Data Analyst At UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Vacancy Notice No: CPH/VN/2022/028

Title: Data Analyst

Duty Station: Copenhagen, Denmark

Duration: 18/07/2022 – 31/12/2022 (with possibility of extension)

Contract Type: UNOPS LICA level 9 (Local Individual Contractor Agreement)

Application deadline: 10 June 2022

Organizational Context

High-quality data is central to the success of UNHCR’s efforts to safeguard the rights and well-being of persons of concern, and to achieving the vision of becoming, by 2025, a trusted leader on data and information related to refugees and other affected populations. The two main data sources for UNHCR are registration systems and household surveys. In 2020, UNHCR initiated a process to integrate and standardize UNHCR’s survey landscape, while at the same time expanding it to accommodate the survey-based indicators of the new corporate Results Based Management (RBM) framework.

One key aspect of this effort to integrate and harmonize its work on household surveys is the establishment of a new global survey programme. Working under the Senior Survey Programme Coordinator in the Global Data Service (GDS), the Data Analyst will join a technical team developing, piloting and subsequently scaling up this survey series. Other anticipated members of the technical team include sampling and survey experts. The technical team will work closely with the other stakeholders in the survey programme, including an inter-divisional working group overseeing and guiding the establishment of the new survey programme (the working group includes the Division of Resilience and Solutions, the Division of Strategic Planning and Results, the Division of International Protection, the World Bank-UNHCR Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement and UNHCR Regional Bureaux).

A key overarching aim of the new survey programme is to move towards an integrated survey series that delivers to the vast majority of the organization’s survey data needs. It is envisaged that this survey series will be able to deliver the required data for the following purposes: inform, design and prioritize programming; construct targeting models; advocacy; advance partnerships (including with development institutions); enhance external reporting; strengthen fundraising; provide indicators for results frameworks (in particular the new RBM) and global commitments (e.g. Global Compact on Refugees, SDGs, Grand Bargain). The survey series should also be able to provide the required data for select programme monitoring. Its initial focus will be on countries hosting large numbers of refugees and asylum-seekers.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

The Data Analyst will contribute to the pilot implementation phase of the new survey programme, which began in Q1/2021 and is expected to run through Q4/2022 and cover 3 pilot countries. The Data Analyst will work closely with the Survey Specialists to outline and complete descriptive reports for each of the 3 country surveys. In doing, the incumbent will be responsible for developing a process and programme to efficiently clean, analyse and produce tabular reports key outputs of the data collection that can easily be adapted to future data collection exercises in the series. The assignment will require close coordination with team members, as well as the data collection firm and other stakeholders. The Data Analyst will also contribute to quality control and other analytical needs in the survey lifecycle, as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Contribute to the design of survey instruments through analysis of pilot data.
• Conduct quality assessment of the field pre-testing activities in collaboration with the Senior Survey Programme Coordinator and other team members
• Oversee and quality assure the data collection process from the data aspect. Ensure that these are carried out in full accordance with technical/design requirements and quality control specifications. During the pilot surveys, also ensure that any testing protocols (e.g. cognitive testing, randomization, etc.) are correctly observed.
• Develop survey dashboard to monitor sample completeness, data quality and interviewer performance.
• Lead review of data quality and conduct data processing, as needed.
• Develop outline for survey report, based on good practices from other survey series, together with team members.
• Generate tables and other output for reports.
• Design reproducible system and processes for standardised generation of tables and other output that can be applied to future surveys in the series.
• Anonymise and document the survey microdata for public use through UNHCR’s microdata library.
• Develop written guidance on best practices on data processing and analysis of survey series data by topic area;
• Contribute towards the development of survey database management system and development of protocols to interact with UNHCR’s corporate databases and registration systems
• Other research and analysis, as needed.

Essential minimum qualifications and professional experience required

Education and professional work Experience

Required

• Master’s Degree in Statistics, Demography, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations or any other related field.
• 3 years of relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 2 years with a Doctorate.
• Demonstrated experience in the design, collection and analysis of household survey data.
• Demonstrated experience using both Stata and R for data transformation and analysis of survey microdata.
• Demonstrated experience in survey microdata anonymization and data documentation.

Desirable

• Experience working with Database Management Systems and knowledge of SQL language.
• Experience working with United Nations or an international organization (HQ or country level).
• Experience working with National Statistical Offices, statistical production or quantitative data collection, analysis or dissemination processes, or partnership coordination with national and international partners.
• Experience supporting the organization of professional workshops or trainings, including in facilitation roles.
• Experience working with multi-stakeholder projects with significant coordination needs in an international environment.

Functional Skills

Required

• Experience and understanding of data quality principles.
• Excellent data management skills, including the ability to process, anonymise, document and catalogue survey microdata.
• Excellent data analysis skills from basic descriptive descriptions to model-based estimations (regression type analysis).
• Proficiency both in Stata and R.
• Excellent writing skills and ability to draft reports and develop materials for documentation purposes (reports, notes from meetings and analytical publications).
• Excellent knowledge of household survey data and practices of the analysis of socio-economic data.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to work within established deadlines is required.
• Excellent knowledge of English, working knowledge of another UN language, preferably French, considered an asset.

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience working with DBMS and particularly SQL Server based systems and proficiency in SQL Language.
• Knowledge about forced displacement, statelessness or related topics.
• Understanding of official statistics, including different data sources (surveys, administrative data and census).
• Previous experience with a research or multilateral institution (e.g. UNHCR, World Bank, etc.).

Location and Conditions

The successful candidate will be based in Copenhagen, Denmark. This position is up to the end of the year with possibility of extension. It is a full-time role (40 hours per week). 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.