Associate Data Specialist

UN Secretariat; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 360,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

UN Secretariat in Pretoria, South Africa, seeks an Associate Data Analyst to drive data-informed decision-making across UN partners. You will collect, process, and analyze data to support monitoring and reporting of Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks and SDG progress.

You will develop dashboards, support data quality initiatives, and contribute to capacity-building on data analytics for staff and partners. The role emphasizes inter-agency collaboration and evidence-based planning.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree in computer science, data science, statistics, or information management is required.
• Bachelor's degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted.
• Minimum two years of progressive experience in data management, data analysis, monitoring, reporting, or results-based management.
• Experience translating business requirements into technical solutions and developing training programs is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Implement and manage databases, data collection systems, and analytics to optimize data quality.
• Analyze trends and patterns using statistical methods and clean data from various sources.
• Develop MEL products for UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks.
• Create dashboards and reports to inform management and UNCT decision-making.
• Support data collection and integrate milestones into data pipelines.

Skills

Data analysis

Data management

Statistical methods

Monitoring & evaluation

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Master's degree in computer science / data science / statistics / information management

Bachelor's degree + 2 years qualifying experience

Tools

UN Info systems

Data visualization tools

Job description

Organizational context: The UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO) support countries in achieving development priorities and SDGs, operating under the UN Secretariat's Development Operations Coordination Office (DCO). This role, situated in the RCO in Pretoria, South Africa, contributes to the UN 2.0 shift, focusing on data, digital, and innovation to accelerate the 2030 Agenda.

Job purpose: This role supports the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Pretoria by leveraging data analysis to drive decision‑making and enhance the delivery of development programs. The Associate Data Analyst will interact with UN entities, national institutions, and development partners to collect, process, and analyze data. The purpose is to generate strategic insights, support evidence‑based planning, and contribute to the monitoring and reporting of Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks. The role is crucial for optimizing statistical efficiency, ensuring data quality, and facilitating inter‑agency collaboration to achieve the 2030 Agenda and SDGs.

Responsibilities: Implement and manage databases, data collection systems, and analytics to optimize statistical efficiency and quality. Analyze trends and patterns using statistical methods, and acquire/clean data from various sources. Develop monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) products for UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks. Contribute to co‑designing digital tools and dashboards for tracking SDG progress. Create reports, dashboards, and visualizations to inform management and UNCT decision‑making. Track progress on data initiatives and Cooperation Framework reporting. Support data collection, gather business requirements, and compile data insights for stakeholder communications. Integrate monitoring milestones and evidence streams into data pipelines. Assist in UNCT statistical capacity‑building and mapping technical assistance. Stay updated on data analytics best practices and technologies. Conduct outcome‑level analysis and support capacity‑building for staff on data analytics.

Education: An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in a relevant field such as computer science, data science, statistics, or information management is required. A Bachelor's degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted.

Work experience: A minimum of two years of progressive experience in data management, data analysis, monitoring, reporting, or results‑based management is required. Experience in translating business requirements into technical solutions, performing data validation, and developing training programs is also required. Experience with UN Info systems, data visualization tools, and supporting Cooperation Framework processes is desirable.

Skills: Professionalism, Communication, Teamwork, Data Management, Data Analysis, Statistical Methods, Data Collection, Data Cleaning, Reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation, Information Management, Training Development.

Required languages: English, French

Desired languages: