Project Officer (Data Integration and Dissemination)

OVERVIEW

Position Number: 1CAUIS0105PA

Grade: P-3

Parent Sector: Institute for Statistics (UIS)

Duty Station: Montreal

Job Family: Education

Contract Type: Project Appointment

Duration of contract: 1 year

Recruitment open to: Internal and external candidates

Application deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 17/06/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

Duration of contract: 1 years with possibility of extension subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance 

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Established in 1999, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) serves as UNESCO’s statistical agency for its 193 Member States and 12 Associate Members. Its mandate focuses on producing cross-nationally comparable data to support global, regional and national development agendas across the fields of education, science, culture, and communication and information. The UIS is the official statistical agency of UNESCO and serves as the custodian agency for several indicators under the Sustainable Development Goals.

The UIS provides technical support to Member States to help them generate high-quality, transformative data, guided by three core pillars: standards and methodologies, data production, and brokering and outreach. As outlined in its 2022–2029 Medium-Term Strategy, the UIS envisions a world in which countries’ policies and decision-making are grounded in robust statistical information, enabling them to benchmark progress toward national and international goals and to learn from the experiences of others.

The UIS provides data and technical inputs for global, regional and funding mechanisms supporting education, including the UN Transforming Education Summit, the Global Education Cooperation Mechanism (GCM), the G7, the G20, and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Results Framework. As part of its mandate to strengthen data reporting, the UIS, in partnership with the Global Education Monitoring Report (GEMR), achieved global consensus on the adoption of an SDG 4 benchmarking process. As co-leaders of the data and monitoring function of the GCM, the UIS supports countries in setting and monitoring their national targets for 2025 and 2030.

Within this framework, the UIS is responsible for:

• Developing and maintaining international statistical standards. 
• Supporting Member States in data production and reporting. 
• Ensuring data comparability and interoperability across countries and sectors. 
• Providing data to fuel policies and investments that transform lives and propel global development goals.

The growing diversity of data sources — including administrative systems, surveys, learning assessments and emerging data streams — requires enhanced capacity in data integration, metadata governance and the application of advanced analytics, including artificial intelligence (AI).

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Under the authority of the Director of the UIS and the direct supervision of the Chief of the Education Section, the Project Officer will contribute to the development, implementation and maintenance of data integration and dissemination processes within the UIS. The incumbent will support the production of high-quality, timely and comparable education data and contribute to the update and dissemination of the global education indicator database. The role focuses on technical implementation, data processing, data validation, metadata management, data dissemination, and operational support to standards and interoperability initiatives.

KEY ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Data Integration and Interoperability

• Support the design and implementation of frameworks for integrating multi-source data (administrative, survey, assessment and alternative sources).
• Contribute to the operationalization of interoperability standards such as SDMX, APIs and data exchange protocols.
• Assist in harmonizing datasets across countries and domains to ensure comparability.
• Support the development and maintenance of scalable data architectures (data lakes, warehouses, cloud-based systems).
• Contribute to the integration of survey-based and administrative data to strengthen coverage of participation, completion and learning indicators.
• Support data dissemination and analyses related to equity and socio-economic disparities in education. 

2. Metadata, Data Quality and Governance

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of metadata systems aligned with international standards.
• Contribute to the development and application of data quality assurance procedures and support documentation of statistical processes.
• Support efforts to strengthen data governance, including data stewardship and compliance with UIS standards. 
  
  

3. Statistical Software, Innovation and AI-Supported Processes

• Use statistical software (R, Python, Stata, SQL-based systems) to support data processing, validation and integration workflows.
• Apply AI/ML techniques — such as anomaly detection, imputation, classification and NLP — under the guidance of senior staff.
• Ensure adherence to UNESCO principles on the ethical and responsible use of AI.

Long Description

4. Support to SDG Monitoring and Reporting

• Contribute to the methodological development and production of SDG 4 indicators.
• Support Member States in implementing reporting mechanisms and applying UIS standards.
• Prepare technical notes, data processing guidelines, data briefs and inputs to analytical reports.

5. Capacity Development and Technical Assistance

• Contribute to the preparation of training materials, guidance documents and toolkits on data integration and dissemination.
• Support the delivery of capacity-building activities for Member States and regional partners.
• Assist in facilitating knowledge-sharing activities and communities of practice.

6. Partnerships and Representation

• Support collaboration with international partners such as Eurostat, OECD, UNSD and national statistical offices.
• Participate in technical meetings, working groups and inter-agency discussions as required.

Expected Results

• Improved integration and interoperability of multi-source data systems.
• Enhanced metadata and data quality documentation.
• Timely and accurate updates to the global education indicator database.
• Strengthened national capacities in data integration and dissemination.
• Effective contribution to SDG 4 monitoring and reporting.
• Increased use of statistical software and innovative tools in data workflows.

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

• Communication (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Planning and organizing (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)

Short Description

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in statistics, mathematics, data science, economics or a related field with a strong applied statistics component.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• A minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible professional experience in official statistics, data systems or related fields, of which preferably two (2) years acquired at international level. 
• Demonstrated experience in data integration and interoperability.
• Demonstrated experience in managing, extracting and analysing large datasets using statistical software.
• Experience in metadata and data quality processes.

Long Description

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Strong technical skills in statistical frameworks, standards and tools.
• Experience with data production processes and quality assurance procedures.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong technical skill set required for modern data dissemination workflows, including the use of AI.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multicultural environment.
• Excellent communication and drafting skills.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Proficiency in R or Python and Stata, and in data warehousing solutions.
• Knowledge of international statistical standards (e.g. SDMX).
• Familiarity with cloud-based data platforms and APIs.

LANGUAGES

• Excellent knowledge of English.
• Good knowledge of French.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Experience in a National Statistical Office, international organization or UN system.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Proficiency in SQL.
• Experience with AI/ML applications.
• Knowledge of SDG monitoring frameworks.

Long Description

LANGUAGES

• Knowledge of another official language of UNESCO (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

UNESCO’s salaries consist of a basic salary and other benefits which may include if applicable: 30 days annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance, pension plan etc. 

The approximate annual starting salary for this post is 97,515 USD 

For full information on benefits and entitlements, please consult our Guide to Staff Benefits.

SELECTION AND HIRING PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.

To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted. 

The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications.  

Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course. 

Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
• UNESCO applies to a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
• UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States (last update here) are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply.
• lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
• All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
• Geographical mobility is required for staff members appointed to UNESCO’s international posts.
• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. UNESCO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO. The list can be accessed through the link: https://www.whed.net
• The statutory retirement age at UNESCO is 65 years.
• UNESCO appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by the Organization, is required for International Professional positions.
• UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.