Job Opening number: 17-STT-ECA-82069-R-ADDIS ABABA(G)
Staffing Exercise ID: N/A
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Special Notice
- Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
- The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
- Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfill the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this job opening. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover note.
- Rostered applicants are encouraged to apply only if they are interested and available to take up the position at the duty station/s specified in the Job Opening. Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected.
- For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 30 April 2017, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belarus, Belize, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Cyprus, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Viet Nam.
Organizational Setting and Reporting
This post is located in the Data Technology Section of the African Center for Statistics (ACS) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Ababa. The Chief of the Section will report to the Director of the African Center for Statistics.
Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Director of the African Center for Statistics (ACS), the Chief of the Data Technology Section will provide leadership and guidance in the following programme area of work in the Center. The incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:
- Plans and directs the section’s work programme on statistical analysis and methodological work, providing both technical and managerial supervision of all activities Statistical analysis and dissemination with focus on socio-economic data including data on sustainable development indicators;
- Plans and directs technical advisory activities for national capacity building through missions, consultations and training workshops;
- Supervises and undertakes the development of new or improved statistical methods and quantitative models for analyses and projects;
- Maintains close liaison and co-operation within the field of responsibility throughout the organization and with other relevant national and international institutions to ensure full co-ordination and to avoid duplication of efforts;
- Plans, organizes and manages staff; plans and discusses individual work programmes with staff and evaluates their performance;
- Develops effective dissemination platforms and strategies; initiates research on specific areas as requested by users in liaison with other sections of ACS;
- Reviews data on the ECA database to ensure coherence, consistence and validity and Provide guidance on user-friendly data formats for presentation. She/he will guide countries in developing and implementing programmes in the above mentioned areas keeping in view the international standards, technology and methodologies and also the African peculiarities.
- The Chief of the Data Technology Section will;
- Plans and organize the following duties: resource mobilization, establish and coordinate partnership; planning and management of the above mentioned programmes; provide technical guidance on strengthening national statistical capacity to develop and implement programmes in data standards, dissemination, and open-data initiatives;
- Addresses a wide range of technical questions, institutional and financial issues to support countries in implementing data revolution within the realms of big data; assisting countries to adapt to internationally methodologies and technology to the African context; lead and coordinate regional working group in these programme area of work;
- Provide substantive input in the preparation of position papers related to data standards and dissemination and reports for presentation to intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports. Initiating, planning and preparing manuals, web sites and other technical documentation regarding the work programme for general distribution;
- Ensures that the outputs produced by Section maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensure that all outputs produced by the Section under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates;
- Prepares inputs for the work programme of the Center, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery;
- Ensures seamless data flow from sections within ACS as well from Divisions and SROs of ECA to ECA statistical data base;
- Carry out programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Section, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget/programme performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, evaluation of staff performance, interviews of candidates for job openings and evaluation of candidates;
- Represents ECA at inter-agency meetings, seminars, inter-governmental and technical meetings and conferences on substantive-related issues related to quality and data standards;
- Participates in international, regional or national meetings, provide expertise on quality, data standards, and dissemination and hold programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions including maintaining close liaison and co-operation within the field of data technology relating to statistical applications throughout the organization and with other relevant national and international institutions to ensure full co-ordination and to avoid duplication of efforts;
- Provides expert advice to ECA staff (including consultants and contractors working for ECA on statistical data collection tools; advises senior management on the latest trends on technology for managing data and recommend appropriate plans, and
- Performs other duties as required.
Competencies
- Professionalism: Ability to provide technical advice in the development and implementation of programs, methodologies and policies with a view to improving statistical capabilities and standards of broad applicability. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
- Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Planning& Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
Managerial Competencies
Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.
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 combination with additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in the collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination of statistical data or related area is required. Experience in official statistics at national, regional, or international levels and working with development partners and stakeholders in the area of economic statistics and/or demographic and social statistics is desirable. Demonstrated experience in management in the African context, including data technology and data dissemination strategies is also desirable.
Languages
Fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat, English or French, (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity, including but not limited to, respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to, whether they have committed or are alleged to have committed criminal offences or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on ‘The Application Process’ and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on ‘Manuals’ hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The screening and evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications, including but not limited to, their education, work experience, and language skills, according to the instructions provided on inspira. Applicants will be disqualified from consideration if they do not demonstrate in their application that they meet the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations. Applicants are solely responsible for providing complete and accurate information at the time of application: no amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
More Information
- Job City Addis Ababa
