenges, and align activities for effective EMIS deployment.
• Conduct comprehensive testing of the RTSM application to ensure it meets functional, performance, and compliance requirements as outlined in the Terms of Reference (TORs). This includes identifying and documenting bugs/issues, preparing test reports, and coordinating timely resolution. Additionally, provide ongoing technical support to maintain the stability and usability of the system during and after deployment.
• Actively coordinate with the EMIS development consultant during the RTSM development phase to ensure that all required monitoring indicators are accurately integrated and that the system is effectively aligned with EMIS and other relevant platforms.
• Plan and conduct training sessions for RTSM staff at the district level to build user capacity and ensure a smooth rollout of the updated application. This includes developing user guidance and facilitating hands-on practice to promote effective utilization of the system.
• Conduct regular field visits (minimum two) to monitor application use, assess its alignment with established standards, and gather feedback from field users.
• Participate in monthly coordination meetings with PPIU and PMC to report on progress, address challenges, and align implementation activities with overall program objectives.
• Provide technical support to the PMC during the planning and execution of the school census. This includes assisting in training Master Trainers and education staff on the use of digital census tools, ensuring their readiness to conduct and manage census activities efficiently.
• Support the rollout of the updated census module at the district level
• Maintain regular coordination with the Education Department, EMIS field teams, and other relevant stakeholders to share progress updates, address challenges, and provide on-ground or remote support. Ensure that the census activities are conducted in line with quality standards, timelines, and data accuracy requirements.
• Provide high-level technical support for the end-to-end processing of EMIS school census data, including data cleaning, validation, and statistical analysis. This includes the preparation of analytical summaries, visualizations, and comprehensive reports to support data-driven decision-making, policy formulation, and sector planning. Ensure all outputs meet established data quality standards and are aligned with national and donor reporting requirements.
• Conduct regular (monthly) cleaning and validation of Classroom Observation data to ensure accuracy, consistency, and completeness. Address data quality issues and prepare datasets for further analysis and reporting.
• Perform monthly analysis of Classroom Observation data to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement in classroom practices. Generate summaries, dashboards, or analytical briefs to support evidence-based decision-making by education stakeholders.
• Lead the integration of the existing Classroom Observation system with the EMIS application, ensuring smooth data exchange, interoperability, and centralized access. Support the design, testing, and deployment of the integrated solution to enhance system efficiency and usability.
• Develop detailed functional and technical requirements for the formative assessment and student dropout prevention modules.
• Collaborate with the development consultant to ensure alignment with educational goals, user needs, and system architecture.
• Provide ongoing technical guidance and coordination during the development phase, including reviewing module prototypes, conducting functionality checks, and ensuring adherence to agreed specifications.
• Plan and conduct field-level training sessions for relevant education staff to ensure the effective rollout, adoption, and use of the newly developed modules across target districts or schools.
• Carry out continuous quality checks, identify bugs or system issues, and coordinate with the development team for timely fixes and updates to maintain optimal system performance.
• Develop detailed functional and technical requirements for the reporting dashboard in coordination with stakeholders. Ensure the design aligns with data visualization needs, user roles, and decision-making objectives.
• Conduct thorough testing of the developed dashboard modules to verify functionality, performance, and user experience. Ensure compliance with the approved TORs and identify any gaps or improvements.
• Ensure that all modules of the reporting dashboard are fully functional and meet user expectations. Provide final validation, report issues, and coordinate with the development consultant to ensure resolution and readiness for deployment.
• Training of PMC Technical staff on use of new technology to enable them to keep the system functional.
• Handover of technology from the development.

Education:

• A university degree (bachelor's or above) in computer science or relevant field.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of02 yearsof relevant professional experience. Prior experience in designing, implementing, or managing Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) or similar sectoral information systems is essential. Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with education data is considered a requirement.
• Experience in coordinating multi-stakeholder initiatives and working with government counterparts and development partners in the education sector.
• Strong analytical and writing skills.
• Knowledge of the latest technologies/ software engineering /software development like SQL server, Python, C#, Arc GIS
• Proven ability to conceptualize, develop, plan, and manage programmers, as well as to impart knowledge and capacity building on EMIS.
• Developing country work experience

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English (verbal and writing) is required.
• Experience in field-level deployment, validation, and monitoring of digital systems in low-resource settings is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with emergency is an asset.
• Knowledge of another local language is an asset.
• Familiarity with data governance frameworks and integration of education systems with HR, finance, and assessment platforms is an asset.