Statistical Assistant

​Requisition ID: 3870 
Grade: G5 
Country: Austria 
Duty Station: Vienna 
Category: General Service/Admin. Support 
Type of Job Posting: External
Employment Type: Staff-Full-time
Appointment Type: Fixed Term – 100 series
Indicative Minimum Net Annual Salary: 56,137 EUR 
Application Deadline: 05-Jun-2024, 11:59 PM (CEST)  

Vacancy Announcement
This post is for local recruitment only.
Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission of UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013 as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of ISID, however, applies in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Accordingly, the Organization’s programmatic focus is structured in four strategic priorities: Creating shared prosperity; Advancing economic competitiveness; Safeguarding the environment; and Strengthening knowledge and institutions.

Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and (iv) convening and partnerships for knowledge transfer, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), headed by a Managing Director, oversees the Organization’s development of capacities for industrial development as well as industrial policy advice, statistics and research activities and the Organization’s normative contribution to Member States and global development community in achieving the SDGs. The Directorate also ensures the application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to Environment, Energy, SMEs, Competitiveness and Job creation, as well as Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. Through coordination in-house and with Member States and industry stakeholders, it ensures that the services provided in these areas contribute toward effective and appropriate technical, business and policy solutions and are focused on results and on realizing any potential for scaling up and positioning UNIDO as a leading platform for industrial development in developing countries and global fora. 

This position is located under the Division of Capacity Development, Industrial Policy Advice and Statistics (TCS/CPS), responsible for delivering the Organization’s learning and capacity development and statistics programme on industrial development. It also is responsible for supporting industrial policy-making efforts in Member States. It is further responsible for the compilation, storage and dissemination of worldwide industrial statistics and reporting on the industrial statistics indicators of SDG9. Finally, it is responsible for analysing trends in industrial development and trade. The Division’s activities in collaboration with and reaching out to other organizational entities ensure that capacities built, policy advice provided, statistical data collected and analysed and research conducted are directly fed into the Organizations’ technical cooperation programmes and projects. The outputs of the Division concerning capacity building, policy advice, statistical databases and research conducted are disseminated and promoted in the form of policy briefs and other publications to Member States and the wider industrial development community, complying as such with the Organization’s normative function with regard to industrial development. The Division comprises the Units of Capacity Building and Policy Advice (CDA), Industrial Statistics and SDG 9 Reporting (ISR), and Industrial Policy Research (IPR).

This position is located in the Industrial Statistics and SDG 9 Reporting Unit (TCS/CPS/ISR), responsible for the compilation, storage and dissemination of worldwide industrial statistics and reporting on SDG 9, as well as providing analyses of such data to other entities in the Organization and, in particular, TCS/CPS/CDA and TCS/CPS/IPR, considering observed trends, requests from Member States and demand from the Organization’s technical entities. In doing so, it also ensures that statistical data collected is directly fed into the Organization’s technical cooperation programmes and projects.

The duties of this post include the collection and processing of official data from National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and other sources; validating the received data and ensuring alignment with international methods and standards; and compiling statistics and indicators based on these data for inclusion in the Unit’s statistical products. Furthermore, the duties include a continuous communication with representatives from NSOs, international organizations and other institutions in areas of relevance to UNIDO’s mandate on ISID. Finally, the tasks also include an overall contribution to the implementation of the different activities of the Unit, including statistical analysis, production of statistical reports and databases, collaboration with other sections of UNIDO, dissemination activities, as well as the implementation of technical cooperation projects aimed at improving statistical capacities in UNIDO member States.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The incumbent will perform the assigned tasks under the direct supervision of the Chief Statistician of UNIDO (First Reporting Officer). The Division Director will act as Second Reporting Officer, overseeing the overall progress achieved by the incumbent against the Unit’s programme. The incumbent closely interacts with all the Unit’s staff members when implementing activities related to data production, validation and dissemination. Finally, the post also requires frequent interaction with focal points from NSOs, international organizations, other sections of UNIDO and other partners.

Main Functions/Key Results Expected:

1. Data collection and validation
•    Collection of data from NSOs of countries and territories assigned by the Chief Statistician, through UNIDO General Industrial Statistics Questionnaires and other methods.
•    Validation of received data, including ensuring alignment with international methods and standards.
•    Consolidation of reported metadata and its organization in accordance with the metadata system, frequent correspondence with NSOs for data and metadata query.
•    Maintaining a register of NSOs focal points and contact addresses for regular correspondence on data exchange related matters.

2. Data production
•    Data compilation and tabulation for the assigned countries and territories.
•    Preparation of tables and indicators for their inclusion and dissemination in UNIDO databases and its statistical publications. 
•    Compilation and integration of additional data sources, as needed during the implementation of the Unit’s activities.
•    Improvement of software and programs used to carry out the Unit’s work.

3. Support in statistical activities
•    Preparation of technical inputs required during the implementation of the Unit’s activities, including technical cooperation projects, on areas of relevance for industrial statistics.
•    Drafting inputs for the Unit’s statistical publications, including the International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics, as well as inputs requested by other sections of UNIDO and external partners.

4. Other tasks
•    Self-development and training: the incumbent should maintain continuous learning of new techniques and skills related to emerging statistical and computational methods through the study of manuals, documents and courses as well as through formal training.
•    Ad-hoc assignments: other duties related to the overall activities of the Unit, including services to data users as assigned by the Chief Statistician.

CORE VALUES AND KEY COMPETENCIES

Core Values
WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.
WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.
WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of ourdifferences in culture and perspective.
 

Key Competencies
WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues aswell as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.
WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing ourwork effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results andmeeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues andsupervisors, but we also owe it to those we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better,safer and healthier world.

WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build anenvironment of trust where we can all excel in our work.
WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, supportinnovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.
 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND DESIRABLE CRITERIA

Education 
Completed higher secondary education, as well as specialized training in statistics, data science or related field are required.

Experience
A minimum of eight (8) years of experience in statistical activities, including statistical production, data analysis, official statistics or related area are required. Working experience in specialized software for statistics and quantitative analysis, such as R or Python, are required.

Credit towards total working experience may be considered on a year by-year- basis, up to maximum of four years, for a higher degree education (including first university degree or equivalent diploma and/or master’s degree), in a relevant field to the post.

Language Skills 

Fluency in English required. Working knowledge in another United Nations official language would be an advantage.

NOTE: Eligible internal UNIDO applicants are required to have served at least one year in their current post if applying for a higher-level position. However, the seniority-in-grade requirements for applying for higher-level positions, as per paragraphs 18 and 78 of the HRMF, have been waived.

For further information on salaries, refer to the International Civil Service Commission website: https://icsc.un.org/ 

Employees of UNIDO are expected at all times to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for jobs at UNIDO.

All applications must be submitted online through the Online Recruitment System. Correspondence will be undertaken only with candidates who are being considered at an advanced phase of the selection process. Selected candidate(s) may be required to disclose to the Director General the nature and scope of financial and other personal interests and assets in respect of themselves, their spouses and dependents, under the procedures established by the Director General.