Programme Specialist (Frontier Data), P-3, 6 months, DAPM

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 140,639 USD and 184,155 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a chance

At UNICEF, we believe that smart demand, supply, and use of data helps us drive better results for children. By asking the right questions, collecting, and analyzing data can help us understand the experience of every child. And when the right data are in the right hands at the right time, decisions can be better informed, more equitable, and more likely to protect children’s rights.

UNICEF’s Frontier Data and Tech Unit is working within the newly created Office of the Chief Data Officer to generate a profound cultural shift toward this vision. We are building a Frontier Data Network to create sustainable, global data science capacity and partnerships and collaborations that can ensure that equitable data science tools are developed with the most vulnerable children in mind. Our work is in line with the Data for Children Strategic Framework, UNICEF’s commitment to identify and act upon the most strategic data investments for children in the coming decade.

UNICEF strengthens its unique child-centric mission by partnering with public and private sector industry leaders, leveraging their research and technology expertise to improve outcomes for children locally, nationally, and globally. Our goal is to bring insight and solve problems through collaborations that use data science, Big Data, AI, and all other forms of Frontier Data technologies to improve outcomes for children. These partnerships deliver projects of varying size and complexity that reveal actionable insights for children’s outcomes.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF is seeking a Programme Specialist (Frontier Data) to facilitate our internal/external public/private sector data science relationships and projects, so that our network can most efficiently deliver impact. This role involves coordinating stakeholders across UNICEF business units, country, and regional offices, managing discussions with corporate partners, and sifting manifold opportunities into specific deliverables that advance the Frontier Data work in-house and with our research partners. The successful candidate combines digital product development and community of practice experience over a child-centered mission.

Under the direction of the Frontier Data Chief Scientist and the supervision of the Chief of the Frontier Data and Tech Unit you will be responsible for:

• Supporting the Data for Children Collaboratives with research and academic partners.
• Coordinating the Frontier Data Network, as it adds national and regional nodes to its operating model, fostering a data science community of practice.
• Assisting the Frontier Data Hub with partnerships, management, and general coordination:
  • Ensuring close collaboration and delivery of results on shared use cases with other UNICEF data teams, including the Real Time Data Initiative, a catalytic investment by UNICEF in its ability to integrate its programme, operations, and situation data.
  • Working with cross-sectional UNICEF teams to identify, design, and pursue new partnerships with national and international partners and donors on data science initiatives, prioritizing requests to maximize impact and organizational relationships.
  • Assisting in communication and outreach to other business areas about projects and ensuring timely follow‐up.
  • Supporting the production delivery of data science prototypes such as the COVID19 Situations of Concern (inter-agency project with WHO) and small area population estimates selector.
  • Working on outreach, communications, and fundraising
  • Supporting the strategic coordination of joint data management needs and interests of the Frontier Data Hub and Network with ICTD and the Frontier Data & Tech Unit
  • Supporting the strategic direction and vision of the Frontier Data Hub and Network

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in a data-related field, International Business, International Relations, International Affairs or any other related field. *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in:
  • Enabling and supporting applied research partnerships and scientific teams, especially with respect to data science
  • Working across private, public, and academic partnerships to deliver on shared data and technology goals
  • Crafting resource mobilization pitch decks with cross-sectional teams
  • Managing data innovation portfolios, especially with respect to big data or AI initiatives, companies, and teams
  • Organizing outreach and awareness raising for data science initiatives
• Ability to align technical goals with strategic business goals
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Demonstrates Self-Awareness and Ethical Awareness
• Drive to Achieve Results for Impact
• Innovates and Embraces Change
• Manages Ambiguity and Complexity
• Thinks and Acts Strategically
• Works Collaboratively with Others

Functional competencies:

• Formulating Strategies and Concepts (II)
• Applying Technical Expertise (II)
• Planning and Organizing (II)
• Relating and Networking (II)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

This position may be performed remotely.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.