Project Specialist (Public Health Data Use)

A fundamental government responsibility is to use information to improve the delivery of public services to citizens.  The Access to Information (a2i) programme, in collaboration with the Bloomberg Data for Health Initiative, is supporting a multi-year project -- Fostering Data Innovation to Strengthen Evidence-based Decision Making for Health in Bangladesh – to develop new approaches to leverage data to make public health policies and programs more effective. 

This project will focus on creating an Advanced Data Analytics Unit within Bangladesh’s Directorate General for Health Services (DGHS).  DGHS has relatively well-developed system for tracking routine health data from its extensive network of public hospitals and clinics.  Although DGHS has many strengths in its use of data in decision-making, one limiting factor is the lack of a dedicated analytic nerve center that could drive efforts and sustain momentum on various data projects and integrate their results into DGHS’ core processes for making programmatic, operational and strategic decisions.  This project’s Advanced Data Analytics Unit will help address this challenge.

The Advanced Data Analytic Unit will advance three objectives: 

• Objective 1 (Policy Development): Develop data-driven program and policy responses to address high-priority public health challenges
   
• Objective 2 (Operational Performance): Strengthen the use of data to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and equity of health services
   
• Objective 3 (Strategic Monitoring and Planning): Create government- and citizen-centric systems and processes that promote progress toward long-term health objectives

This project is recruiting a Project Specialist (Public Health Data Use) to redesign processes at the national and sub-national levels to optimize the use of data by public health officials to guide operational and strategic decisions. Reporting to the Program Coordinator (Team Head) and under the strategic direction of a2i’s Results Management and Data Specialist, the incumbent will [a] engage officials at the national and subnational levels to define and design tools (such as executive dashboards) that help these officials make better data-driven decisions to improve public health programs and policies; [b] coordinate the development and execution of new approaches for tracking and analyzing data regarding Bangladesh’s progress toward critical health-related Strategic Development Goals (SDGs); and [c] evaluate and redesign data use practices of DGHS decision-makers.  

The project is funded by the Government of Bangladesh, UNDP and other development partners, and is implemented by the ICT Division and Cabinet Division.

Under the direct supervision of the Program Coordinator (Team Head), the incumbent will perform below mentioned activities.

1. Identify the specific requirements for digital data solutions
2. Implement new approaches to SDG reporting and analytics
3. Evaluate and improve data use practices for decision-making

Duties and Responsibilities
1. Identify the specific requirements for digital data solutions
 

• Collaborate with solution developers to engage targeted public health decision-makers to:
• outline their needs for new/improved digital solutions to provide data for decision-making
• evaluate strengths and weaknesses of current digital solutions
• Maintain relationship with targeted users to solicit their ongoing input on new digital solutions being developed to address their needs

2. Implement new approaches to SDG reporting and analytics
 

• Evaluate strengths and weaknesses in current methods for analyzing health-related SDG progress, based in part on leading worldwide examples of SDG data tools
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement to identify priorities for new health-related SDG tools
• Maintain continuous input with relevant stakeholders throughout the development of new tools
• Develop protocols for use of new health-related SDG tools by government officials and by public audiences

3. Evaluate and improve data use practices for policy level decision-making
 

• Map processes and identify tools that support the current use of data in decision-making
• Define standards of exemplary practice and use them to assess current processes/tools
• Engage key officials to develop new approaches that move practices closer to exemplary standards; provide technical assistance to support the implementation of these improved practices
• Develop and execute activities to optimize the use of new/improved digital data tools that improve officials’ access to decision-relevant data insights

Impact of Results:

The work of the Project Specialist (Public Health Data Use) will improve the quality of public services by supporting the use of data-driven intelligence to innovate public health policies and programs.

Corporate Competencies:
 

•  Ability to demonstrate integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Ability to promote the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
• Ability to display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Ability to treat all people fairly without favoritism

 
Functional Competencies:
Data Use in Public Health Decision-Making
 

• Expertise in interpreting data commonly used in public health decision-making
• Experience in the business process improvement, with particular focus on the flow of data in those processes
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong skills with common desktop applications (ex. Microsoft Office) and with statistical analysis applications (such as SPSS, STATA, R)
• Experience with interacting with a range of senior public officials
   

 
Leadership and Self-Management
 

• Highly organized with a keen eye for detail
• Ability to manage complexity and to multi-task under tight deadlines
• Ability to think quickly and improvise when necessary
• Ability to work independently and also as an integral part of a team to deliver results
• Focused on result, with ability to respond positively to feedback
• Energetic, with a positive, constructive attitude

Education:
Masters in Statistics/Public Heath/Business Studies/Social Sciences/ any other discipline from any recognized public/private university

Experience:
 

• Overall 7 years of working experience in public health data with 3 years proven experience in public health data use practice, data solution providing and analytics development
• Experience in using statistical and data visualization/mapping software is mandatory
• Experience in working with common public health data sources is mandatory
• Experience in the development and delivery of training programs and technical assistance activities targeting senior executives will be an added advantage
• Previous experience in working with UNDP, government agencies, and/or donor organizations will be an added advantage
   

Language Requirements:
 

Fluency in written and spoken English and Bangla.

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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