Org. Setting and Reporting

This post is located in the Statistics Service of Office of the Secretary-General in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The incumbent reports to the Chief of the Statistical Information Technologies Unit and receives the overall guidance of the Director of the Statistics Service.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Information Systems Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

• Participates in the development, programming, testing, debugging and implementation of new statistical application systems releases, modules and functionalities, e.g., to compile trade in services statistics.
• Develops, tests and implements simple statistical computer application systems and programs using UN established standards for IT technologies, programming languages and tools.
• Serves as team member in the planning, specification, design, development, implementation and support of statistical computer application systems and web sites (including interactive graphs and maps); independently liaises with users to define and specify requirements.
• Installs computer application systems software and hardware according to specifications; monitors computer applications systems using appropriate monitoring tools and produces monitoring reports.
• Prepares technical and user documentation for deployed computer application systems, as well as training materials and conducts technical presentations.
• Maintains functional specifications for computer application systems, programs and procedures developed and/or modified.
• Provides support for deployed computer application systems including version management, data recovery and deployment to users’ offices; performs ongoing reviews with users and developers and responds to users requests.
• Supports the establishment of extensive liaison with diverse organizational units in system development and project implementation, e.g. organization of and participation in training, procurement of equipment and services, etc. Keeps abreast of developments in the field; performs benchmarking and proposes new acquisitions.
• Provides guidance to new/junior staff.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of statistical information infrastructure, including software and application systems. Knowledge of JavaScript, CSS, HTML, SQL, C#, QGIS and ability to use programming skills to develop statistical production and information management software and systems. Knowledge of web development for statistical data visualization using Leaflet, Microsoft SQL Server and PostGIS databases. Ability to respond to changing requirements and assignments, ability to apply good judgment in the context of assignments given. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.

TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of 7 years of experience in statistical information systems analysis, design and programming, systems administration and maintenance, software development, technical writing or related area is required.

Experience in statistical and geospatial databases, Microsoft SQL Server, jQuery, HTML5, QGIS is desirable.

Experience in data visualization using Highcharts API and Leaflet.js is desirable.

Experience with Debian, Apache, MediaWiki and WordPress is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required; and knowledge of French is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Applicants who have not passed the GGST at the time of application may be invited for the test after submitting an application. Staff members who were granted a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment as a result of having passed a predecessor test recognized by the Office of Human Resources Management, and who have continuously held such appointments, are not required to take the new test.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.