Job Opening
Job Opening ID: 226169
Job Network : Information and Telecommunication Technology
Job Family : Information Management Systems and Technology
Category and Level : Consultants, CON
Duty Station : NEW YORK
Department/Office : Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Date Posted : Jan 19, 2024
Deadline : Feb 4, 2024

Result of Service
By 29 February 2024:
o Output 1: Detailed plan of activities and work strategy, specifying key outputs and timelines jointly agreed with MBS, particularly with MBS focal point, and with other partners as needed. The plan will include information to assess three administrative records identified and strategy to modernize IT infrastructure to import and store administrative data taking into consideration the existing IT infrastructure.
o Output 2: First Report, on the assessment of a first administrative data source along with current IT infrastructure of MBS and strategic plan to modernize IT architecture to support administrative data.

By 29 March 2024:
o Output 3: Report on the assessment of the second and third administrative data sources.
o Output 4: Delivery of technical assistance and advice on recommend tools needed to modernize IT infrastructure such that MBS can sustain and automate administrative data process.

By 30 April 2024:
o Output 5: Report on progress of the work.

By 31 May 2024:
o Output 6: Final report providing an overview of all contributions made and a recommendation for next steps for the project overall. This includes a guideline for an IT overall infrastructure for the three data sources developed in close cooperation with MBS.
Work Location
Remote, with potential technical assistance missions
Expected duration
4 months
Duties and Responsibilities
Background
There is an urgent need to strengthen the capacity of national statistical systems to leverage the use of administrative data for statistical purposes, in order to fill gaps in the data available to policy and decision makers to monitor progress and implement the 2030 Agenda, and to address emerging challenges such as the COVID-19 crisis.

When good-quality administrative systems are in place and their information is regularly updated, they can reliably and continuously provide a full picture of key aspects of a country’s population or economy, on a continuous basis. Re-use of data which are collected by government agencies and ministries in the course of their regular work often reduces the response-burden on the citizens and businesses and makes the statistical system more resilient to disruptions created by natural disasters and other emergencies. Data from existing administrative registers are, however, not primarily collected for the purpose of producing official statistics, but rather to fulfill other functions, such as legal or regulatory compliance, delivery of government services, etc. Many countries are still struggling with the lack of infrastructure and technical and institutional arrangements for the efficient exchange and processing of administrative data and metadata for the production of official statistics.

The UN Statistics Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), has therefore initiated a project that aims to address the challenges currently faced by many national statistical systems, building on other ongoing initiatives, including the newly established Collaborative on use of administrative data for statistical purposes. It will take a cross-cutting approach and support 8 countries in their work to improve and increase the use of administrative data sources for statistical purposes, with a different area of focus in each country. The learnings from countries will be used to inform other countries and share experiences across. The general information will also feed into an e-learning course and general guidance materials that will aim at complementing the more thematically focused materials and tools already available.

Objective
The objective of this consultancy is to support the Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS), one of the 8 project countries, in the initial steps of using administrative data for the production of official statistics. The consultant will specifically support MBS in the IT aspects of handling secure receipt, storage, and use of a selected number of administrative data sources and the specific variables that could be used for the production of official statistics. Administrative data sources have been identified, and the consultant will work closely with MBS and the respective ministries and government departments in assessing the quality of the identified data and data infrastructures and provide concrete suggestions for next steps on data interoperability aspects, data exchange and assessment of the data. It should also be aligned with support from other partners, including PARIS21.

Administrative sources identified tentatively include the following three: Migration, Employment, Higher Education.

Work assignment
The work assignment will be carried out in close collaboration with MBS and UNSD and involve the following:

• Prepare a detailed plan of activities, specifying key outputs and timelines, in close consultation with MBS and the UNSD project coordinator.
• Work closely with IT and statistical focal points of national statistical offices to gather information on existing IT systems and draft requirements and provide technical advice to modernize them
• Delivery of technical assistance and advice to facilitate the implementation of the technical recommendations for the modernization of IT architecture
• Support additional activities related to technical interoperability of administrative records
• Support the IT aspects in data sharing and linking from central level to local island council levels with respect to selected data sources
• Support the development of IT related trainings to support other agencies in improving their administrative data systems
• Conduct trainings to other agencies of the National Statistical System and capacity building of MBS staff
• Conduct and document an initial report of IT architecture in close collaboration with MBS from the selected areas (ministries and government departments within the field of migration, labor and higher education statistics).
• Provide technical input for data sharing to be added in Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with the administrative data owners of the three data sources that help regulate the data sharing with MBS in the field of migration and employment related statistics, specifying which data to share as well as format, means and frequency of exchange.
• Provide input and support to other activities related to those above, as per request from MBS and UNSD
Qualifications/special skills
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in statistics, economics, development studies, international relations, public administration, or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
A minimum of three (3) years of qualified experience in planning and implementing IT solutions for statistical data production systems or data science projects is required
Understanding of enterprise data management systems, data warehousing infrastructure, big data technologies, and cloud-based data storage and data access solutions is desirable.
Experience working with National Statistical Offices, providing guidance and training using agile project management is desirable.
Are you a national of Maldives, or have legal residential status to work in Maldives?
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.