Data Engineering Specialist

Hardship Level

H (no hardship)

Family Type

Family

Family Type

Family

Residential location (if applicable)

Grade

PR3

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Target Start Date

2025-10-01

Deadline for Applications

July 11, 2025

Standard Job Description

Data Engineering Specialist

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

Based at UNHCR’s Geneva Headquarters within the Division of Resource Management, the Data Engineering Specialist reports directly to the Senior Data Analytics and Process Optimization Adviser (P5) or another senior specialist.

The incumbent is responsible for collecting, storing, visualizing, and evaluating financial and budget data to develop models, generate forecasts, and provide business-relevant insights that consider both current and future developments. Collaborating with relevant team members, s/he identifies opportunities to enhance standard data analytics platforms by introducing prototypes and integrating customized solutions. Additionally, s/he defines key budget data and determines the appropriate methods for analysis.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

• Develop, implement, and maintain data engineering solutions to enhance financial analysis, forecasting, and planning.
• Translate operational and business requirements into system configurations and performance parameters to optimize data management and reporting.
• Select, integrate, and maintain big data tools and frameworks that support advanced financial analytics and reporting capabilities.
• Ensure data integrity across key applications and ERP modules by conducting reconciliations and cross-system validations.
• Analyze issues, discrepancies, and inefficiencies in ERP systems, financial applications, and databases, proposing technical solutions and process improvements.
• Design and implement automation tools to streamline financial and budgeting processes, reducing manual workload and enhancing efficiency.
• Develop and refine key performance indicators (KPIs) to generate insightful analytics on operational efficiency and resource utilization.
• Support data integration and platform stability by identifying and resolving challenges related to data warehousing and data flow processes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop innovative data solutions that enhance reporting and decision-making.
• Apply statistical, machine learning, and AI techniques to identify trends, predict future scenarios, and support strategic financial planning.
• Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues, and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P3 - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Social Science;                   Finance;                Business Administration;    

Accounting                        Mathematics;        Data Science;        or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Not specified.

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Experience in developing and operating data integration solutions using modern database technologies, particularly Oracle. Experience in data preparation, modeling, and implementing access methods and techniques in data warehouses. Experience in processing large-scale data to analyze database access behavior and optimize performance. Proven track record as a data engineer or data analyst in complex organizational settings. Extensive experience with Power BI and Microsoft Azure (ADX) for data visualization and analytics. Hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure Cloud for data storage, processing, and integration. Experience in facilitating knowledge transfer within a closed user group. Experience in coordinating with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring alignment across functions. Experience in programmatic reporting, impact analysis, and quality assurance in a global operational context. Experience working in field operations within a complex global organization, ensuring effective data-driven decision-making.

Desirable

Familiarity with Microsoft Fabric.

Functional Skills

DM-Data Analysis

M-Data Integrity

DM-Data modelling

DM-Data Management

DM-Data interpretation, reporting and presentation

DM-Data Collection and Analysis

DM-Data collection methodologies

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.

For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

Competency Requirements

All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below.

Core Competencies

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies

Judgement & Decision Making

Managing Resource

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Planning & Organizing

Technological Awareness

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination, and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Desired Candidate Profile

1. Skills
• Complex Financial and Budgetary Data Analysis and Reconciliation
• ERP functional technical knowledge
• Database management, Data modelling and Architecture
• Reporting and visualization tools
• UNHCR internal processes and platforms knowledge
• Results-based management skills

2. Behaviour
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Problem-Solving and Troubleshooting
• Responsive, quick delivery of results
• Interpersonal skills
• Transparent, clear communicator

3. Talents
• Delivers under pressure
• Deals well with complexity
• Handles multiple assignments
• Adapts to change

4. Core values
• Professionalism
• Curious, a learner
• Open-minded, looking for new solutions
• Discreet, able to handle confidential, sensitive information
• Organizational awareness

Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):

,

,

Desired languages

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel.

Nature of Position:

The Annual Review and Budget Analysis Service (ARBAS), is tasked to guide the processes of annual review, detailed planning and prioritization, budgeting and resource allocation across the Organization. Advising Senior management, the Service undertakes detailed descriptive and diagnostic analysis on plans, budgets, expenditures, priorities, new and ongoing needs as well as gaps, sectors and operations where more resources are sought to meet the increasing need. The Service is responsible for preparing the UNHCR global annual programme budget and the portion of the United Nations regular budget that contributes to funding UNHCR. Additionally, ARBAS undertakes performance reporting including the development of business intelligence tools and corporate-level reporting including the revenue allocation to its governance bodies, larger UN system and to external stakeholders. ARBAS develops business intelligence tools using the internal data warehouse to facilitate the financial, budgetary, and programmatic analysis. In close cooperation with the DER, the Service manages the revenue allocations.

Data Analytics and Process Optimization Unit is a highly specialized technical team and provides advice and support to the systems development for the information management systems, functional to the work of the Division and other clients. DAPO performs impact analysis and systems development enabling UNHCR to analyse the implementation of programmes and projects from financial and performance perspectives.

The incumbent will work within the Data Analytics and Process Optimization Unit (DAPO) supervised by a senior staff within ARBAS, DRM.

The incumbent will perform a comprehensive analysis on budget and expenditure across multiple corporate systems that manage financial and human resources. This role plays a pivotal part in addressing the need for increased reporting demands from donors on the allocation and use of their funds. Given that UNHCR uses multiple systems to record, track and monitor and report on budgets, results planning, donor contributions, financial commitments and expenditure, this position ensures the generation of complex analyses essential for accurate projections and reconciliations across these corporate systems. This function directly supports UNHCR’s overarching goal of optimizing resource allocation, accountability, and transparency in its operations, which are fundamental to maintain donor trust.

The incumbent will provide technical expertise in allocation and tracking of donor contributions, budget oversight, and global reporting. The incumbent will furthermore support processes to meet increasingly complex donor requirements for transparent and robust reporting, which impacts UNHCR’s ability to maintain trust and secure ongoing funding.

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

DM-Data analysis, DM-Data Collection and Analysis, DM-Data collection methodologies, DM-Data Integrity, DM-Data interpretation, reporting and presentation, DM-Data Management, DM-Data modelling

Education

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts: Accounting, Bachelor of Arts: Data Science, Bachelor of Arts: Mathematics

Certifications

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Teamwork & collaboration, Technological awareness

UNHCR Salary Calculator

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Add. 1 to the Bi-Annual 2025 Compendium - Part B

Additional Information

Functional clearance

This position doesn't require a functional clearance