Background
 
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
 
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels offers a spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in its Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in UNDP’s Strategic Plan. 

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS staff provide technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represent UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private, government and civil society dialogues, and engage in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. 

UNDP's 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlighting our continued commitment to eradicating poverty, accompanying countries in their pathways towards the SDGs and working towards the Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP's Nature, Climate Change, Energy, and Waste (NCE&W) Hubs promote and scale up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas.

BPPS’ Hubs on Nature, Climate, Energy and Waste, with the support of  the Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance unit,work with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate nature, climate, energy and waste related concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies, support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and oversee the implementation of the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming nature, climate change, energy and waste. 

This multi-billion-dollar portfolio encompasses: 

  • Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests; 
  • Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems; 
  • Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS; 
  • Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; 
  • Sustainable Energy; 
  • Extractive Industries; 
  • Chemicals and Waste Management; 
  • Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy; and SCP approaches. 

This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.

UNDP is at a strategic position to provide this support to countries using evidence-based policy making backed by data. The portfolio of projects overseen by UNDP, with financing from vertical funds, is immense – spanning more than 1,100 active projects across 140 countries. The data generated by these projects is equally immense. The BPPS VF Program Support Oversight & Compliance Unit’s Project Information Management System (PIMS+) gathers project results and progress data from projects underway in 140 countries.

Duties and Responsibilities

The purpose of this assignment is to provide high quality data analysis to support the performance, accountability and public profile of UNDP’s work with vertical funds like the GEF and the GCF.  The analytics will be critical to inform UNDP’s vertical fund work, which relies on continuous learning and feedback loops to ensure constant gains in organizational performance.

To achieve this objective, the following tasks will need to be accomplished:

  • Provide close support, often within tight timeframes, to the Vertical Funds Program Support Oversight and Compliance Diretorate, in retrieving, analysing, and visually depicting environmental VF project data and information for use in internal and external PowerPoint presentations and in support of strategic planning;
  • Conduct analytics and prepare descriptive, diagnostic, and predictive data analysis in order to boost organizational performance and identify areas of relative strength and weakness;
  • Develop strong working familiarity with UNDP Vertical Fund Portfolio PIMS+ database, which comprises a complex data set on UNDP’s Nature, Climate, Energy and Waste project portfolios.  Provide support to colleagues’ use of PIMS+, including trainings as needed; 
  • Think laterally in extracting data analytics to identify trends and metrics and use appropriate software (e.g. STATA, Python, R, for example) to communicate these visually to a non-technical audience;
  • Build strong and collaborative relationships with UNDP colleagues in Country Offices, at Regional Hubs, and at UNDP HQ in New York (including the SDG integration team) to ensure that pertinent data analysis is presented in a visually compelling way as part of UNDP VF portfolio “shop window”.
  • Take a hands-on and pragmatic approach, building prescriptive analytical capacity, in close consultation with the Director through regressive, factor and time series analysis with an overarching focus on communicating UNDP’s strategic narrative and generating positive change.

Institutional Arrangement

  • The incumbent will work from the office.  
  • The incumbent will report to, and be directly supervised by, the Director, Vertical Funds Program Support Oversight and Compliance or designated delegate. S/he will work closely with other thematic and regional Hubs and Bureaus;
  • The incumbent will be given access to relevant information necessary for the execution of the tasks under this assignment;
  • The incumbent will be responsible for providing her/his own work station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to reliable internet connection; 
  • Given the global consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, the incumbent  is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones. 
Competencies

Core Competencies 
  • Achieve Results:  LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
  • Think Innovatively:  LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements Learn Continuously:  LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
  • Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
  • Act with Determination:  LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
  • Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

  • Digital & Innovation -  Data Analysis
    • Ability to extract, analyse and visualize data (including
    • Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making.
  • Information Management & Technology - Data Collection
    • Being skilled in Data Sorting, Data Cleaning, Survey Administration, Presentation and Reporting including collection of Real-Time Data (e.g. mobile data, satellite data, sensor data).
  • Information Management & Technology - Data Management and Analytics
    • Knowledge in data management, data sciences, ability to structure data, develop dashboard and visualization. Design data warehouses, data lakes or data platforms concepts. Familiarity with Machine leaning, natural language processing or generation and the use of artificial intelligence to support predictive analytics. CDMP or TOGAF9 or equivalent certification desirable.
  • Business Development - Knowledge Generation
    • Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
  • Business Management - Working with Evidence and Data
    • Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making.
  • Business Management - Communication
    • Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and  unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
  • Business Management - Customer Satisfaction/Client Management
    • Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for the ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests.
    • Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Desired additional skills

  • Experience with Python, Power BI, STATA, R or Tableau.
  • GIS mapping capabilities is highly desired. 
  • Experience in machine learning applications, data science and other sophisticated analytic techniques;
  • Working experience in an international organization is an advantage as is knowledge of UNDP policies, procedures and practices. 
Required Skills and Experience

 
Education:
  • Master´s Degree in computer sciences, statistics, data analytics, or other closely related field.
  • Bachelor´s Degree in computer sciences, statistics, data analytics, or other closely related field with 2 additional years of experience will also be considered.
Experience:
  • A Master’s degree, or 2 years’ experience with a Bachelor’s degree, with overall professional working experience in data analytics, statistics or other closely related field.

Language:

  • A Master’s degree, or 2 years’ experience with a Bachelor’s degree, with overall professional working experience in data analytics, statistics or other closely related field.

Required  skills

  • Data auditing experience;
  • Experience in data visualization / presentation of results and impacts;
  • Mathematical and statistical modelling to support predictive decision making.

 Documentation required:

  1. Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed UNDP Personal History Form (P11) and/or CV indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
  2. A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
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.

 Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status. 
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