UN Associate Data Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Development System was restructured on January 1, 2019, under the leadership of the UN Secretary-General to enhance its effectiveness in achieving the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO) play a pivotal role in this transformation, supporting countries in their development priorities. The Development Operations Coordination Office (DCO) was established as a stand-alone entity within the UN Secretariat to oversee the resident coordinator system. The DCO's mission is to ensure that the UN system is optimally configured to support the acceleration of the 2030 Agenda, focusing on data, digital innovation, and a mission-driven culture. The organization operates globally, with a focus on collaboration with national institutions, civil society, and development partners.

Job Overview:
The Associate Data Specialist will be integral to the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Maseru, Lesotho. This role involves significant interaction with various stakeholders, including UN entities, national institutions, and development partners. The incumbent will contribute to the development and implementation of databases, data collection systems, and analytics that enhance statistical efficiency and quality. The position requires collaboration with external counterparts, including UN funds and programs, to ensure effective data management and reporting. The Associate Data Specialist will also support the UNCT Results Groups by consolidating agency inputs, tracking UNSDCF indicators, and preparing evidence for reviews. This role is crucial for the substantive work of the UNCT Programme Coordination Team, ensuring that data-driven insights inform decision-making and strategic planning.

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

• Implementing databases and data collection systems to optimize statistical efficiency.
• Analyzing trends and patterns in data using statistical methods.
• Improving processes for data analytics tasks and maintaining databases.
• Developing monitoring and evaluation products for UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks.
• Collaborating with national statistical partners to design digital tools for tracking SDG progress.
• Creating reports and dashboards to summarize findings for management.
• Tracking progress on data initiatives and contributing to data visualization outputs.
• Assisting with data collection and analysis for project tasks.
• Supporting capacity-building activities for UNCT staff on data analytics. 1
• Conducting training on results-based management and evaluation techniques. 1
• Contributing to the integration of monitoring milestones into data pipelines. 1
• Performing other related tasks as assigned.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a strong understanding of sustainable development theories and concepts. They should demonstrate the ability to identify data sources, conduct research, analyze data, and produce reports on sustainable development issues. Professionalism, effective communication skills, and teamwork are essential competencies for this role. The incumbent should also be able to incorporate gender perspectives into their work and ensure equal participation of all genders in all areas of work.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in fields such as computer science, data science, analytics, statistics, applied mathematics, information management, or social sciences is required. Alternatively, a first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
A minimum of two years of progressively responsible experience in data analysis, demonstrating the ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions, is required. Experience in quality assurance of data analysis outputs and assessing data accuracy is desirable. Skills in data storytelling and visualization tools such as Tableau, Power BI, and R are also desirable, along with project management experience and the ability to develop training programs.

Languages:
English is the mandatory working language for this position, with a required proficiency level of UN Level II in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. French is considered a good to have language, but not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
This is a Fixed Term position available for a duration of one year, with no expectation of renewal. The position is open to nationals of Lesotho only, and candidates residing outside Lesotho may be considered if no suitable local candidates are found. The UN is committed to achieving gender balance and encourages female candidates to apply. The recruitment process is free of charge, and the UN does not require any fees at any stage of the recruitment process.