Data Innovation Specialist (Forecasting)

  • Contractor
  • New York United States of America
  • TBD USD / Year
  • UNOPS profile




  • Job applications may no longer being accepted for this opportunity.


UNOPS

Application deadline: 8 August 2022

Duty Station: New York, USA

Contract level: P3

  • * Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply!!!

Functional Responsibilities:

UNOPS is hiring for UNGP a Data Innovation Specialist (Forecasting) to work closely together with UNOCC to strengthen anticipatory decision-making and planning processes at various levels within the UN with a focus on data and quantitative approaches – by planning and coordinating Strategic Foresight activities and developing foresight capable data systems.

This may include: building horizon scanning capacity to monitor emerging issues to guide agenda formulation at the UN executives level; analyzing signals to identify risk tipping points against probable threat scenarios connecting peace and security, humanitarian, development and human rights. To ensure the foresight application is business oriented and impactful, the candidate will perform a baseline assessment of existing analytical processes and frameworks, business needs, data feasibility requirements, data systems, concepts and proposals, working in close collaboration with relevant data teams and other stakeholders.

The incumbent will work under the Innovation Scaling Lead of UNGP and coordinating with UNOCC for day-to-day tasking and execute the following duties:

  1. Strategic Development, Research and Analysis
  2. Knowledge creation, capacity building and reporting
  3. Communication and partnerships

1. Strategic Development, Research and Analysis

  • Assess the value chain of Strategic Foresight across UN senior decision-making fora and UNOCC’s services, identify priority business processes for it’s applications, and liaise with colleagues to ensure safe, ethical and inclusive practices;
  • Design and execute quantitative analytical processes prioritized in the foresight value chain assessment. This encompasses non-conventional and real-time data sources such as online media, social networks, imagery, geospatial data, etc, and includes analyzing big data sources and using data science techniques in order to detect signals and trends;
  • Identify and collect relevant primary and secondary data sources supporting foresight development compatible with UNOCC’s modern data architecture.
  • Improve trend discovery and monitoring, horizon risk scanning, risk identification, scenario tracking and scenario planning, with a strong focus on quantitative data modelling;

2. Knowledge creation, capacity building and reporting

  • Support data visualization, communication, and data use by developing charts and graphs, infographics, dashboards, and other information design and visual content needed to translate various project data sources to cater to different consumption patterns and needs.
  • Write and revise technical documentation; proactively record and share the lessons learned in a variety of forums;

3. Communication and partnerships

  • Network with industry specialists and build connections with the broader innovation ecosystem to support the development of interdisciplinary partnerships;
  • Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above, including on integrated analysis and situation monitoring;

Impact Results

Support UN leadership in accessing futures and foresight capacity to identify emerging risks and opportunities, develop mitigation strategies, and inform strategic planning contributing to the overall vision and mission of UNGP.

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) preferably in computer science, computational social sciences, social sciences, statistics, engineering, economics, monitoring & evaluation or another relevant discipline.
  • A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) and an additional two (2) years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a higher university degree.

Experience: Required:

  • A minimum of five (5) years of professional experience preferably working in data science or a similar field.

The following experience is desirable. Candidates who do not have experience in these areas are welcome to apply:

  • Experience in business intelligence, modelling for foresight and/or predictive analytics:
  • Experience in qualitative and quantitative research and/or designing mixed-methods approaches;
  • Experience implementing systems with analytical techniques from machine learning, artificial intelligence, and their application for different business needs;
  • Experience working in multidisciplinary projects between data/science/technology and foresight/development/humanitarian response;
  • Experience systematizing analytical workflows on scalable cloud-based systems; Ability to automate data workflows and code
  • Working in an international organization.

Language Requirements

  • Fluency in English (read, write, speak) is required.
  • Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

How to apply

The interested candidates need to submit their application on or before 8 August 2022 through our job portal following link below. Please find more information on how to apply on our UNOPS Jobs portal, here. Find here more details about Staff contract modality.


Job Notifications
Subscribe to receive notifications for the latest job vacancies.