Research and Development Analyst Job at The United Nations Development Programme

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life for themselves. It provides expert advice, training and grants support to developing countries, with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. It promotes technical and investment cooperation among nations.

Headquartered in New York City, the status of UNDP is that of an executive board within the United Nations General Assembly. The UNDP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member states. The organization operates in 177 countries, where it works with local governments to meet development challenges and develop local capacity.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Research and Development Analyst

Job Identification: 8307
Job Location: Lagos
Job Schedule: Full time
Grade: NB4
Vacancy Type: National Personnel Service Agreement
Practice Area: Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions
Bureau: Regional Bureau for Africa
Contract Duration: 1 Year with the Possibility for extension

Background

• The Jubilee Fellows Programme will expand opportunities for learning to work transitions for fresh graduates in Nigeria through placement opportunities, job market information, skills transfer and facilitated learning. It is designed as a partnership platform that brings together private and public sector actors – including learning institutions to co-create and deploy to scale a viable solution that enhances youth employability, entrepreneurship and retention of national talent.
• To this end, UNDP Nigeria is seeking a qualified Research and Development Analyst, to provide research and analytical support in the implementation of the Jubilee Fellowship program framework.
• The Research and Development Analyst will do this by providing data-analytic support to the team’s knowledge products, including building and maintaining large development data sets for analytical and responsive agility. 
• The Research and Development Analyst will develop innovative approaches to determine the impact of the Jubilee Fellowship on youth participation in the economic sector and will contribute to the analytical base for thought leadership around youth employment policy issues.
• The Research and Development Analyst will also support the development and dissemination of quarterly reports and lessons learned.

Scope of Work

• Under the direct supervision of Jubilee Fellows Team Lead (Crisis Prevention and Recovery Advisor), and matrix reporting to the Knowledge Hub Team Lead (Data Management Specialist), the Research and Development Analyst will be responsible for the following functions and tasks:

Summary of Key Functions

• The Research and Development Analyst, under the supervision and guidance of the Fellows Team Lead (Crisis Prevention and Recovery Advisor) and in close cooperation with the Impact Learning & Monitoring Analyst, will be responsible for managing the successful implementation of knowledge management and research activities of the project;
• The Analyst will strengthen knowledge production and analysis in the Jubilee Fellowship project; ensure internal and external knowledge sharing; streamline knowledge management activities in annual work plans and significantly participate in the project monitoring, evaluation, reporting and data collection;  
• The Analyst will document and develop knowledge products, innovative practices and lessons-learnt documents of the implementation of Jubilee Fellowship project and contribute to the exchange within UNDP and with partners.

Duties and Responsibilities
Knowledge building and research:

• Identify key knowledge gaps in the program area and determine knowledge products that might help to address them for the project staff and project target groups/beneficiaries;
• Design the annual work plan on knowledge products for the Jubilee Fellowship project and contribute to the realization of the plan according to the guidance note on developing knowledge products;
• Contribute to conducting Fellows’ attitudes and/or perception surveys, designing performance review surveys, monitoring attendance reports, establishing feedback mechanisms and monitoring mentor/mentee interactions during the fellowship period;
• Conduct baseline, midline and end of project surveys;
• Document results achieved, lessons-learnt to reflect process issues, recommendations for similar future projects/ activities after each of the project activities conducted by the project team;
• Support documentation and sharing of success stories and failure, promising practices (good practices if formally evaluated) through concrete and in-depth analytical case studies, video and other mediums that supports the advancement of youth employment in Nigeria;
• Ensure that data is disaggregated by Age, Sex and Disability status and contributing to the development of youth employment policies;
• Work proactively with CO and project teams to identify opportunities for capturing and sharing knowledge and disseminating information about major progress and results.

Knowledge management and knowledge sharing:

• Oversee the development of knowledge products in the Jubilee Fellowship project with respect to UNDP Quality Assurance Standards;
• Provide guidance to the team and partners on how to collect practical and action-oriented information grounded in quantitative and qualitative evidence;
• Engage with policy-oriented research networks that provide data, analysis, advice, and peer review support which will help UNDP to influence youth employment policies in Nigeria as a means of contributing towards the achievement of the SDGs;
• Disseminate best practices through stakeholder workshops, online platforms and listserv.
• Ensure validation of all the knowledge products developed in the framework of the Jubilee Fellowship project in line with the Guidance Note for Developing Knowledge products;
• Contribute to the maintenance of Communities of practices (CoPs) for the project and identify knowledge-sharing methodologies to respond to UNDP and stakeholders needs;
• Capture lessons learnt in the project implementation for the preservation and use of institutional memory and help inform the development of other knowledge products;

Data Analysis, Monitoring and evaluation:

• Support the Impact Learning and Monitoring Analyst in conducting project monitoring, site visits and reporting;
• Maintain updated and comprehensive evidence of all project activities and project result framework with performance indicators;  
• Provide data, programming, analytical support, and supervision to staff in accessing and utilizing the data for specific projects;
• Design and produce related infographics to illustrate and analyze results and recommendations from empirical research;
• Document the overall experience of project work, including the research on knowledge, expertise and networks in identified areas; engagement with the partners; the support to resource mobilization, etc.; and provide documentation reports to the Fellows Team Lead (Crisis Prevention and Recovery Advisor), upon request;
• Construct relevant data analytics to demonstrate project results;
• Conduct strategic analysis using large economic and development datasets, to demonstrate project impact;
• Perform a variety of data-related duties to improve and normalize data including data cleaning, documentation, quality control, data aggregation and integration;
• Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Advanced Degree (Master's) in Social Policy, Public Policy, Politics, Development Studies, Statistics, Political Science, International Relations or related field. 
• A first-level University Degree (Bachelor's) in combination with two (2) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced University Degree.

Experience:

• A minimum 2 years (Bachelor's degree) of progressively responsible experience in development research and data analytics;
• Strong quantitative analytical skills and ability for strong visualizations and representation of data;
• Knowledge of and previous experience with data visualization and data visualization software is an asset;
• Experience with programming languages, such as SQL, Oracle, and Python is desirable;
• Knowledge of development studies is desirable;
• Knowledge of the UN system and coordination is desired.
• Excellent knowledge of information technology, including expert knowledge of Excel;
• Excellent communication and writing skills;
• Prior experience with data analysis is an important asset;

Required Language(s):

• Fluency in oral and written English is essential.

Institutional Arrangement:

• The Research and Development Analyst will report to the Fellows Team Lead (Crisis Prevention and Recovery Advisor) and may require to also have a matrix reporting to the Data Management Specialist while working in cooperation with the Impact Learning and Monitoring Analyst in ensuring the smooth run of the programme.

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results:  LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.
• Think Innovatively:  LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.
• Learn Continuously:  LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.
• Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.
• Act with Determination:  LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.
• Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

• Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization's programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.
• System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
• Effective Decision Making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources.
• Negotiation and Influence: Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates 'win-win' situations.
• Integration within the UN: Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; Knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations.

Note

• UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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