JOB DESCRIPTION

H (no hardship)

Family

Family

GS6

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2025-09-01

August 6, 2025

Data Policy Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The UNHCR Data Transformation Strategy 2020-2025 envisions that by 2025, UNHCR will become a trusted leader on data and information related to refugees and other affected populations, thereby enabling actions that protect, include, and empower. The Strategy envisages data and information management functions in UNHCR carried out in a complementary and inter-linked manner between Headquarters Divisions and Services, Regional Bureaux, country operations and key external partners, as well as persons of concern. The Global Data Service (GDS) translates UNHCR’s data vision and strategy across the organization, through direct and indirect service delivery, coordination and collaboration, and advocacy to and with internal and external UNHCR stakeholders.
The role of the Data Policy Associate is to support corporate efforts to provide, disseminate, implement and monitor policies, guidance, norms and standards on UNHCR’s collection, analysis, storage, and dissemination of operational data and data management. This includes supporting efforts to develop secure and interoperable operational data systems and to advance data protection standards and the concepts of data protection/privacy by design and default.
The Data Policy Associate reports to a more senior Data Policy staff, such as a Data Policy Officer or Senior Data Policy Officer. Depending on the context, s/he may report to senior staff in other data-related functions, such as Information Management staff.

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
– Support activities related to policies, guidance, norms, and standards related to operational data and data management.
– Provide inputs on internal policies and guidance on data, other internal policies and guidance with content related to data, and external guidance and agreements.
– Support reporting requirements, e.g., by tracking activities and coordinating inputs.
– Support efforts to ensure adherence to data protection frameworks, and engage with the HQ Data Protection Office (DPO) to raise issues and needs for guidance and norm-setting or revision.
– In collaboration with relevant entities, support activities to integrate policies, norms and standards into requirements for data systems and tools and, conversely, to elevate/formalize system requirements into guidance, norms, and standards.
– Participate in conducting research on issues of relevance to inform the development or revision of guidance and standards, considering both internal and external sources.
– Support the development of communication products and documents on issues of relevance, such as concept notes, briefing notes, presentations, Intranet content.
– Identify opportunities for external collaboration to develop or revise guidance and standards.
– Liaise with partners and represent UNHCR in external meetings related to the function.

For HQ positions only
– Respond to, manage, coordinate, and/or monitor requests for support from HQ, Regional Bureaux (DIMA Units) and Operations
– Provide guidance on data-related matters upon request from HQ entities, Regional Bureaux (DIMA Units) and Operations
– Support Regional Bureaux (DIMA Units) in developing plans to monitor compliance on data policies, guidance, norms and standards at regional and country level, as relevant.
– Provide support services to UNHCR data governance structures and coordination fora.

– Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of 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 G6 – 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Operational Data Management Learning Programme
Emergency Registration
UNHCR Needs Assessment eLearning
HCR Risk Management Basics & ERM Programme
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Relevant work experience in the area of developing, implementing and/or monitoring policies, guidance, standards and/or norms.
Demonstrated experience with research and analysis. Experience in drafting documents and presentations. Ability to coordinate projects and consultation processes. Ability to address multiple tasks in a courteous and service-oriented manner. Experience working with data.

Desirable
Policy experience in the humanitarian or development field. Experience in data management in the humanitarian or development field.

Functional Skills
DM-Data Management
DM-Development of and revision of data standards
* IT-Computer Literacy
* MS-Drafting, Documentation, Data Presentation
PR-Data Protection Policy
UN-UN/UNHCR Interagency Policies, Standards, Programmes, Partnerships, Humanitarian Ops
(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.

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.

• Experience in project planning and management, including developing and/or implementing SOPs and templates, tracking progress against milestones and timelines, managing documentation, and coordinating workflows across diverse functions/teams.
• Experience in developing, implementing and/or monitoring policies and other types of guidance and standards.
• Experience in designing and/or implementation consultation processes, including identifying stakeholders, communicating requests and following-up, and compiling inputs in a way that ensures completeness and coherence.
• Experience in tracking, monitoring and reporting on activities and indicators.
• Experience in drafting content and communications for different purposes and audiences, including presentations, internal reports, updates, websites, etc., with robust data presentation/visualization as relevant.
• Experience in managing Office 365 collaboration tools (MS Teams, SharePoint sites)
• Familiarity with UNHCR standards, systems, tools and practices in one or many data-related functions (information management, registration, identity management, operational data management, statistics, data science, data protection).
• Ability to plan and deliver various types of meetings, webinars, events, etc., applying standard communication and outreach protocols.
• Strong task orientation and attention to detail.
• Ability to address multiple tasks in a service-oriented manner for a diversity of leads and stakeholder groups.
• Strong inter-personal skills and team orientation, with a demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively and maintain relationships in a high-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Excellent coordination skills.

Strong drafting, communication, coordination, and project management skills are required for this position.

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English

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

No specific security conditions pertain to this post. Copenhagen is a safe environment.

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

Nature of Position:

The Data Policy Associate will report to the Associate Data Policy Officer or other senior Data Policy Officer in the Norms & Standards Section (NSS) of the Global Data Service (GDS).

The GDS was established in 2020 to provide and maintain corporate systems and standards for information management, registration, identity management and digital identity, data protection, statistics, surveys and data science, in addition to engaging in partnerships that maximize the impact of data for and about forcibly displaced and stateless people. Guided by the UNHCR Data Transformation Strategy 2020-2025, the GDS pursues a number of activities to elevate data as a strategic asset and corporate priority and to enable the organization to better deliver its mandate and demonstrate impact.

The GDS Norms & Standards Section (NSS) is responsible for developing and coordinating policies, guidance and standards on data-related topics under GDS areas of responsibility, with a view to enabling more effective, responsible and systematic approaches across UNHCR. NSS also leads GDS efforts on data literacy, learning and capacity development; support to and coordination with DIMA Units in Regional Bureaux; risk management; oversight activities, including audits and evaluations; and data-related workstreams and initiatives in UN HQ/New York Office. Through its leadership and coordination roles in these core portfolios, NSS contributes to achieving the objectives of the DTS and meeting a number of organizational requirements.

In addition to the tasks in the Standard Job Description, the Data Policy Associate will:

• Support the development of GDS guidance and standards, as well as the coordination of all-GDS reviews of guidance and standards developed by other UNHCR Entities or external actors.
• Support GDS reporting and monitoring requirements related to internal and external audits, including by compiling and coordinating inputs from other GDS Sections or HQ Entities, Regional Bureaux, and/or Country Operations.
• Support GDS deliverables related to risk management, including developing, monitoring and reporting on the GDS operational risk register and UNHCR Strategic Risk Register.
• Provide technical and coordination support to meetings, consultations, information sessions and other types of engagements with DIMA Units, applying relevant protocols.
• Lead NSS communication deliverables, including the drafting of inputs for the GDS Monthly Update, the maintenance of NSS pages on the Intranet, and the management of the NSS functional mailbox.
• Support the maintenance and update of NSS products on the Data Community Hub, in close collaboration with the relevant leads.
• Support NSS reporting requirements related to the GDS multi-year strategy and similar planning documents.

Living and Working Conditions:

This is a local recruitment. Staff in the GS category are recruited in the country or within commuting distance of the office, irrespective of their nationality and the length of time they have resided in the country.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

DM-Data Interoperability, ER-Inter-Agency External Relations, IM-Information Management tools, SO-Research

Certifications

Emergency Registration – Other, HCR Operational Data Management Learning Program – UNHCR, HCR Risk Management Basics & ERM Program – UNHCR, Needs Assessment e-Learning – Other

Competencies

Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Policy research & development, Teamwork & collaboration, Technological awareness

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

Compendium

Additional Information

This vacancy is open to internal candidates, former staff members whose position was abolished due to structural changes, and candidates with UNHCR experience. Please ensure that your workday career profile is up to date before applying.

This position doesn”t require a functional clearance