Global Environmental Data Strategist at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• The primary purpose of the Global Environmental Data Strategy (GEDS) consultant is to support UNEP in development and implementation of an effective data strategy to maximize the value of global environmental data assets.
• The GEDS consultant will facilitate consultation processes with various stakeholders, including but not limited to, internal UNEP groups, Governments, United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, the secretariats of the multilateral environmental agreements, international and regional scientific bodies, and civil society.
• As an outcome of the consultation processes the consultant will: Identify comparable methods for data collection and analysis and the promotion of their harmonization, taking into account existing standards, including those of the United Nations Statistical Commission System of Environmental-Economic Accounting, in coordination with other parts of the United Nations system and other relevant scientific institutions, building on international environmental data and statistical standards.
  Within the GEDS scope propose improvement of platforms that provide a repository function, to allow open access to up-to-date, quality-assured, credible and relevant data, including geospatial data, statistics, indicators and data analysis on the environment, including the work of the Global Resource Information Database (GRID) centers.
• Provide tools and policy advice for integrated approaches to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Accelerate efforts to assist Member States in developing their national environmental data management capacities and their environmental monitoring systems with regard to air and water quality, deforestation, marine litter and environmental security, and their ability to use data analysis to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Coordinate efforts with the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) to fully utilize Earth observations.
• Work with citizen science groups on potential contribution as a complementary resource to fill data gaps. Support common country analyses with robust environmental data and statistics, in line with Sustainable Development Goals indicators, by United Nations resident coordinator offices, and the integration of national environmental data management, geospatial information management and statistical capacity into United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks
• This post is remotely located with minimal travel to Nairobi, and reports to the Data Specialist.

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science, Information Management, or a similar field is required.
• At least 15 years of professional working experience in domains such as information technology, digital marketing, data governance, data strategy, quantitative and qualitative research methods and statistics or data analysis is required
• Proven experience in developing and implementing data strategies aligned with business/organizational objectives is required
• Extensive, proven experience in collaborating with various stakeholders to drive data-driven culture is required.
• Experience with the United Nations, European Commission, or national governments is considered a strong asset.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this assignment, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of other UN languages is an asset.