Consultant on Statistics, Multiple positions

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has established a Centre for Humanitarian Data in The Hague, the Netherlands to help increase the use and impact of data in the humanitarian sector. The vision is to create a future where all people involved in a humanitarian emergency have access to the data they need, when and how they need it, to make responsible and informed decisions.

The Centre focuses on four areas: data services, data policy, data literacy, and network engagement. The Centre’s data services work includes direct management of the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) platform and the Humanitarian Exchange Language (HXL) data standard. The data literacy work focuses on improving the data skills of technical and non-technical humanitarians. For data policy, the Centre creates guidelines for the responsible use of data by OCHA staff and partners. Finally, the Centre works to further build and engage an active community in support of its mission and objectives through a number events and communication activities.

The Centre’s Data Fellows programme began in 2018 and aims to expose the Centre and its partners to new areas of data-related expertise that can impact humanitarian response. The structure of the programme provides 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 second class of Data Fellows in The Hague in June and July 2019. The 2019 Fellows will focus on four areas where the Centre is seeking new perspectives, insights and partnerships including: Business Strategy, Data Science (education data), Predictive Analytics, and Statistics (disability data). The Fellowship programme is residential, with Fellows living and working in The Hague under the direction of the Coordinator for the Data Fellows Programme.

Disability Data in Humanitarian Action

Globally, an estimated one billion people have a disability, of which 800 million live in developing countries. In any crisis-affected community, persons with disabilities continue to be among the most marginalized: an estimated 9.7 million are forcibly displaced because of persecution, conflict and human rights violations. In some cases, morbidity in disasters has been estimated at a rate four times higher than that of persons without disabilities, as are instances of sexual violence and abuse.

Data that accurately describes the demographics of persons with disabilities is currently very scarce, especially in humanitarian contexts. To ensure inclusion and the safety of persons with disabilities in humanitarian emergencies it is however essential to be able to reflect the prevalence and nature of disabilities amongst the affected population to appropriately plan and implement a response.

Existing tools for needs assessment, planning, monitoring and evaluation in humanitarian action are neither adapted to data collection about persons with disabilities nor sufficiently joined-up to address disability as a cross-cutting issue. Disaggregation of disability data in humanitarian action also require greater standardization of data collection approaches to allow comparability and meaningful data exchange. Only 6% of the indicators in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee register are possible to disaggregate by disability.

At the Global Disability Summit in 2018, OCHA signed the Charter for Change with specific commitments to achieve the rights of people with disabilities in developing countries. These commitments included, among others, to support the finalization of inter-agency guidelines and after their launch, to advocate for their use and coordinate their implementation. OCHA also committed to establishing a fellowship to improve standard frameworks for disability data collection and analysis.

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 action and to think strategically about how to use data to create value for humanitarian response.

Accountabilities 

-          Design and execute a project related to disability data in humanitarian response 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 translate insight into action for decision makers.

-          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, as relevant, providing recommendations for further work in the area of focus.

-          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

-          A briefing note outlining the Fellows’ understanding of the specific challenge related to disability data and presenting a plan for how the Fellow will address this challenge through their capstone project.

-          At least one working prototype of a methodology, visual product or service utilizing disability data to generate actionable insight for humanitarian responders.

-          Detailed technical documentation (method, requirements, development roadmap) for the prototype model(s).

-          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

• Two years of progressively responsible professional experience in the collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination of statistical data is required.
• Substantive experience in collecting and analysing statistical data.
• Experience in the management of statistical databases and online data dissemination systems is desirable.

Language

• Fluency in English is required (both oral and written).

• 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.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• 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
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• 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.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC)

Based in New York, the Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations.

The SDC’s services include grants management, development and special initiatives support, and technology support to the UN and UN agencies.

The SDC is part of the New York Service Cluster that supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as a broadening community of other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.