Senior Project Officer (Standards and Data Integration)

Organizational Context

The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) is UNESCO's statistical agency, serving 193 Member States. Established in 1999, its mandate is to produce cross-nationally comparable data for education, science, culture, and communication. UIS supports global, regional, and national development agendas by providing robust statistical information and technical assistance to Member States, aiming to ground policies and decision-making in reliable data.

Job Purpose

The Senior Project Officer (Standards and Data Integration) will lead and coordinate the development and implementation of international statistical standards and data integration frameworks. This role involves leveraging modern data architectures, statistical software, and AI-driven approaches to enhance data quality, timeliness, and usability. The incumbent will contribute to the timely update of the global education indicator database, ensuring high standards of quality, comparability, and relevance. This position is crucial for strengthening data reporting and supporting Member States in generating high-quality, transformative data aligned with international goals.

Responsibilities

Lead the planning and execution of the unit's work plan, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities. Develop, revise, and implement international statistical standards, classifications, and methodologies, contributing to frameworks like ISCED. Design and implement frameworks for integrating multi-source data and promote interoperability standards (e.g., SDMX, APIs). Oversee the integration of survey-based and administrative data to strengthen coverage of participation, completion, and learning indicators. Develop and maintain metadata systems and data quality assurance frameworks. Lead the integration of statistical software tools (R, Python, Stata, SQL) into data production workflows and promote the use of AI/ML for data validation, imputation, and analysis. Contribute to the methodological development and reporting of SDG 4 indicators and support Member States in implementing standards. Design and deliver capacity-building programs and provide technical assistance. Represent UIS in international forums and collaborate with international partners and national statistical offices. Manage and mentor staff under supervision, setting clear expectations and fostering professional growth.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressive experience in official statistics, data systems, or related fields. This includes experience in developing statistical standards and classifications, managing large dataset integration and interoperability, and extensive use of statistical software and data platforms.

Skills

Proven expertise in statistical frameworks, standards, methods, and tools. Strong analytical skills for data interpretation and policy support. Ability to design long-term plans and manage teams effectively in multicultural settings. Proficiency in international statistical standards (e.g., SDMX), statistical software (R, Python, Stata), data management tools (SQL), and familiarity with cloud-based platforms and AI/ML applications in statistics.

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