Data Architect

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.The Health Emergency Intelligence and Surveillance Systems division (WSE) is responsible for building a system of collaborative intelligence enabling better decisions to avert and manage public health threats and risks. Its goal is to enable, strengthen and support countries, regional and global actors in averting and managing public health threats and risks through collaborative problem solving and decision-making for short-term action and long-term policies, informed by better data and analytics.The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence is a new office of WHO, located in Berlin. It works with partners to enable the generation of public health relevant information to provide timely actionable insights and improve decision making to prepare for, avert and respond to public health threats. It also aims to reduce fragmentation and inefficiency by creating an ecosystem that promotes collaboration across multiple professional disciplines, sectors, and initiatives; and empower decision makers, public health professionals, and civil society to make informed public health decisions.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned all or part of the following duties which are performed according to the needs of the unit and department:

• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to identify data requirements and design, create and implement data solutions that support business processes and needs.

• Analyze the data needs of the Department and stakeholders and evaluate and select data integration tools that are best suited for the needs.

• Analyze and optimize data storage and retrieval.

• Design, develop, evaluate, implement and maintain algorithms and methods for data mapping, transformation, processing, analysis and querying.

• Develop and implement data integration strategies, data models, data dictionaries, data standards and guidelines and data mapping processes to ensure data consistency, accuracy and alignment with departmental objectives.

• Identify areas for data quality improvements and work with stakeholders to implement solutions, while ensuring data privacy and security through appropriate security measures.

• Develop and maintain documentation of the data architecture, data integration strategies and data governance policies and procedures.

• Monitor and evaluate data management systems to ensure they are meeting business needs and complying with any relevant regulatory requirements.

• Advise on best practices and emerging trends in data management.

• Work with others on the team and subject matter experts to identify relevant data sources for integration into models and algorithms.

• Develop strategies for integrating and managing data across different sources and formats.

• Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in data systems, data federation and related technologies.

• Perform other related duties as assigned, including replacing and back stopping for others as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: Advanced level university degree (Masters or higher) in Information Technology, Computer Science or related field AND certifications in technologies related to data modeling, data architecture, data transformation, data analytics and other relevant topics (e.g. CDMP, CAP).
Desirable: Certifications in project management, artificial intelligence and cloud technologies.

Experience

Essential: A minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience in a data architect or similar role, designing and implementing data solutions in complex environments on an international scale. Demonstrated experience integrating and managing large volumes of data across different sources and formats. Demonstrated experience with data management, data modeling and data integration technologies. Demonstrated experience working with cloud and big data technologies. Demonstrated exposure working with a variety of stakeholders in complex international contexts involving technical, cultural and political elements.
Desirable: Demonstrated experience in the public health domain.

Skills

• Ability to design and create data models that reflect business processes and needs.
• Strong skills in data integration techniques and tools to enable seamless transfer of data between systems.
• Extensive knowledge of data governance policies, procedures, and best practices for ensuring data accuracy, consistency, and security.
• Strong knowledge and expertise in the use of diverse large-scale database management systems.
• Strong knowledge of data warehousing concepts, including ETL (extract, transform, load) processes, data marts, and data warehouses.
• Strong skills with business intelligence and analytics tools and techniques for analyzing and interpreting large volumes of data to derive insights and inform decision-making.
• Strong knowledge of data security technologies and best practices for protecting sensitive and confidential data.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, or C , and experience with scripting languages such as PowerShell or Bash (particularly for data wrangling).
• Strong knowledge of cloud computing platforms, such as AWS or Azure, and experience with cloud-based data storage and processing technologies.
• Strong communication, collaboration and project management skills.
• Deep understanding of data management principles and technologies.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills to design and implement effective data solutions.
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Producing results
Knowing and managing yourself

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French. Intermediate knowledge of another WHO language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish).

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 77,326 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 3312 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test and/or an asynchronous video assessment may be used as a form of screening.

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• 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. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

• The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its staff. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int

• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with WHO and an underlying premise of the international civil service. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

• WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully.

• The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65 years. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.

• Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

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