UNDP is hiring a Data Management Specialist in Kinshasa

Background 

Following a request for assistance in support of organizing local, provincial and general elections addressed by the Government of the DRC to the Secretary General of the United Nations, a Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) from the Electoral Division Assistance Department of Political Affairs (UNDPA) and UNDP took place from September 24 to October 4, 2013. The NAM notably recommended that UNDP proceed with the development of a new project to support the electoral process (PACEC). The new approach put forth by UNDP jointly with various international partners places a strong emphasis on technical assistance to be provided to the National Electoral Commission (CENI) rather than on substituting national capacity. This approach stresses the quality and relevance of the expertise to be provided, especially at the central level, where national expertise is now available thanks also to the different capacity development efforts undertaken by UNDP and its partners.

The overall objective of PACEC is to contribute to the consolidation of democracy in the DRC through transparent, free and fair elections.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the authority of the Team Leader of the Governance Unit and the National Executive Secretary of the CENI and the direct supervision of the Chief Technical Adviser (CTP), and in close collaboration with the Director of the National Center for Data Treatment of the CENI, the Election ICT Specialist will provide advice and support on all matters relating to ICT infrastructure, system upgrades and equipment requirements.  S/he will provide the EMBs (NEC and ZEC) with advisory support aimed at strengthening ICT capacity to upgrade and maintain the voter register and other electoral management systems. The Specialist will provide support and assistance to further strengthen the institutional capacity of the EMBs to effectively manage election cycles and deliver technically sound elections. 

Technical Advisory Services:

• Provide technical leadership and support for the implementation of ICT strategies, and introduction and implementation of new technologies for general management information systems and election management systems (results, candidate and other election specific systems) within the CENI;
• Determine project requirements for external ICT expertise, support its contracting and delivery of outputs;
• Prepare ICT capacity development plan and assist CENI in strategic and operational planning for achieving optimal ICT management capability;
• Develop the necessary documentation of the database migration (Schema, data dictionary, reference manual, administrator's guide,). 

Development of ICT Management System: 

• Provide insight and Support for the development and updates of the EMB annual ICT plans and road map. Support development and updating of the business continuity plan, disaster recovery plan, ICT infrastructure and training plans. Follow up on their implementation ;
• Provide technical advice to CENI on the requirements, specifications and compatibility of ICT infrastructure, equipment, database storage, electronic management systems, training, etc.;
• Design, implement, and administer databases of electoral data;
• Understand the existing architecture of databases of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). 

Management and Administration of ICT Management System:

• Advise the CENI in the design and implementation of data replication site;
• Ensure the conduct of market research and analysis, and introduction of new technology by CENI, updating and improvement of office systems;
• Provide advice on and assistance in procurement of new ICT equipment for CENI and provision of technical specifications and information on best options in both local and international markets;
• Provide technical advice and Support the application by CENI of national and international best-practice in electoral ICT, particularly relating to voter registration, including data capture and entry, data back-up and data retrieval;
• Advise the ICT Departments of CENI to address technical issues relating to voter register anomalies, omissions and administrative transfers and deletions;
• Put in place the procedure for backup and restoration of all electoral Data;
• Ensure the availability and quality of data by the maintenance of a good level of performance (speed of treatment, monitoring of the volumetry...);
• Advise the CENI in the design and implementation of an electoral data transmission
• Ensure improvement of CENI’s strorage improvement system

Knowledge Management and Sharing: 

• Provide periodic reports and updates on the implementation of ICT-related project activities, document key issues arising, achievements, lessons learned;
• Assist and advise the CENI on methods to harmonize and link voter registration data;
• Provide ICT support and assistance to the project as and when required. 
• In a specific way, the Expert will have to contribute to the achievement of the following Outcomes:
• Ensure the implementation of national ICT infrastructure of CENI;
• Procedure handbook for safeguard and restoration of available database and other sensitive electoral Data;
• Sustainability Plan for the CNT available and implemented;
• Total electoral information system allowing the exchange of information of the project in place;
• Training Modules specific to the ICT project implementation;
• Gender Indicators in the different plans and outcome reports. 

Impact of Results

The expected results will have an impact on the ongoing voter registration update and the holding of elections. The ICT specialist  must propose ICT solutions adapted to the CENI environment, best practices of management of databases on Oracle, while providing a business continuity plan so as to make the system durable.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly and without favoritism.

 Functional Competencies:

Technical Expertise:

• Specialist knowledge and high level advisory experience in the area of ICT and Elections, preferably in Sub-Saharan Africa;
• Theoretical and practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development and governance issues;
• Strong understanding of political dynamics in government, civil society and the donor community in developing countries. 

Knowledge Management and Learning: 

• Shares knowledge and experience and contributes to UNDP Practice Areas and actively works towards continuing personal learning and development;
• Ability to provide top quality policy advice services on electoral issues;
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues. 

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to go beyond established procedures and models, propose new approaches which expand the range of programs;
• Ability to apply theory to the specific country context;
• Have a good knowledge of ICT project management;
• Have a good mastery of the modeling, design, and implementation of databases;
• Having the mastery of standards and procedures relating to the establishment and management of the Data Base of a Center for Computerized Data;
• Having a perfect mastery of the query language SQL;
• Excellent control of implementation of the backup mechanisms and restoring of databases in Oracle;
• Have a mastery of Oracle database management systems, PostgreSQL, Sql Server;
• Have a good knowledge on system virtualization with Microsoft Hyper V;
• Good knowledge of Ethernet networks and different protocols of commonly used networks;
• Have knowledge in systems administration (Linux and Windows) and networks. 

Management and Leadership: 

• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback;
• Negotiation skills: capacity to work with diverse partners including government, donors and civil society;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Ability to work with high-level multidisciplinary teams and to coordinate the activities of a working group;
• Demonstrate a capacity to plan and organize his work;
• Ability to work under pressure in a politically and psychologically difficult environment;
• Openness of spirit and the ability to manage complex situations.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

• Master degree in ITC field;
• Where necessary, be a holder of a combination of university degrees, technical trainings and experience that can give an equivalence with the training specified above; 

Experience: 

• Minimum 7 years of experience ICT project management;
• At least 3 years of experience with for electoral processes and election management assistance;
• Extensive practical experience in election ICT operations, planning, management, including the development/deployment of (biometric) candidate and results management databases;
• Having worked on large databases (10 million records and more) preferably biometric (photo and/or fingerprints) is an asset.
• Knowledge of system Design; Applications Development and Client Server systems, internet technologies and development of distributed systems, Microsoft Office, MS Access, SQL Server and Oracle;
• Institutional capacity building experience, training, project design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills desirable;
• Excellent analytical, communication, writing and presentation skills;
• Experience in the African context, and more particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is an asset;
• Knowledge of the United Nations system and the procedures of UNDP will be an asset;
• Having practical experience in the field of voter’s data base management will be also an asset;
• Mastery of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. 

Languages: 

• Fluency in written and spoken French;
• A good knowledge of spoken and written English will be considered as an asset. 

Click here to apply.