Research, Mapping and Analysis Associate

Research, Mapping and Analysis Associate

Host entity: UNESCO Thailand

Advertisement end date: 2026-11-05T00:00:00

General

Description of assignment title: Research, Mapping and Analysis Associate

Assignment country: Thailand

Duty stations: Bangkok

Work location: On UN premises

Expected start date: 2026-12-15T00:00:00

Expected end date: 2027-06-15T00:00:00

Duration: 182 days

Sustainable Development Goal: 4. Quality education

Modality: Onsite

Type: International

Volunteer category: International Associate Premise Fulltime LongTerm

Work schedule: -

For how many hours per week will the volunteer be required?: -

Number of Assignments: 1

Details

Mission and objectives

Since 1961, UNESCO Bangkok has had a dual role as both the Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education and as a Cluster Office in the Asia-Pacific region.

As a regional bureau for education, UNESCO Bangkok provides technical expertise and assistance, and it serves advisory, knowledge production and sharing, and monitoring and evaluation functions to assist the Asia-Pacific Member States, UNESCO field offices and the antenna office in the area of education.

As a cluster office, UNESCO Bangkok helps to implement all UNESCO programmes (education, sciences, culture and communication and information) in Thailand, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Singapore, and indirectly in Viet Nam and Cambodia, in cooperation with the country offices and the antenna office.

Context

The UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok and Office for UN Coordination in Asia and the Pacific (UNESCO Bangkok) is exploring opportunities to strengthen understanding of local financing ecosystems and financing models that support sustainable local development, quality education, and the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This assignment will contribute to UNESCO's work on education financing, evidence generation, policy dialogue, and local development by mapping and analyzing financing mechanisms available to local governments and other local stakeholders in Thailand. Particular attention will be given to financing approaches that can enhance equitable access to quality education, lifelong learning opportunities, and the local implementation of SDG 4, while also contributing to broader sustainable development objectives.

The findings will inform UNESCO's programmes, partnerships, research, and advocacy efforts related to education financing, local governance, sustainable development, and financing for development. The resulting analysis will provide an evidence base for identifying opportunities, challenges, and innovative practices in local financing, including mechanisms that can strengthen education outcomes at the local level, particularly through UNESCO Learning Cities and Creative Cities initiatives.

Through this assignment, the UN Volunteer will support UNESCO's efforts to foster inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities by promoting evidence-based policymaking, strengthening local capacities, and encouraging greater investment in education and local development.

Task type

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Education Section, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks :

• Support a desk review of relevant literature, policy documents, reports, and databases related to local finance, education financing, and subnational financing in Thailand.
• Contribute to mapping of key financing models, mechanisms, and instruments used by local governments, including public finance, fiscal transfers, local revenue generation, borrowing mechanisms, public-private partnerships, philanthropy, and innovative financing approaches.
• Support in identification and compilation of relevant quantitative and qualitative data from publicly available sources.
• Assist in developing a structured inventory or database of financing mechanisms, including their characteristics, eligibility criteria, scale, and potential applications for local development and education initiatives.
• Support in assessing the extent to which identified financing mechanisms and local financing models can support education development priorities, including equitable access to quality education, lifelong learning opportunities, skills development, and local implementation of SDG 4.
• Contribute to analysis of trends, opportunities, gaps, and challenges in Thailand’s local financing landscape.
• Support in identification of examples of promising practices and innovative approaches that could support localized development, improved education outcomes, and SDG financing, including through UNESCO Learning Cities and Creative Cities initiatives.
• Contributing to preparation of a concise analytical report summarizing findings, key trends, and recommendations for further exploration.

The UN Volunteer will be expected to provide regular progress updates and participate in periodic meetings with the Education team.

Eligibility criteria

Age: 18 - 80

Required experience: 1 month

Nationality: Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.

Duration limit: Maximum years of service as an international UN Volunteer is 4 years.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience: No experience required

Languages: English, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level: Bachelor's degree Language-related Fields or Financial Technology-related Fields

Area(s) of expertise: Education

Driving license: -

Competencies and values

• Accountability
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Commitment and Motivation
• Communication
• Ethics and Values
• Integrity
• Knowledge Sharing
• Planning and Organizing
• Professionalism
• Respect for Diversity

-Technological Awareness

• Working in Teams

Skills and experience

Demonstrated interest and/or experience in :

• Public finance, local governance, fiscal decentralization, development financing, or education financing.
• Policy research, socio-economic analysis, and evidence generation related to sustainable development and SDG implementation.
• Collection, analysis, and interpretation of quantitative and qualitative data.
• Research on local development, public sector management, financing mechanisms, or financing for sustainable development.
• Conducting desk reviews, literature reviews, policy analysis, and preparation of analytical reports.
• Engagement with government agencies, development partners, academia, civil society organizations, foundations, private-sector stakeholders, or multicultural and volunteer environments.
• Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded.

Skills in :

• Literature review and policy analysis
• Research methodology and evidence synthesis.
• Data collection, validation, and management.
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• Mapping and comparative assessment of financing mechanisms and policy instruments.
• Report writing and presentation of findings.

Living conditions and remarks

Thailand is located in Southeast Asia. The climate is tropical, with the monsoon season running from May/June through October/November. Bangkok is the capital of Thailand, and it is also the most populated city in the country. It is located in the Chao Phraya River delta in the central part of the country. Bangkok has an estimated population of 5.5 million as of 2022. Over the past decades, Bangkok has grown rapidly with little urban planning or regulation. This has led to traffic congestion and air pollution, and there is frequent flooding of streets during the rainy season in the City’s low-lying areas.

The cost of living in Thailand is relatively low, as compared to many other capitals in Southeast Asia. Housing is widely available in various sizes and at various price points. Many condos are wheelchair accessible. Private healthcare in Thailand is of excellent standard, and there are numerous top hospitals in Bangkok, which fall far below countries like the US in terms of price. There are numerous high-quality international schools available in Bangkok, with English as the language of instruction.

Security threat level for most of Thailand has been assessed as minimal or low.

Additional eligibility criteria

As this assignment is funded by CYVA, specific eligibility criteria apply. Candidates must be Chinese nationals affiliated with a university participating in CYVA’s programme.