Consultant for BRS Secretariat

Job Posting Organization:
The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat) is a collaborative effort that encompasses three significant multilateral environmental agreements aimed at safeguarding human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes. The BRS Secretariat plays a crucial role in facilitating information exchange and enhancing the implementation of these conventions. Established to address global environmental challenges, the BRS Secretariat operates in multiple countries and engages with various stakeholders to promote sustainable practices and policies. The organization is dedicated to fostering international cooperation and ensuring compliance with environmental standards, thereby contributing to a healthier planet.

Job Overview:
The consultant will be engaged in a critical role within the BRS Secretariat, focusing on enhancing and upgrading the thesaurus system known as PoolParty. This position is integral to the clearing-house mechanism for information exchange related to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm conventions. The consultant will work under the supervision of the Programme Officer and will be responsible for upgrading the PoolParty staging server, configuring the production server, and enhancing the BRS taxonomy and Tagger app. The consultant's work will involve collaboration with various teams, including BRS IT, InforMEA, and IPBES, to ensure that the thesaurus system is robust, secure, and user-friendly. The expected duration of the assignment is four months, during which the consultant will undertake a series of tasks aimed at improving the functionality and accessibility of the BRS Secretariat's information systems.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will perform a variety of tasks, including:

• Upgrading the PoolParty staging server to its latest version, applying necessary security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security patches and bug fixes, and ensuring stability and functionality.
• Creating a sandbox environment for testing purposes, collaborating with the BRS IT team to ensure operational continuity.
• Setting up and configuring a new PoolParty server for production, migrating relevant thesauri, and ensuring proper user rights and access policies.
• Enhancing the BRS taxonomy by merging concept schemes, expanding hierarchy depth, and cleaning up ambiguous concepts.
• Updating the BRS Tagger app to improve accuracy by expanding the corpus and refining the extraction model.
• Collaborating with various teams to ensure compatibility with dependent applications and conducting thorough testing of all systems.
• Documenting processes and providing recommendations for future enhancements.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in information management, computer science, or a related field. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted. A minimum of five years of proven experience in computer programming, data analysis, knowledge management, and metadata management projects is required. Candidates should demonstrate experience in indexing content using existing taxonomies and possess advanced programming skills in MS VB or C# for .NET platform, as well as experience with MS SQL Server databases and OData restful web services. Familiarity with the Pool Party Thesaurus Management System is desired, supported by relevant certifications.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in information management, computer science, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree may be accepted in combination with additional relevant professional experience. Candidates should have a strong educational foundation that supports their ability to manage complex information systems and contribute to knowledge management initiatives effectively.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in areas such as computer programming, data analysis, knowledge management, and content governance. Candidates should have demonstrable experience in indexing content using existing taxonomies and proven experience in system analysis and design. Experience with environmental intergovernmental organizations on knowledge management projects is desirable, as it will enhance the consultant's ability to navigate the specific challenges and requirements of the BRS Secretariat's work.

Languages:
Fluency in English is required for this position, as it is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in another UN official language, such as French, is desirable and will be considered an asset in the selection process. Candidates should possess strong communication skills in both written and spoken forms to effectively collaborate with diverse teams and stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
The position is expected to last for four months, and the consultant will work remotely. The United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, ensuring a fair and transparent hiring process. Candidates should be aware that the organization does not request information regarding applicants' bank accounts.