UN Associate Data Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Development System was reformed on January 1, 2019, to enhance its effectiveness in achieving the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This reform led to the establishment of the UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO), which are led by an independent UN Resident Coordinator. The RCOs support countries in achieving their development priorities and the SDGs. The Development Operations Coordination Office (DCO) was transformed into a stand-alone office within the UN Secretariat, overseeing the resident coordinator system. The DCO's functions were recalibrated in 2026 to ensure optimal support for the 2030 Agenda, focusing on data, digital innovation, and strategic foresight. The Associate Data Specialist plays a crucial role in enabling evidence-based decision-making through data management and analytics, contributing to the UN's mission of sustainable development.

Job Overview:
The Associate Data Specialist is responsible for managing and improving data systems, monitoring, and reporting systems to ensure the quality and interoperability of results and SDG data. This role involves producing data visualization products and interacting with various stakeholders, including UN entities, national partners, and NGOs. The specialist will support thematic officers with validated evidence and initial interpretations while ensuring that substantive policy interpretations remain with the relevant portfolio lead. The position is located in the UN Resident Coordination Office in Asuncion, Paraguay, under the supervision of the Head of the Resident Coordinator Office. The role requires a proactive approach to data management and collaboration with various organizational units to optimize statistical efficiency and quality.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop, maintain, and improve data systems, analytical processes, and visualization products that support evidence-based decision-making and organizational performance. This includes implementing databases, data collection systems, and analytics strategies to optimize statistical efficiency and quality.
• Contribute to the identification, analysis, and interpretation of trends or patterns using statistical methods.
• Implement process improvement mechanisms for data analytics tasks and assist with monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities.
• Support the design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).
• Facilitate coordination and collaboration with UN entities and national partners to enhance evidence-based monitoring and reporting of development results.
• Contribute to capacity development, training, and knowledge sharing activities aimed at building staff capacity on data analytics.
• Perform other related tasks as assigned.

Required Qualifications:
An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Computer Science, Data Science, Analytics, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Information Management, Data Management, Information Systems, Information Science, Economic or Social Sciences, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. An active certificate in relevant areas such as Data Engineering, Data Management, or Cloud Platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure) is desirable.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in relevant fields such as Computer Science, Data Science, Analytics, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Information Management, or related disciplines. Alternatively, a first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in the data life cycle, including data collection, data wrangling, analysis, visualization, deployment, monitoring, and reporting, is required. Candidates should demonstrate knowledge of foundational concepts in data manipulation and analysis, as well as experience in coordinating and managing monitoring and reporting data related to budget implementation and results. Experience in UN interagency coordination and related data management is desirable.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Spanish is required for this position. English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat, and candidates must meet the minimum required level for each skill in these languages according to the UN Language Framework.

Additional Notes:
This is a fixed-term position for an initial period of one (1) year, with any extension subject to the availability of funds and budgetary approval. The position is open to nationals of Paraguay only, and candidates residing outside Paraguay may be considered if no suitable local candidate is identified. The United Nations is committed to achieving gender balance in its staff and encourages female candidates to apply. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and may be assigned to various functions in accordance with established rules and procedures.