Statistical Assistant

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)

Duty Station: Canada

Job Family: Programme Coordination

Type of contract : Non Staff

Level : Level 3

Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 28-APR-2021

 

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

In order to be eligible for this contract, applicant must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada or hold a valid Canadian work permit.

 

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the overall authority of the Director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, the guidance of the Head of the Education Standards and Methodology Section, and the direct supervision of the Head of the Household Surveys and Equity Unit, the incumbent performs specialised technical and procedural tasks related to statistical data analysis and dissemination of education data and indicators. 

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1.    Data collection and documentation

• Identify and obtain access to relevant survey and census data files and associated documentation from international survey programmes. These should include new Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) made available over 2021, and new surveys and censuses added to the IPUMS-International repository.
• Identify and obtain access to relevant survey data files and associated documentation from publicly available national surveys, including surveys identified through centralised metadata repositories and through national web portals.
• Maintain a catalogue of survey and census metadata (such as coding schemes, sampling, coverage, questionnaires, etc.) as relevant to education indicators.
• Maintain documentation of survey processing procedures and calculation methods.

2.    Data production

• Organise and pre-process survey data files for indicator estimation. This covers both newly identified surveys and the merging of survey modules for surveys previously imported into the UIS database.
• Support batch processing through recoding survey variables and standardise survey data according to UIS standards, including alignment of education data to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). Recoding tasks cover newly identified surveys and surveys already incorporated into the UIS database.
• Where required, estimate SDG indicators from survey data sources that are not able to be integrated into batch processing, such as surveys contained within the Luxembourg Income Study repository.
• Review and understand the technical specifications of surveys to guide survey processing.

3.    Data validation and maintenance of UIS databases in preparation for the September 2021 and March 2022 data releases

• Carry out quality control, through consistency and credibility checks. 
• Help validate data contained within the UIS databases, including data from internal and external sources.
• Provide support to maintenance of the UIS database system in areas such as testing and reporting of bugs.

4.    Contribute to activities in support of the mandate of the UIS and the education section:

• Proofread and fact check statistical material for print or electronic publications, in official UN languages.
• Prepare responses to data requests and other queries from internal and external data users concerning statistics and methodology.
• Liaise with external data producers.
• Update and maintain the UIS contact database for the LITEA survey as required.
   

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial) Accountability (C) Communication (C) Innovation (C) Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C) Planning and organizing (C) Results focus (C) Teamwork (C) - For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Completion of post-secondary (Cegep or equivalent), technical or vocational education, preferably with completion of statistical methods or data processing courses. 

Work experience

• At least five years of relevant work experience, which involves the processing and analysis of statistical data, preferably on education.

Skills and competencies

• An aptitude for numbers and good knowledge of statistical methods.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to manage and analyse large data sets with a statistical package.
• Experience in the analysis of sample survey and census data.
• In-depth knowledge of specialized statistical software, preferably Stata or R.
• Proficiency in MS Word and Excel.
• Good organisational and time management skills.
• Excellent team spirit and the ability to maintain effective working relationships in a multi-cultural environment.

Languages

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English or French.

 

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS 

Education 

• A bachelor or equivalent degree in statistics or another field with a strong quantitative component. 

Work experience

• Professional experience in a government or an international organization.

Skills and competencies 

•  Knowledge of SQL.
•  Aptitude for data visualization.

Languages

•  Good knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

UNESCO's salaries are paid in local currency (Canadian Dollar).
Salary: CAD 3,243.50/month net of taxes
Other benefits include: 2.5 days annual leave for each completed month of service, 5% for medical insurance and 10% for pension plan are included into the monthly salary.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.

The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview. 

UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.

Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.

Footer

UNESCO applies a zero tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.

UNESCO is committed to achieve and sustain gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities, as well as nationals from non-and under-represented Member States (last update here) are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality. Worldwide mobility is required for staff members appointed to international posts.

UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.