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CONSULTANCY JOB OPENING

(Issue date: 22 December 2014)

VACANCY NOTICE NO.: / NA-14-136
ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION: / UNEP/DEWA
DUTY STATION: / NAIROBI
FUNCTIONAL TITLE: / CONSULTANT
DURATION: / 11 MONTHS
CLOSING DATE: / 31 DECEMBER 2014

ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING:

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system’s designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP’s Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) is responsible for analyzing the state of the global environment, providing early warning information and assessing global and regional environmental trends to catalyze and promote international cooperation and action on the environment.

UNEP/DEWA needs an expert in Geographic Information Systems to contribute and implement a global web-based knowledge platform that provides up-to-date data, information and scientific knowledge to keep the environment under review coupled with enabling tools to strengthen the capacity of countries to undertake the state of the environment assessment and reporting. This post is located in UNEP/DEWA at the Nairobi duty station.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Consultant will implement and populate the main building blocks of UNEP Live; update, secure and provide access to and tag all data and information flows from organized country and regional network conferences.

Specifically the Consultant will perform the following tasks:

- Perform data mining through internet resources and be responsible for inputting, updating, and researching for data in order to create maps.

·Review existing or incoming data for credibility, accuracy, usefulness, quality, or completeness of documentation.

-Support assessment experts in data queries and map creation using a variety of data.

-Analyze and edit spatial features for map generation

-Maintain or modify existing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases.

-Enter data into Geographic Information Systems (GIS) databases, using techniques such as coordinate geometry, keyboard entry of tabular data, manual digitizing of maps, scanning or automatic conversion to vectors, or conversion of other sources of digital data.

-Perform spatial analysis and prepare operational and ad-hoc deliverables

-Establish and maintain strong relationships with the UNEP Live team (at headquarters and regionally) and work closely with the assessment teams

-Good oral and written communication skills.

-Ability to prioritize and schedule workload to meet deadlines

-Ability assist with meetings, presentations, and training

COMPETENCIES:

·  Professionalism: Knowledge of project development and planning; Excellent coordination, organization and planning skills, with the ability to work under pressure; Focus on impact and results; Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; Demonstrates thoroughness and looks for ways to improve and promote quality and applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality; Manages competing demands and changes approach or methods to suit the situation.

·  Planning and Organizing: Ability to identify priority activities and assignments, handle multiple activities and projects concurrently and make necessary adjustments as required; Ability to foresee risks and allow for contingencies when planning; Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identifies priority activities and assignments; Uses time efficiently; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions and is objective even when dealing with stressful situations.

·  Teamwork: Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; Ability to lead and gain assistance and cooperation of others in a team endeavor; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

A first University degree in GIS, surveying or related area including Geography, GIS Environmental Discipline or equivalent is required.

Experience:

A minimum of six years’ experience working with GIS applications as an integral part of daily tasks is required including use of ESRI products (ArcGIS 9.x or higher; ArcGIS online, Esri GPT) and OpenSource applications including those based on Linux. Familiarity with OGC WaterML would be an advantage.

Competence in web development, database management, programming are an added asset as is knowledge of web tools such as Adobe tools and technologies (Flash, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, etc.).

Languages:

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in spoken and written English is required.

Other Skills:

Good communication skills, written and oral, with demonstrated ability to work in cross functional teams. Self starter and able to work with minimal supervision.

Preference will be given to equally qualified women candidates.
All applications to be sent to the following address on or before the deadline of
31 December, 2014. Applicants should send a completed United Nations Personal History form (available at http://www.unon.org/docs/P11.doc) or Personal History Profile together with a covering letter of one to two pages summarizing how they meet the requirements of the job and a portfolio of relevant communication work undertaken and/or website references to:
e-mail:
UN staff members must submit scanned copies of their two latest Performance Appraisal System (e-PAS) reports at the time of application to the email address above. Appointment against this consultancy is for a limited duration and does not carry any expectancy, legal or otherwise, of renewal.
PLEASE QUOTE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NO.: NA-14-136
(Applications without Correct Vacancy Number will not be Considered)
The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, TRAINING OR ANY OTHER FEES). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON BANK ACCOUNTS.

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