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). The UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO) play a crucial role in this reform, led by an empowered UN Resident Coordinator who represents the UN Secretary-General at the country level. The organization aims to support countries in achieving their development priorities and the SDGs, operating in various countries worldwide with a focus on collaboration and efficiency.

Job Overview:
The Data Specialist position is a fixed-term role located in the United Nations Resident Coordination Office (RCO) in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The incumbent will report to the Senior Development Coordination Officer, Strategic Planning and RCO Team Leader. The primary functions of this role include developing and implementing databases, data collection systems, and data analytics to optimize statistical efficiency and quality. The Data Specialist will interact with various stakeholders, including UN funds, programs, and NGOs, to exchange information and best practices. The role requires a strong understanding of data engineering and data science, as well as the ability to analyze trends and patterns in data to support decision-making processes. The Data Specialist will also be responsible for creating reports, dashboards, and data visualizations to effectively communicate findings to management and other stakeholders.

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

• Developing and implementing databases and data collection systems to enhance statistical efficiency.
• Analyzing and interpreting data trends using statistical methods.
• Creating reports and dashboards to summarize findings.
• Documenting methodologies and establishing standards for data practices.
• Leading the production of data products such as reports and newsletters.
• Collaborating with data engineers and scientists to improve data quality.
• Conducting training sessions for staff on data analytics.
• Keeping abreast of emerging trends in data analytics and updating management accordingly.
• Supporting model evaluation assessments to ensure alignment with organizational objectives. 1
• Establishing communication with other organizational units to express data needs.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a strong foundation in data manipulation and analysis, with a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in these areas. The ability to perform quality assurance on data analysis outputs is essential. Knowledge of the data life cycle, including data collection, wrangling, analysis, visualization, and reporting, is desirable. Project management skills are also beneficial for this role.

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 related areas is required. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
A minimum of five years of relevant experience is required, demonstrating knowledge of foundational concepts in data manipulation and analysis. Candidates should have experience in quality assurance of data outputs and familiarity with the data life cycle, including data collection and reporting processes. Project management experience is also desirable.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Spanish is required for this position, as these are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Knowledge of another official UN language is considered an advantage. Fluency is defined as a rating of 'fluent' in all four areas: reading, writing, speaking, and understanding, while 'knowledge of' indicates a rating of 'confident' in two of the four areas.

Additional Notes:
This is a fixed-term limited position with an initial appointment period of one year, subject to availability of funds and budgetary approval. The position is open to nationals of Honduras only, and candidates residing outside the country may be considered if no suitable local candidates are identified. The United Nations is committed to achieving gender balance and encourages female candidates to apply. The organization does not charge any fees during the recruitment process and is dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment.