Information Systems Assistant (Data analyst)

Mission and objectives

MONUSCO/MONUC was established in 1999 under the auspices of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). SCR 2277 (2016) requests MONUSCO to support efforts of the Government of DRC towards the protection of civilians, through a comprehensive approach involving all components of MONUSCO, including through reduction of the threat posed by Congolese and foreign armed groups and of violence against civilians, including sexual and gender-based violence and violence against children to a level that can be effectively managed by the Congolese justice and security institutions; and to support Stabilization through the establishment of functional, professional, and accountable state institutions, including security and judicial institutions. The project aims at a better understanding of the most serious violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law in DRC and supports the leadership of the Mission through informed policy and decision making on future vetting of security forces through risk assessment and mitigation, joint planning for MONUSCO operations, as well as advocacy efforts.

Context

MONUSCO/MONUC was established in 1999 under the auspices of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO).

Task Description

Within the delegated authority and under the direct supervision of the Chief I&T or designated authority, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following duties: Business analysis and stakeholder engagement

• Engage mission sections, pillars and other stakeholders to identify operational problems, decision-support needs and opportunities for data-driven improvement.
• Lead or support requirements-gathering activities, including process mapping, data discovery, gap analysis, feasibility assessment and definition of measurable success criteria.
• Translate business requirements into solution designs, prototypes, implementation plans and realistic estimates of resources, dependencies, risks and delivery timelines.
• Advise stakeholders on suitable analytical methods, visualizations and data-storytelling approaches, while constructively challenging requests that do not address the underlying decision need. Data engineering and analytics infrastructure
• Design, build, test and maintain reliable data extraction, ingestion, transformation and loading pipelines for structured and semi-structured data from databases, spreadsheets, flat files, APIs and other approved sources.
• Develop scalable data models, curated datasets and data-store structures that support consistent reporting, reuse and future advanced analytics.
• Integrate data from multiple operational systems, implement incremental and scheduled processing where appropriate, and reduce unnecessary manual handling.
• Apply sound software and data engineering practices, including modular development, source control, testing, error handling, logging, documentation, deployment and maintainability.
• Assess existing analytics infrastructure and recommend practical improvements to architecture, performance, resilience and cost-effectiveness within the available UN technology environment. Business intelligence and advanced analytics
• Design and develop basic to complex reports, dashboards, semantic models and analytical applications using Power BI and other approved tools.
• Conduct exploratory, diagnostic and statistical analysis of large and complex datasets to identify patterns, anomalies, trends, risks and operational improvement opportunities.
• Develop meaningful indicators and analytical frameworks in collaboration with business owners, ensuring that definitions, calculations and limitations are transparent.
• Optimize data models, queries and reports for performance, usability, accessibility and reliable refresh.
• Present findings through concise narratives, visualizations and recommendations tailored to technical, operational and senior leadership audiences. Data governance, quality and protection
• Establish and apply data-quality controls, validation rules, reconciliation processes and issue-resolution procedures across analytics products.
• Contribute to data dictionaries, metadata, lineage documentation, ownership arrangements, access controls, retention practices and common standards.
• Ensure that solutions are developed in accordance with applicable UN information security, privacy, confidentiality and record-management requirements.
• Promote responsible access to data and design solutions that appropriately separate sensitive information according to user roles and operational need. Project delivery, adoption and knowledge transfer
• Plan and coordinate assigned analytics initiatives, maintaining clear scope, milestones, risks, dependencies, stakeholder communications and delivery documentation.
• Develop prototypes and minimum viable solutions, coordinate testing and user acceptance, incorporate feedback and support a controlled transition into operational use.
• Monitor adoption and effectiveness after deployment and recommend improvements based on user feedback, usage evidence and changing operational needs.
• Provide technical guidance, peer review, reusable standards, documentation, demonstrations and hands-on knowledge transfer to colleagues and business users.
• Collaborate with technical specialists within MONUSCO, RSCE, other UN entities and external partners to adopt relevant standards and good practices. Innovation and responsible use of AI
• Monitor relevant developments in artificial intelligence, automation and advanced analytics and identify practical use cases that could add measurable operational value.
• Assess the data readiness, governance, security, ethical considerations, human oversight and stakeholder adoption requirements of proposed AI-enabled solutions.
• Support carefully scoped proofs of concept using approved tools and methods, documenting benefits, limitations, risks and prerequisites before recommending broader implementation.
• Demonstrate continuous learning and the ability to investigate unfamiliar technical challenges, test options systematically and develop practical solutions.
• room technologies. Expected Results
• Reliable, documented and maintainable data pipelines and integrated datasets established for priority analytical use cases.
• Delivery lead times and engineering bottlenecks are reduced, allowing multiple priority analytics initiatives to progress concurrently.
• Reusable data models, standards and governance controls improve consistency, traceability and trust in mission reporting.
• Analytical products address clearly defined decision needs, perform reliably and are adopted by intended users.
• Manual effort and avoidable data-processing delays are reduced through appropriate automation and streamlined workflows.
• Technical documentation, knowledge transfer and peer review strengthen the sustainability of the Data Analytics function.
• A practical roadmap identifying when and how advanced analytics or AI can be introduced responsibly, based on data readiness and operational value.

Competencies and values

• Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;
• Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations;
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment;
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working;
• relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender;
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the staff, but objective, without showing personal interest; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;
• Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in austere, remote and potentially hazardous environments for protracted periods, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the area of operations; willingness to transfer to other duty stations within area of operations as may be necessary; and
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

Living conditions and remarks

As Uganda’s main international airport is located in Entebbe, it serves as the primary entry point for international travellers. It offers direct connections to and from major global and regional destinations, including Addis Ababa, Amsterdam, Brussels, Cairo, Dar es Salaam, Dubai, Johannesburg, Juba, Kigali, Kinshasa, London, Nairobi, and others. Entebbe is a family duty station and serves as the logistical and administrative support hub for MONUSCO. Located on the shores of Lake Victoria, it offers a safe and comfortable living environment with good-quality accommodation, reliable electricity and water, supermarkets, banks, restaurants, medical facilities, and internet services. Rental costs are moderate by international standards, while imported goods may be relatively expensive. Entebbe International Airport is connected to Kampala via the modern Entebbe–Kampala Expressway, which significantly reduces travel time between the airport and the capital. Entebbe and Kampala are currently classified under UN Security Level III (moderate), reflecting a stable but cautious operating environment requiring adherence to standard security risk management measures. This level indicates that while the overall environment is permissive for operations, personnel should remain vigilant and comply with security advisories. The Security Management Team (SMT), along with other entities within the UN security management system (such as wardens), meets regularly to monitor the security situation and ensure preparedness. The Security Section, in coordination with the Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), provides regular updates and conducts mandatory security briefings for newly arrived personnel, including updates on political, social, and operational developments. Movement advisories (e.g. on night travel along certain routes) may be issued periodically based on risk assessments. A Level 1 clinic is available at the United Nations Regional Service Centre Entebbe, and several UN-approved private hospitals are located in Kampala. Certain vaccinations are mandatory for entry into Uganda, including yellow fever. While verification at the airport is not always consistently enforced, travellers may still be required to present proof of vaccination upon arrival. All UN personnel must therefore ensure that vaccinations are up to date and properly documented in the International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow card). Entebbe is designated as a family duty station for UN personnel. International schools, healthcare facilities, and recreational amenities are available in Kampala and, to a lesser extent, in Entebbe. Markets and supermarkets are also readily accessible. Multiple mobile network providers operate across Uganda, and SIM cards and airtime are widely available. UN personnel have access to office internet and telephone services, including the option to make personal calls using a PIN-based system on a cost-recovery basis. Entebbe enjoys a mild tropical climate year-round and provides a high standard of living compared with most MONUSCO field locations in the Democratic Republic of Congo.