Programme Specialist, Statistics and Monitoring; Data and Analytics Branch, Programme Division, Nairobi, P-3 at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

The Position:

• The Programme Specialist, Statistics and Monitoring post is in the Data and Analytics Branch of the Programme Division, Nairobi. S/He provides technical support to meet the data and analysis needs in the areas of sexual health and reproductive rights, family planning, gender and human rights, adolescents and youth, and population dynamics. The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Programme Adviser, Data Analysis and Use. The incumbent works within an integrated, coordinated, and systems strengthening approach which is fundamental to the Division’s and UNFPA’s overall strategy.
• UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

• The incumbent ensures data compilation, quality assurance, analysis and interpretation, and dissemination of data from external sources and their use to strengthen evidence-based policy, planning, programming, and advocacy. He/she supports the development measurement tools and guidelines for their use and monitoring of indicators relevant to UNFPA’s mandate, including SDG target 5.6, which UNFPA is the custodian agency. The Programme Specialist will also provide technical support for implementation of indicators at country level. S/he will provide technical leadership in updating and managing the UNFPA Population Data Portal (PDP).
• In all activities, the incumbent works with Branch staff and other Branches in the Programme Division, and fosters collaboration with other business units, Regional and Country Offices, member states and other external partners to ensure the timeliness, adequacy, relevance and quality of data, substantive outputs, and strategic partnerships.

Role Description:
The primary roles of the Programme Specialist, Statistics and Monitoring are:

• Data compilation, validation, analysis and use
• Technical support and capacity development
• Evidence and knowledge development and dissemination / communicating for impact
• Methodological development
• Strategic partnerships and technical representation

You would be responsible for:
Data compilation, validation, analysis and use

• Support global, regional and country level monitoring of relevant ICPD, SDG, and other global and organizational indicators relevant to UNFPA’s mandate in collaboration with internal and external partners.
• Manage, update and maintain UNFPA global databases and the Population Data Portal (PDP) including quality assurance of data to ensure it is comprehensive, accurate and comparable across countries, including regular PDP system updates and enhancements.
• Lead the annual SDG data reporting and production of content for the SDG report.
• Scan the development, health and gender data and ensure relevant up-to-date indicator data are included in the UNFPA global databases and the Population Data Portal with accompanying metadata.
• Collaborate with thematic focal points in updating and maintaining relevant data for each area.
• Develop and maintain tools and procedures to facilitate data compilation, quality assurance, analysis and dissemination of data the UNFPA global databases.
• Respond to ad-hoc data related requests, validation, and questions from senior management, regional and country offices, other UN agencies and external partners.
• Conduct analyses and interpretation of data relevant to the UNFPA mandate, including contributions to the UNFPA flagship publications and other thematic reports, as well as preparation of peer reviewed journal articles.

Technical support and capacity development

• Provide technical assistance to other branches in monitoring progress, analyzing impact, monitoring programme indicators and performance, and developing advocacy materials (e.g. country profiles, dashboards, posters).
• Develop, organize and contribute to capacity strengthening of countries to develop and monitor indicators of relevance to UNFPA, including in data collection, data quality assurance, data analysis and use, in collaboration with regional and country offices and other relevant partners via regional workshops, webinars, and targeted technical missions to make greater use of evidence available in the UNFPA global databases, PDP and dashboards.
• Contribute to strengthening the capacity within UNFPA for evidence-based policy, advocacy, planning and programming.
• Provide data and analysis related technical support to UNFPA offices at headquarters, regional and country offices for preparation of the Strategic Plan, Country Programme Documents (CPD), Common Country Analysis (CCA), and development of the UN SDG Country Framework (UNSDGCF), to ensure use of the best available data, including leaving no one behind (LNOB) analysis.

Evidence and knowledge development, dissemination and communicating for impact

• Conduct rigorous analysis and support the production of signature thematic reports, by triangulating data from various sources to identify patterns, trends and insights for evidenced-based planning, policy advocacy and resource investments.
• Build and apply innovative statistical applications, including use of generative AI, models or machine-learning algorithms to predict and project various outcomes and scenarios.
• Communicate analysis results through relevant data visualizations such as charts, graphs and other tools, including use of GIS applications for mapping at subnational levels and sub-population analysis.
• Develop, enhance, and support innovative ways to best serve UNFPA’s in-house data and information needs at country, regional and global level, including dashboards and profiles on various UNFPA priority thematic areas (e.g. adolescents and youth, family planning, female genital mutilation, child marriage, maternal health and mortality, and census dashboards, including SDG 5.6).
• Produce annual statistical tables for UNFPA flagship publications, including the State of World Population.
• Support knowledge management, dissemination, and advocacy including developing statistics and analytic reports and profiles on priority thematic areas including SDG 5.6 for external user needs.
• Support data-driven advocacy, roll-out and capacity strengthening, including the production of “how-to” videos, and related training on data dissemination and use.

Methodological development

• Support methodological development pertaining to the estimation of global and national level progress in areas of relevance to UNFPA in collaboration with other partners.
• Coordinate with data production partners (DHS. MICS, and National Statistical Offices among others) in data collection and development of new measurement metrics in areas of relevance to UNFPA, including for SDG 5.6.
• Contribute to improvement in data quality at the data collection stage, including in household surveys and routine programme monitoring systems. Collaborate with main partners (WHO, UNICEF, UN Women, UN Statistics Division and Population Division and others) to modify existing measurement tools and develop new tools where appropriate. Test tools in field situations, develop guidelines for their use and provide support for implementation at country level.
• Develop tools, guidelines, and innovative approaches to indicator development, monitoring, data analysis and use, including predictive and projection modelling and scenarios.

Strategic partnerships, technical representation and resource mobilization

• Participate in interdivisional working groups and partnership mechanisms for statistics and monitoring
• Engage in relevant interagency collaboration, partnerships and convenings and support data related event planning and execution.
• Liaise with UN agencies, academia, NGOs and research institutions and act as focal point for inter-agency working groups related to data and statistics of relevance to UNFPA.
• Substantively contribute to UNFPA’s efforts to mobilize additional resources in data and statistics, capacity strengthening and convening and thought leadership.

Carry out any other duties as may be required by the Branch Chief, Division Director or senior management.
Qualifications and Experience:
Education:

• Advanced University degree or equivalent in Social Sciences, Public Health, Statistics, Demography, Sociology or other related discipline.

Knowledge and Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in data collection, analysis, visualization, dissemination, database development and maintenance and research within an international/resource-poor setting
• Strong knowledge of database development, management, structures and methodologies
• Strong competencies in the use of statistical packages including SPSS, STATA, SAS, and R
• Strong data visualisation skills, including GIS PowerBI, and other similar applications is required.
• Mastery of methods and techniques for monitoring and evaluation, data collection, compilation, quality assurance, and analysis of information derived from a variety of sources (e.g. DHS, MICS, population census and routine programme monitoring)
• Ability to provide advice and guidance on indicators, monitoring, quality assurance, analysis, interpretation and use of data.
• Experience with programming languages such as Python, R, SQL is an advantage
• Experience leading projects with a strong user-engagement component
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Excellent report writing and oral presentation skills
• Familiarity with the UN system desirable

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required; knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Required Competencies:
Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Conceptual analysis in the provision of technical expertise – developing innovative and creative approaches.
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners and building strategic alliances and partnerships – identifying and building partnerships.
• Job knowledge and expertise – in depth knowledge of their discipline.