National Capacity Development Expert (Data Systems)

Host entity: UNMAS

Volunteer type: National

Areas of expertise: Data science, information management, Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge management, research, reporting, Project management, programme development, strategy

Application deadline: 23/08/2026

Mission and objectives

The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) works to protect civilians, enable humanitarian access, and support peace and development by coordinating and delivering mine action. In Ukraine, UNMAS provides standards-based advisory and project support to strengthen nationally owned mine action coordination, quality management, information management, training and operational coherence.

Assignment context

This UN Volunteer assignment is part of the UNMAS Ukraine Programme and a time-bound project financed through the Multi-Partner Trust Fund/Ukraine Community Recovery Fund (MPTF/UCRF). The project supports Ukrainian national mine action authorities and institutions to strengthen coordination, prioritisation, quality management, information management, training, reporting and evidence-based decision-making.

Key counterparts include the Centre for Humanitarian Demining (CHD), the National Mine Action Centre (NMAC), the National Mine Action Platform (Demine Ukraine), the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU), the State Special Transport Service (SSTS), mine action operators, data owners and other relevant government, United Nations and civil society partners.

The National UN Volunteer Expert will be hosted by UNMAS and embedded with designated national mine action information-management authorities in Kyiv. The incumbent will work under UNMAS supervision and in close day-to-day coordination with designated national counterparts, providing technical advice and institutional capacity-development support to strengthen national mine action information management, interoperability and evidence-based decision-making.
The duties detailed in this Description of Assignment are designed to complement and support UNMAS’s programme in Ukraine. This volunteer role is not a substitute for UN staff positions, nor shall it replace existing staff or staff functions. The volunteer is strictly prohibited from carrying out core UN staff functions.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the UNMAS Senior Mine Action Adviser or designated UNMAS representative, and in close day-to-day coordination with designated national information-management authorities, the National UN Volunteer Expert will:
• Map and document national mine action databases, platforms, data flows, reporting requirements, user roles and institutional responsibilities, including links among GRIT and other relevant national systems.
• Provide technical advice to national authorities on the alignment and synchronisation of national mine action information systems, while respecting applicable institutional mandates, data ownership, access controls and information-security requirements.
• Mentor and coach national information-management personnel, support the transfer of methods and tools, and contribute to sustainable national capacity and institutional ownership.
• Assess current information-management arrangements and identify data gaps, duplication, inconsistencies, interoperability constraints and risks affecting coordination, prioritisation, reporting and decision-making.
• Facilitate structured coordination among national data owners, system administrators, information-management focal points and other relevant stakeholders to improve the regular exchange, verification and use of mine action information.
• Develop or improve data standards, data dictionaries, validation rules, quality-control procedures, templates, standard operating procedures and information-sharing workflows.
• Support data cleaning, reconciliation, migration or consolidation processes, including the identification and resolution of duplicate, incomplete or conflicting records.
• Advise on interoperability requirements and practical options for linking or exchanging information among GRIT and other authorised national mine action systems and tools.
• Develop dashboards, analytical summaries, maps, reports and other information products to support national prioritisation, operational planning, resource allocation, monitoring and reporting.
• Establish and maintain issue logs, action trackers and workplans for agreed information-management improvements and monitor implementation of recommendations.
• Prepare high-quality technical notes, progress updates, presentations, meeting records and recommendations in Ukrainian and English.
• Ensure that all information is handled in accordance with applicable national legislation, United Nations policies, confidentiality requirements and data-protection principles.
• In all activities, promote the values of volunteerism, contribute to institutional capacity development, and complete UNV and host-entity reporting and learning requirements.

Skills and experience

- At least 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in information management, geographic information systems, data management, database administration, data quality, systems interoperability or a related field. Demonstrated experience analysing complex information-management arrangements, coordinating multiple institutional data owners, developing data standards and quality-control procedures, and producing analytical information products is required. --Strong practical knowledge of databases, data-validation methods, spreadsheet tools and relevant information-management or GIS software is required.
-Demonstrated ability to provide senior technical advice and work effectively with government counterparts is required.

Additional assets:
- Experience with mine action information management, GRIT, IMSMA or comparable humanitarian or government information-management systems; experience designing interoperability arrangements, data-exchange protocols, dashboards or geospatial products; knowledge of International Mine Action Standards and applicable national mine action standards; and prior experience in Ukraine or another conflict-affected setting.
- Prior United Nations experience is an asset, not a requirement.
- Candidates should demonstrate an affinity with mine action, national capacity development, information integrity, volunteerism as a mechanism for sustainable development, and the values of the United Nations.

Competencies and values

• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Judgement and decision-making
• Planning and organising
• Professionalism
• Self-management

Living conditions

As it is a national UN Volunteer's assignment, the UN volunteer shall organize his/her accommodation by themselves.

The contract lasts for the period indicated in the vacancy with the possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity, and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. This is a full-time contract.

Allowances:
• Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) USD 2615 (equivalent in UAH) is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities, and normal cost of living expenses. This includes Danger and hardship differential for the period while the ICSC applies hardship classification to duty stations in Ukraine as “E”.
• USD 350 entry lump sum, one-time payment.
• USD 120 Exit lump sum for each month served, paid on completion of contract.

Medical and life insurance:
• Medical insurance: The UN Volunteer and eligible PFU dependents will receive UNV-provided medical insurance coverage.
• Life Insurance: UN Volunteers are covered by life insurance for the duration of the UN Volunteer assignment. If a UN Volunteer dies during the UN Volunteer assignment, the eligible designated beneficiaries will be entitled to receive a life insurance lump sum.

Leave entitlements:
• Annual leave:  UN Volunteers accrue an entitlement to 2.5 days of Annual Leave per completed month of the UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave up to a maximum of 30 days is carried over in case of a contract extension within the same UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave may not be carried over in case of reassignment or a new assignment.
• Learning leave: Subject to supervisor approval and exigencies of service, UN Volunteers may request up to ten working days of Learning Leave per consecutive 12 months of the UN Volunteer assignment, starting with the Commencement of Service date, provided the Learning Leave is used within the contract period.
• Certified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers are entitled to up to 30 days of certified sick leave based on a 12-month cycle. This amount is reset every 12-month cycle.
• Uncertified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers receive seven days of uncertified sick leave working days in a calendar year. This amount will be reset at the established interval period.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.