Data Centre Officer (Data Analyst, Humanitarian Cash Transfer), NOB, Fixed Term, Kyiv, #120655, Open to Ukrainian Nationals Only

This position is hosted by the Social Policy Unit, which has overall responsibility for cash transfers within the Ukraine Country Office. UNICEF’s cash response to the ongoing crisis is among the largest of any UN agency. The position is part of a dedicated Humanitarian Cash Transfers team. The Data Analyst will help the team operate and maintain the digital solutions used to support key business processes of the cash transfer programme, including the registration of beneficiaries, executing and reconciling cash transfers, and capturing and following up on beneficiary feedback. The Data Analyst would also perform analyses of beneficiary and transaction data to monitor and optimise the performance of the programme as a whole. Through UNICEF’s partnerships with key government ministries in charge of social protection in Ukraine, support to these ministries’ digital systems and their design is also expected to form part of the assignment.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, hope

BACKGROUND

The Level 3 Scale-up for Ukraine was activated effective 5 March 2022, for an initial period of six months.  With the activation of the procedure, UNICEF has adopted a no-regrets approach in view of the complex situation and increasing humanitarian needs, to ensure that UNICEF continues to provide life-saving response for the children and women in Ukraine in line with the CCCs.

The intense escalation of armed violence following the hostilities started on 24 February 2022 in Ukraine has resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis. Characterized by mass movement of populations throughout the country and to the neighbouring countries and a growing number of causalities, the conflict is impacting all dimensions of life: impeding access to basic services, disrupting economic activities and livelihoods, and destroying essential public infrastructure – including schools, hospitals, bridges, water and sanitation facilities, and residential buildings. The conflict is a crisis for children, with risks to their lives and well-being growing daily.

This conflict, on top of the devastating socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the military escalation in 2014, is leading to widespread poverty and further increasing humanitarian needs across the country. Displacement has torn apart families, with children and women displaced from their homes as they flee the violence. Even before the latest escalation of violence, 2.9 million people required humanitarian support in the conflict-affected oblasts. According to OCHA, roughly 18 million people have been affected by the current conflict, of whom over 3.2 million are children (UNICEF HAC). With livelihoods cut short and needs piling up, 67 per cent of the total affected population need urgent humanitarian assistance.

In response, UNICEF has already mobilized organization-wide support. However, the deteriorating situation and complex operating environment requires strengthened capacity and sustained efforts to further expand our presence and work in those parts of the country that can be safely accessed, to strengthen our cluster and overall humanitarian leadership, and to continue scaling-up our humanitarian action, with priority focus on child protection, health, WASH, nutrition, learning, cash interventions and social protection efforts. UNICEF is also coordinating with refugee hosting countries to prepare and respond to the humanitarian needs emerging from population movements.

How can you make a difference?

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Under the direct supervision of the Data Team Lead, the data analyst will:

1. Data Processing and Analysis
   1. Enhance access and use of data by internal and external users for decision making through the effective deployment of a modern data analytics architecture.
   2. Contribute to strategic decisions for enterprise data warehouse systems and business intelligence tools and applications.
   3. Ensure appropriate data cleansing and consolidation routines are in place, and continuously monitor their implementation to ensure beneficiary data is of highest quality before importing into corporate beneficiary data management systems, e.g., HOPE.
   4. Analyse relevant data sources at all stages of the cash transfer implementation process, from registration to reconciliation, and identify opportunities for integration, ensuring the best use of data for programme implementation and monitoring and enable adaptive programming.
   5. Develop and implement data warehouse architecture and standards in line with business needs.
   6. Facilitate the development of high quality and reliable data and business intelligence outputs available to a wide variety of users.
   7. Implement tactical decisions for enterprise data warehouse systems and business intelligence tools and applications.
   8. Assist teams in the transition to cloud-based BI environments.
   9. Monitor usage and performance of business intelligence systems.
   10. Facilitating the adoption of business intelligence across the user base, on-boarding new services.
   11. Facilitate continuous improvement of the service.
   12. Research technology trends within and outside the government and ensure technologies are appropriately aligned.
   13. Develop new business intelligence products in line with government requirements.
   14. Perform other duties as assigned.
2. Contribution to application development
   1. Support the Business Analyst in identifying, formalizing, and maintaining business requirements and roadmaps for corporate solutions and document locally developed routines and SOPs linking corporate systems.
   2. Build strong working relationships with project stakeholders and analyse stakeholder objectives and the underlying issues arising from investigations into business requirements.
   3. Support and advise Product Owners in communicating the benefits of outcomes to gain acceptance/approval.
   4. Participate in design walkthroughs with appropriate focus groups and related users to verify accuracy of design in meeting business needs.
   5. Work closely with Business Analysts to develop detailed system designs and written test plans for online and report application programs.
   6. Develop, test and maintain code using software development methodology and appropriate technologies for the system being used.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• University degree in Data Science, Information Management, Computer Science or other relevant field.
• At least 2 years of professional experience in data science or data analytics; 1 year of experience in combination of a Master’s degree will be considered.
• Significant experience of designing and implementing modern analytics architectures.
• Desirable experience with e-Government architectures and Service Oriented Architectures within large scale implementations.
• Experience working in mature information system environments.
• Understanding and knowledge of best practices within development process including SDLC (agile and waterfall); direct experience is an asset.
• Experience with continuous delivery/continuous improvement processes and tools.
• Experience working in multidisciplinary teams towards assessing issues from a technical and business perspective while considering the regulatory and political landscape.
• Fluency in Python and SQL.
• Experience in designing and developing ETL processes.
• Strong knowledge of SQL-like databases.
• Should have working knowledge of performance optimisation and tuning tools.
• Up-to-date on latest industry trends; able to articulate trends and potential clearly and confidently.
• Honest, reliable and takes ownership of tasks, the incumbent will be required to notify the manager when there is a delay in meeting deadlines and where there are blocking factors inhibiting him/her from advancing.
• Attention to detail, results-driven, team oriented, self-motivated professional who is able to combine exceptional business acumen with a high degree of IT knowledge and effective communication skills.
• Pro-active and autonomous but willing to ask for help when needed.
• Sound interpersonal skills as the incumbent will be interacting with colleagues, vendors and stakeholders of all professional levels. It is important the incumbent can gain credibility with them to effectively complete his/her tasks.
• Ability to focus on delivering results in a dynamic environment with aggressive deadlines and multiple priorities.
• Understanding of the complexity of the institutional landscape of central, regional and local government in Ukraine would be considered a plus.
• Fluency in spoken and written English as a working language.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

CORE COMPETENCIES

Building and maintaining partnerships [I]

Formulating Strategies and Concepts [I]

Analyzing [II]                                     

Relating and Networking [I]

Deciding and Initiating Action [II]       

Applying Technical Expertise [II]

Communicating [I]

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.