Consultant on Statistics

The Centre for Humanitarian Data is focused on increasing the use and impact of data in the humanitarian sector. It is managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and is based in The Hague, the Netherlands. The Centre’s services are available to humanitarian partners and OCHA staff in the field and at Headquarters free of charge.

The Centre focuses on four areas: data services, data responsibility, data literacy, and predictive analytics. The data services workstream focuses the management of the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) platform, the development and use of the Humanitarian Exchange Language (HXL) data standard, and support to the International Aid Transparency Initiative. The data responsibility worksteam focuses on the development and adoption of data responsibility guidelines and different techniques for the secure management of data, both within OCHA and the broader humanitarian system. The data literacy workstream focuses on improving the data skills of technical and non-technical humanitarians through the delivery of training programmes and development of capacity-building material. The predictive analytics workstream focuses on model development, including threshold and trigger design, and quality assurance of partner models through validation and a peer review process.

The Centre’s Data Fellows programme began in 2018 and supports all four workstreams. This high-profile initiative is designed to expose the Centre team and partners to new areas of data-related expertise that can impact humanitarian response and advance the goals of the Centre. The structure of the programme provides the Data Consultants/Fellows with exposure to different parts of the humanitarian system while allowing them to focus time and energy on an individual project that addresses a challenge related to the use and impact of data in the sector. 

The Centre will host its third class of Data Consultants/Fellows in The Hague in June and July 2020. The 2020 Data Consultants/Fellows will focus on three areas: Data Storytelling (Education), Predictive Analytics, and Statistics (Mosaic Effect). The Fellowship programme is residential, with Data Consultants/Fellows living and working in The Hague under the direction of the Coordinator for the Data Fellows Programme.

Exploring the Mosaic Effect in Humanitarian Data

Humanitarian data can include sensitive personal, community or demographic information about affected people and aid workers. The disclosure of sensitive information in humanitarian response can lead to already vulnerable people and communities being further harmed or exploited. This includes sensitive ‘group data’, which may contain aggregate information that, if disclosed or accessed without proper authorization, could lead to reidentification of vulnerable individuals or groups. However, this data is more challenging to identify and de-risk without deeper analysis. 

The Centre currently applies statistical disclosure control as one means of assessing and mitigating the risk of re-identification of individuals within single datasets. Beyond this, there is a need to better understand the risk of the mosaic effect, which can occur when multiple datasets which may seem innocuous in isolation are combined to reveal sensitive information. By assessing the likelihood and drivers of the mosaic effect within the humanitarian data ecosystem (both at within HDX and at the response level for different environments), the Centre aims to introduce improve our understanding and management of this potential risk.

We are looking for a candidate who is self-motivated and can thrive in an international, multidisciplinary team. The right candidate has the skills and abilities that together comprise the necessary levels of statistical expertise to develop methodologies and analytical frameworks to turn data into insight and to think strategically about how to assess and manage the potential of the mosaic effect manifesting in the different humanitarian response contexts.

The Consultant will be responsible for the following:

• Design and execute a project related to exploring the mosaic effect based on the problem statement provided by the Centre, including the development of at least one working prototype utilizing data available via HDX to help improve understanding of the mosaic effect in humanitarian response

• Design and deliver at least one session (in person or online) for the Centre team and broader community on an aspect of their area of technical expertise. 

• Communicate publicly about the project focus and key outcomes (in the form of a blog and other related channels).

• Produce a final report outlining the key insights from the projects and providing recommendations for how the Centre can prevent sensitive information being revealed through publication of datasets on HDX.

• Utilize available project management and office communication tools to effectively track and deliver expected outputs. 

• Maintain active and clear communications with relevant members of the Centre and the Fellowship partner organization(s) throughout the course of the programme.

Deliverables
The Consultant will complete the following deliverables:

• A briefing note outlining the Fellows’ understanding of the specific challenge related to mosaic effect in humanitarian response and presenting a plan for how the Fellow will address this challenge through their capstone project.

• At least one working prototype of a methodology, product or service that helps humanitarian practitioners and policymakers assess the likelihood of the mosaic effect and understand how to reduce risk related to this phenomenon

• Detailed technical documentation (method, requirements, development roadmap) for the prototype model

• At least one blog post on the outcomes of the project.

• A final report outlining the key achievements of the project and, as relevant, providing recommendations for further work in the area of focus.

EDUCATION

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in statistics, mathematics, economics, sociology or related field, is required. 

• A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

WORK EXPERIENCE 

• At least two years of progressively responsible professional experience in the collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination of statistical data. 

• Substantive experience in collecting and analysing statistical data. 

• Experience in the management of statistical databases and online data dissemination systems is desirable.

Contract type: ICA
Contract level: IICA-1/ICSC-9
Contract duration: 2 months

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.