Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)H (no hardship)
Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeUNOPS IICA2
Target Start Date2023-09-01
Job Posting End DateAugust 14, 2023
Terms of ReferenceTitle: Business Analyst
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark (with possibility to work remotely)
Duration: 01/09/2023 to 31/12/2023 (with possibility of extension and possibility to work part-time)
Contract Type: UNOPS IICA-2/LICA-10 (P-3/NO-C equivalent)
Background and Organizational Context
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. UNHCR teams are in the field in over 130 countries, using their expertise to protect and care for over 100 million people. Access to reliable, timely, and accurate data is essential to achieve the aims of UNHCR’s Data Transformation Strategy 2020-2025, which aims to position the organization as a trusted leader on data and information related to refugees and other populations of concern.
The Statistics and Demographics Section located in UNHCR’s Global Data Service (GDS) develops statistical definitions and standards, produces and facilitates access to data, and oversees the production of global statistics on the forcibly displaced. The Section develops external products such as the annual Global Trends report, which analyzes the changes in forced displacement and statelessness and deepens public understanding of ongoing crises, and the Refugee Data Finder, which enables humanitarian workers, decision-makers, researchers, and many more to quickly access data and information on affected populations.
Within the actions undertaken to achieve the aims of the Data Transformation Strategy, UNHCR has been investing heavily in improving and standardizing the way its data is collected and through specific projects aiming to generate reliable, comparable and high-quality microdata on the forcibly displaced. These include the Forced Displacement Survey initiative and the Results Monitoring Surveys (RMS), which will lead to data collection for reporting and analysis of standardized socioeconomic and protection-related indicators, using internationally recognized methodologies and robust sampling approaches.
As part of this investment, GDS is also currently revising UNHCR’s external-facing data and indicator platforms, aiming at integrating the currently fragmented data platforms into a one-stop shop for different audiences for obtaining official population statistics and curated socioeconomic and protection indicators, such as those collected through its surveys, on forced displacement. This work has 3 main pillars:
(i) platform development for the incorporation of survey-based indicators into the current Refugee Data Finder;
(ii) methodological development on standards for inclusion and aggregation of indicators; and
(iii) curation and inclusion of indicators.
It is expected that having a broad set of survey-based indicators jointly with population and resettlement data in one single platform will facilitate its access and open up new channels of data exchange between UNHCR and other international organizations and researchers. This in turn will also contribute to increasing the consistency and quality of UNHCR data, facilitate the integration and comparability of data and indicators over time and across countries, and reduce the maintenance costs of multiple dissemination platforms.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Business Analyst will be responsible for gathering information on and analyzing UNHCR’s data systems and processes as well as data user requirements and develop recommendations to guide the development of a web-based Integrated Refugee Data Finder (IRDF) platform. The successful candidate will work as a member of the Data Science Team of the Statistics and Demographics Section and conduct technical discussions and an analysis on necessary system adaptations in the current Refugee Data Finder (RDF) to modernize and integrate UNHCR statistical systems, contributing to Pillar (i) of this project’s workstream. Specifically, they will have to carry out the following duties:
(i) Develop a business analysis workplan for the duration of the project.
(ii) Conduct a detailed review, use case documentation and requirements analysis for the IRDF, integrating inputs from relevant potential data contributors, curators and users. This review will include interviews with relevant UNHCR personnel at headquarters, regional bureaus.
(iii) Create a full data lifecycle model workflow from production to storage, validation and dissemination, including internal systems to populate the platform with survey-based indicators (such as from the Raw Internal Data Library or Microdata Library to IRDF).
(iv) Stock take and evaluate the existing technologies and platforms utilized in UNHCR statistical system according to their suitability to incorporate the data and functionalities identified as priority for the IRDF.
(v) Research and identify effective alternatives to UNHCR’s existing technologies / platforms that would bring an overall benefit by improving consistency and integration of UNHCR data while reducing the maintenance costs of multiple dissemination platforms.
(vi) Participate in the selection of a technology for a single UNHCR corporate solution to integrate data in consistent structures to enable dataset combination and analysis.
(vii) Contribute to the development and availability of a beta-version of the revised RDF which will include the resettlement data and initial indicators.
This work will also be informed by consultations with relevant partners and other external entities to ensure that all potential data users’ needs may be met and lessons learned from other organizations experiences consolidating data platforms is integrated into the business analysis.
Monitoring and Progress Controls
Main deliverables:
• business analysis workplan;
• list of functional and non-functional requirements, including workflow analysis, credential management, and user roles and responsibilities;
• scoping documents, including gap analysis of current functionalities of RDF;
• documentation of data model workflow;
• supporting documents for technology fit/gap analysis; and
• preparation of testing strategy, support technical teams in undertaking and documenting testing, and development of user training materials as necessary.
Essential Minimum Educational Level, Qualifications and Professional Experience
a. Education
University Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Engineering, Database Management, or another data-related field.
b. Work Experience
Required
- 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree.
- Demonstrated experience with global scale web-based content management or database management systems development projects.
- Previous experience working as a business analyst on data projects migrating production systems to a new technology stack is desirable (e.g., requirements documentation, systems configuration, test documentation/execution, issue identification and resolution).
- Previous experience working with or alongside a humanitarian or development organization on a large-scale data collection, curation or integration project is desirable.
c. Key Competencies
• Proven track record of delivering new global-scale production systems.
• Excellent knowledge in the design, creation, and maintenance of ETL and data pipelines.
• Excellent data transformation skills and good understanding of various data structures.
• Strong coding skills in SQL would constitute an asset.
• Knowledge and experience working with cloud computing.
• Strong writing and communication skills, with proven ability to draft functional requirements documents, to capture business use cases, to develop user acceptance testing scripts and to prepare end user documentation for systems.
• Experience in working with data-driven web applications and particularly headless technology is an asset.
• Ability to work within established deadlines.
• Excellent knowledge of English is required, working knowledge of another UN language is considered an asset.
• Knowledge about forced displacement, statelessness or related topics is a plus.
Location and Conditions
The anticipated start date is 1 September 2023 for an initial period of 4 months until 31 December 2023 with the possibility of extension and to work part-time.
The successful candidate will be based in Copenhagen, Denmark with the possibility to work remotely.
Shortlisted candidates might be required to sit for a written test. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. No late applications will be accepted.
This vacancy is open to applicants residing in Denmark as well as those residents of other countries. The remuneration level and the applicable entitlements and benefits may differ based on the residence of the most suitable selected candidate.
Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19.
Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees).
All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination, and abuse of power.
As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.
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Skills
EducationBachelor of Science (BS): Computer and Information Science (Required), Bachelor of Science (BS): Database Administration (Required), Bachelor of Science (BS): Information Technology (Required)
Certifications
Work Experience
Other informationThis position doesn't require a functional clearance