Responsibilities:

Within delegated authority, the Senior Statistician will be responsible for the following duties:

• Plans and directs the section’s work programme on economic, infrastructure, environment, and agriculture statistical analysis and methodological work, providing both technical and managerial supervision of all activities.
• Ensure the quality of collected data for accuracy, consistency, and comparability by using appropriate technology assets and approaches.
• Supporting the national statistical offices in the application of innovative tools and technologies in the collection of economic (in various areas), infrastructure, environment, and agriculture data and statistics.
• Designs and builds predictive economic and data science products, such as visualizations, models, or AI/ML algorithms for initial simulations or prototypes and subsequent ingestion into mainstream software applications.
• Guide team members to identify, analyse, and interpret trends or patterns, using machine learning techniques, and statistical methods to identify relevant features and variables in structured and unstructured sources of information and data.
• Undertakes methodological research with regard to standards on concepts, definitions, and classifications to assist countries and other constituents in strengthening and supporting the modernization and transformation of their statistical systems.
• Initiates, plans, and directs the preparation of publications, manuals, and websites in the specific area of the section.
• Plans and directs technical advisory activities for national capacity building through missions, consultations, and training workshops.
• Supervises and undertakes the development of new or improved statistical methods and quantitative models for analyses and projects.
• Prepares progress reports and other technical documentation regarding the work programme for presentation to relevant forums including, commissions, technical meetings, and expert groups.
• Maintains close liaison and cooperation within the field of responsibility throughout the organization and with other relevant national and international institutions to ensure full coordination and to avoid duplication of efforts.
• Represents the organization at international and regional meetings and inter-agency activities.
• Advises senior management on trends and developments in the relevant field and recommends appropriate courses of action.
• Plans, organizes, and manages staff; plans and discusses individual work programmes with staff and evaluates their performance.
• Leads team members’ efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation, and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate, and share the data they need.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.
• Minimum Requirements:

  Education:

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in statistics, mathematics, econometrics, economics, sociology, or related field is required.
  • A first-level university degree in combination with two years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
  • Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics, or data science programs is desirable.
  • A university degree in Data Science or a related area will be an added advantage.

  Experience:

  • A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience level in the collection, compilation, analysis, and dissemination of statistical data or related areas is required.
  • Experience in systems of national accounts compilation using survey data, administrative sources, big data, and application of modern methodologies including artificial intelligence is desired.
  • Experience in providing technical assistance/guidance and delivering capacity-building activities through workshops, seminars/meetings is desired.
  • Experience in data analytics or related areas is desirable.

  Language:

  • English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English or French is required; knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.