Senior Advisor in DATA SUPPLY Management & Educational Technology

1. Background and Purpose

A central feature of the Transition and Resilience Education Fund (TREF), a joint aid modality established by MEHE in close cooperation with UNICEF, is the Implementation Support Team (IST). The IST strengthens the functions of Data Management, Planning, Budgeting, Financial Management, Procurement, M&E, Reporting, and (Program) Service-Delivery Departments. This role entails drafting and supporting the adoption of new rules, procedures and management practices and on-the job training and coaching for public servant staff.
The IST is a flexible and agile set-up and a form of embedded Technical Assistance that reports to the DG with the purpose to support the DG & MEHE in:
1. Meeting the implementation requirements of the TREF aid modality as per the TREF Operational Handbook and the MEHE-UNICEF MoU.
2. Accelerating the implementation of the priority programs under TREF as defined in the 2-Year Plan and Budget 2023-2025, which is linked to the 5-Year Plan for General Education
3. Designing and implementing urgent reform tracks as defined in the TREF Urgent Results Framework 2.0 and MEHE´s 2025 Reform Road Map.
4. Strengthening MEHE educational expertise and educational leadership capacity through both short-term intervention crisis responses and long-term reform support.

The IST acts as an implementation catalyst and coach to MEHE staff at the central and regional level to strengthen implementation management skills and accelerate the implementation of the planned and budgeted outputs of the TREF program requirements linked to the 2-Year Plan and Budget 2023-2025. Second, IST supports specific coordination tasks, especially in the field of Technical Assistance and cross-departmental work, to ensure a higher level of synergy and alignment across MEHE. Working closely with UNICEF team on a technical level is a function of the operational and governance arrangements of TREF.
The IST is a team of highly qualified coaches that support MEHE in building implementation management capacity and responds to pre-defined MEHE needs. The main counterpart of the IST are the relevant public servants managing or being involved in specific TREF priority programs or outputs.
Every IST member coaches assigned public servant staff to gradually strengthen MEHE ownership and transition to a stronger MEHE led public servant team from a currently highly consultant-driven set-up.
A key role in the IST is the Senior Advisor in Data Supply Management. This position is a key strategic and technical role further transforming and advancing the data supply management agenda under TREF and for the benefit of MEHE management. The role requires deep knowledge in reform processes through innovative and modern IT applications in the education system as well as adaptive leadership skills to shift mindsets of public servant data suppliers and users to move out of their comfort zone and adopt new rules and practices.

2. Main Tasks and Key Deliverables

The main operational and implementation support tasks are as follows:

– Support the DGE in creating a more efficient and effective internal data supply chain to enable MEHE staff to respond to data requirements under TREF.
– Update and strengthen MEHE’s unified data management framework including both private and public
– Plan & direct all IT-related projects ensuring alignment with MEHE’s objectives and needs
– Propose technical and management solution to have schools enter access data and education data (lesson schedules, assessment etc.) as well as all data relevant for efficiency reform track.
– Identify capacity gaps in data management and reporting across central, regional and schools and report findings to MEHE and UNICEF
– Operationalize the new SOPs on data management, including data entry, cleaning, consolidation, and reporting to meet TREF attendance data requirements
– Liaise with Third Party for Data Verification
– Support technical preparation of the monthly Strategic Management Board meetings.
– Manage technical interventions and support programs aimed at developing an integrated data information management system
– Propose and design database for Multiple Flexible Pathways programs and link to SIMS

The Senior Advisor’s main reference is the TREF Urgent Results Framework 2025. The key deliverables are derived from all 7 pillars, with a specific emphasis on Pillar 5, as outlined below:
– Propose a data solution within TREF to the DG on enhancing data governance capabilities to foster innovation, efficiency, and value creation across MEHE’s systems.
– Provide effective support for the implementation of TREF in terms of data governance and quality.
– Produce interim reports on student and teacher attendance for the school years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024.
– Generate quarterly Student Attendance Reports, Enrollment Reports, and the Number of Teachers with Teaching Hours for both AM and PM shifts.
– Develop a Policy and Guidelines for Data Access, Security, Sharing, and Publishing.
– Lay the foundations and architecture for all IT-related projects, primarily focusing on the new version of the School Information Management System (SIMS), with clear quality improvements in process automation, data quality, and timeliness.
– Create a roadmap outlining short, medium, and long-term steps to operationalize the ICT vision of transitioning from SIMS to the Education Management Information System (EMIS).
– Develop relevant Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the ICT department of MEHE, anSd may lead junior and/or mid-level members of the IST if recruited.

Reporting, Timeframe, Performance Monitoring, and Contracting
The Senior Advisor reports to the DG and works closely with the assigned public official counterparts and other IST members as well as UNICEF technical counterparts. At the beginning of the assignment the Senior Advisor drafts a Work Plan in response to the TREF Urgent Results Framework 2025 clearly reflective of the main tasks and deliverables outlined in this TOR. Weekly internal IST meetings are held to co-design interventions and apply an adaptive workflow in response to urgent crisis demands.
The timeframe of this consultancy is from March 2024 for a period of 12 months. Long and ad hoc working hours are expected given the proactive and demand-driven nature of work. Progress is monitored on a quarterly basis in the form of Quarterly Progress Reports and reviewed by the Strategic Management Board of TREF that includes the DGE, Contributing Partners and senior UNICEF management. The contract is signed with a management service provider working with UNICEF. Fees are comparable with similar levels of expertise in international organizations.
Candidate Profile and Selection Process
Educational Background:
– Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Information Management, Computer Science, Data Science, or a related field.
Experience:
– Minimum of 7 years of experience in data management, data modelling, or related roles.
– Proven track record of leading the development and implementation of comprehensive data management strategies and policies
– Demonstrated experience in leading data supply management strategies across large organizations or governmental organizations
– Strong Expertise in developing and implementing structured workflows and methodologies for data modelling activities.
– Robust Experience in evaluating and optimizing existing data models to enhance efficiency and support data integration efforts
– Successful experience in collaborating closely with multi stakeholders to understand data requirements and formulate data acquisition plans
– Proficiency in establishing data quality standards, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), KPIs, and other relevant metrics.
– Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to foster a culture of data-driven decision-making within the organization.
– Continuous learning mindset and ability to stay updated with emerging trends and advancements in data management, integration, and governance
– Experience in drafting research, working, and policy papers aimed at improving data management practices
– Proficiency in implementing tools and technologies to support data modelling workflows.
– Experience in data quality assurance processes and validation checks to ensure the accuracy, completeness, and integrity of data models.
– Ability to provide guidance and training to team members on data modelling techniques, methodologies, and tools
– Previous knowledge and expertise within the public sector and MEHE are plus
– Excellent problem-solving and negotiation skills
– Excellent writing skills in Arabic and English. French is an asset
– Ability to work under pressure within least supervision
Additional Skills:
– Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
– Collaboration and teamwork skills.