Global Monitoring Specialist

UN-Water is the United Nations (UN) inter-agency coordination mechanism for all freshwater related issues. It was formally established in 2003 building on a long history of collaboration in the UN family. It currently counts 35 UN agencies and organizations as Members and 48 international Partners. UN-Water complements and adds value to existing UN initiatives by facilitating synergies and joint efforts among the implementing agencies. In doing so, UN-Water seeks to: (a) improve the coherence in UN system actions at all levels, and in particular at the country level; (b) contribute to the global policy debate on water-related issues through active participation in global policy fora and events and the production of assessments and policy briefs; (c) contribute to increased knowledge on water-related issues through relevant monitoring and reporting mechanisms and by serving as an entry point for water-related indicators, data and information; and (d) identify emerging issues related to global water challenges and provide a platform for UN system strategic discussions on how to prepare for and cope with them more effectively. For further information: www.unwater.org.

In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, countries have committed to engage in systematic follow-up and review of progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which calls for robust and credible monitoring and reporting systems. The UN-Water Integrated Monitoring Initiative for SDG 6 (IMI-SDG6) supports countries in monitoring water- and sanitation-related issues and in compiling country data to report on global progress towards SDG 6. By bringing together the United Nations organizations that are custodians of the various SDG 6 global indicators, IMI-SDG6 enables synergies across these organizations as well as a harmonization of methodologies and requests for data, leading to more efficient outreach and a reduced reporting burden. At the national level, IMI-SDG6 also promotes intersectoral collaboration and consolidation of existing capacities and data across organizations. For further information: www.sdg6monitoring.org.

Given the high degree of interagency coordination needed, the UN-Water Technical Advisory Unit serves as the secretariat to the IMI-SDG6 Steering Committee and IMI-SDG6 Coordination Team, and provides overall administrative, communications and outreach support and facilitates coordination across all components of the Initiative.

The position is part of the UN-Water Technical Advisory Unit and works under the direct supervision of the UN-Water Global Monitoring Officer. The functional responsibilities broadly fall under the following areas: 1) coordination IMI-SDG6; 2) technical backstopping and analysis; 3) communication of global monitoring for water and sanitation; and 4) IMI-SDG6 regional and country level activities.

Specific duties include but are not limited to:


Coordination of IMI-SDG6

• Provide technical input to the IMI-SDG6 Steering Committee and Coordination Team. Organize relevant meetings for updates and to identify needs and gaps as required. 

• Oversee the annual IMI-SDG6 progress and financial reporting.

• Review and provide input as needed to  the annual IMI-SDG6 work-planning and budgeting.

• Backstop and provide coordinated communication around the periodic global data collection exercises (Data Drives) with UN custodian agencies.

• Provide inputs to the planning, budgeting, and implementation of joint and crosscutting activities.

Technical support and analysis

• Lead the ongoing maintenance, outreach and further technical development of the SDG6 Data Portal.

• Provide inputs to the periodic review and update of methodologies and technical review of reports of IMI-SDG6 Indicator Teams.

• Coordinate the crosscutting analysis of SDG 6 data for national, regional, and global audiences and for reports to UN-Water and to donors.

• Lead the development and testing of a joint spatial framework for SDG 6 data (e.g., water basins).

Communication of global monitoring for water and sanitation

• Oversee and monitor the implementation of the IMI-SDG6 outreach strategy and associated materials.

• Provide technical input to the development and outreach of periodic global indicator reports and SDG 6 synthesis/summary reports.

• Represent, participate & contribute to the organization of SDG 6 monitoring events in different fora. 

• Lead the ongoing maintenance, outreach and further development of the UN-Water SDG 6 monitoring webpages and associated online platforms.

IMI-SDG6 regional and country level activities

In close coordination with the UN-Water Task Force on Country-level Engagement and with the UN-Water SDG 6 Capacity Development Initiative:

• Contribute to the country and regional level work in the IMI-SDG6 global capacity building and data collection, including the liaison with the UN Country Teams, national focal points and inter-sectoral monitoring teams.

• Oversee  the maintenance of the focal point network and database.

• Provide capacity building training and/or support to countries on cross-cutting issues in SDG 6 monitoring.

Work implies frequent interaction with the following: 

Staff in the IMI-SDG6 Steering Committee and Coordination Team and UN-Water Management Team; relevant personnel in UNOPS; relevant staff in UN-Water Members and Partners; country overall focal points for SDG 6 monitoring. 

a. Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent), preferably in natural sciences, economics, engineering or management, with an environmental or water-related focus.

• A Bachelor’s degree with 2 additional years of experience may be considered in lieu of the Master’s degree & minimum qualifying experience.

b. Work Experience

Required:

• A minimum of 5 years (or more based on academic credentials) of progressively responsible professional experience in water‐ and/or environmental-related fields in the international context. 

• At least 2 years of experience with water resources and sanitation data. 

Desired:

• Experience in data management and analysis.

• Experience in coordinating and synthesizing inputs from expert groups and work in a complex inter-institutional context. 

• Experience in building and promoting good working relationships and collaboration across cultures and distance. 

c. Language Requirements

• Fluency in oral and written English is a must.

• Knowledge of other official UN official languages is desirable.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.