AI and Data Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the lead United Nations agency focused on reproductive health and rights, aiming to ensure that every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. Established in 1969, UNFPA operates in over 150 countries and has a workforce of approximately 4,000 employees. The organization is dedicated to advancing the goals of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 203

• UNFPA's mission is to provide a roadmap for resilience and renewal in a complex global environment, focusing on four interconnected outcomes: ending unmet needs for family planning, preventing maternal deaths, eliminating gender-based violence, and adapting to demographic changes through evidence-based policies.

Job Overview:
The AI and Data Specialist will play a crucial role in establishing UNFPA's AI, Data, and Knowledge practice within the Digital Center of Excellence (CoE). This position is integral to advancing UNFPA's Digital Strategy for 2026-2029 by leading end-to-end AI and data initiatives. The specialist will serve as an IT Leader and Product Manager, responsible for the lifecycle of data and AI products that meet the needs of UNFPA programs. The role requires collaboration with stakeholders to develop AI strategies, manage AI initiatives, and ensure ethical and compliant usage of data across the organization. The specialist will also oversee the design and maintenance of enterprise data architecture, ensuring that data solutions are scalable, secure, and aligned with governance policies.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The AI and Data Specialist will have a wide range of responsibilities, including:

• Collaborating with stakeholders to formulate the long-term AI strategy and implementation roadmap.
• Managing end-to-end AI initiatives from ideation to deployment, ensuring compliance with governance policies.
• Designing and implementing AI solutions capable of complex reasoning and dynamic response generation.
• Leading the design and maintenance of AI and Data Governance Frameworks to ensure ethical usage.
• Owning the overall design and maintenance of enterprise data architecture for program data.
• Serving as the Product Manager for key Digital CoE data solutions, ensuring alignment with business needs.
• Defining key performance indicators for products and monitoring user adoption and satisfaction.
• Carrying out additional duties related to the Digital Strategy as required by UNFPA leadership.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related discipline. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Additionally, candidates should have a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in developing AI solutions, data pipelines, or complex software applications. A solid background in data management, cloud architecture, secure APIs, and IT process governance is essential. Familiarity with Google Cloud and Google AI environments, as well as experience in digital product development and agile methodologies, is highly desirable. Knowledge of AI ethics and data privacy best practices is also important.

Educational Background:
The educational requirement for this position includes an advanced university degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted. This educational background is critical for understanding the complexities of AI and data management within the context of UNFPA's mission and objectives.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of seven years of increasingly responsible professional experience in developing AI solutions, data pipelines, or complex custom software applications. Candidates should have a proven track record of delivering working data models, code, AI models, and deployed solutions independently and efficiently. Experience working with or within the UN system or similar international organizations is desirable, as it provides context for the unique challenges and opportunities in this field.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position. Knowledge of other official UN languages, particularly French and/or Spanish, is considered desirable. Proficiency in multiple languages can enhance communication and collaboration within the diverse international environment of UNFPA.

Additional Notes:
This position offers an attractive remuneration package that includes a competitive net salary, health insurance, and other benefits as applicable. UNFPA promotes a work environment that reflects values of gender equality, diversity, integrity, and a healthy work-life balance. The organization is committed to gender parity and encourages applications from women, individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to applicants with disabilities to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA does not charge any fees in connection with the application or recruitment process and promotes equal opportunities for all candidates.