Individual Contractor for Socioeconomic Vulnerability Research

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) is a regional commission established in 1973 to promote economic and social development in the Arab region. ESCWA's mission is to support the member states in achieving sustainable development through regional cooperation and integration. The organization focuses on various areas including poverty alleviation, social protection, and economic inequality. ESCWA operates in multiple countries across the Arab region, providing technical assistance, research, and policy advice to help member states address their development challenges. The organization employs a diverse team of professionals and collaborates with various stakeholders to implement its programs and initiatives.

Job Overview:
The individual contractor will play a crucial role in supporting ESCWA's efforts to alleviate socioeconomic vulnerabilities in the Arab region, particularly in member states such as Morocco and Somalia. The contractor will be responsible for providing research support in areas related to poverty, vulnerability, and inequality. This position requires the contractor to collect, synthesize, and analyze data on socioeconomic vulnerabilities and poverty levels, contributing to the overall understanding of these issues in the region. The contractor will also assist in drafting summary reports for policymakers, updating statistical codes for vulnerability analysis, and supporting other related tasks as needed. The work is expected to be delivered in a timely manner, with a focus on producing organized outputs that can be shared with member states to inform their policy measures.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The individual contractor will report to the Poverty and Inequality Project Coordinator and will be responsible for the following duties:

• Collect, synthesize, and analyze data on socioeconomic vulnerabilities and poverty levels, including trends over time. This involves contributing to the analysis of results and aggregating data at the regional level.
• Assist in drafting summary reports that address national and regional poverty, vulnerability, and inequality trends for Moroccan and Somali policymakers, providing insights and recommendations for alleviation strategies.
• Update statistical codes necessary for vulnerability analysis, as well as money-metric and multidimensional poverty analysis for the Arab region, which will serve as inputs to ESCWA's online policymaking tools.
• Support other related tasks as requested by the supervisor, ensuring that all work is completed efficiently and effectively.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor's degree in economics, statistics, or a related field. Additionally, candidates are required to submit a copy of their educational degree as part of the application process. Incomplete applications will not be considered. A minimum of 1 year of professional work experience is required, specifically in conducting quantitative analysis of data using statistical software, as well as experience in economic data analysis, presentation, drafting, and visualization.

Educational Background:
The position requires a Bachelor's degree in economics, statistics, or a related area. This educational background is essential for understanding the complexities of socioeconomic vulnerabilities and for conducting the necessary quantitative analyses that will inform policy decisions.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least 1 year of professional experience in quantitative data analysis, particularly using statistical software. This experience should include economic data analysis, as well as skills in presentation, drafting, and visualization of data findings. The ability to work with complex datasets and derive meaningful insights is crucial for this role.

Languages:
For this position, knowledge of English and Arabic is mandatory, as these are the working languages of ESCWA. Fluency in both languages is required, meaning candidates must be able to speak, read, write, and understand both languages proficiently. Knowledge of French is considered an asset, as it is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Additional Notes:
This position is a local recruitment, meaning that candidates must have the legal right to live and work in Lebanon. The contract duration is expected to be 3 months, and the position is likely to be full-time. It is important to note that the United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, and candidates should be cautious of any requests for personal banking information.