ABOUT THE COMPANY:

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With over 194 member states, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. We believe that everyone can play a part in ending hunger.

Organizational Setting

The Statistics Division (ESS) develops and advocates for the implementation of methodologies and standards for data collection, validation, processing and analysis of food and agriculture statistics.

In these statistical domains, it also plays a vital role in the compilation, processing and dissemination of internationally comparable data and provides essential capacity building support to Member Nations. In addition, the Division disseminates many publications working papers and statistical yearbooks, that cover agricultural and food security relevant statistics (including prices, investments, production, trade and agri-environmental statistical data).

The post is located in the Statistics Division, ESS at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.
 

Main Purpose

The Metadata Management Associate plays a lead role in the coordination of statistical metadata and research support functions.

He/she performs a broad range of technical, procedural and analytical support, ensuring quality, validity and consistency of metadata and classifications produced and utilized in the corporate statistical system.

The job requires in-depth knowledge and interpretation of metadata standards and relevant procedures and practices. The incumbent provides procedural guidance to staff in the Division.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Metadata Management Associate reports to a Senior Professional Officer. Work is performed autonomously, showing a high degree of initiative and independent, analytical judgment.

Supervision received is focused on facilitating service delivery and on integrating methods and processes. The incumbent provides guidance and training to statistical support staff in the Organization.
 

Working Relationships

The incumbent maintains an extensive range of contacts both within the Organization and with external partners, counterparts, managers and Decentralized Offices, providing the entire range of metadata management support functions.

Matters are often complex, requiring proficient handling of data and information.

Key Functions/Results

•    Prepare and maintain complex statistical metadata and classifications.
•    Support research on methodologies for improving metadata and statistical standards; assist in preparation of standard concepts, definitions, and classifications.
•    Implement statistical standards with focus on standardized concepts, definitions and classifications in the corporate Master Data Management system for storage, versioning and dissemination purposes; coordinate the maintenance of definitions and classifications in the Master Data Management system.
•    Participate in the design of a metadata governance mechanism; plan and supervise the collection and processing of statistical metadata from international and national sources; validate the linked open data version of statistical classifications, code lists and metadata for dissemination in the Linked Open Data dissemination platform.
•    Carry out internal consultations with the relevant technical units to review and validate code lists, classifications, metadata, and related statistical standards.
•    Provide technical and procedural guidance and training to FAO statistical data owners on the implementation of classifications, code lists, metadata and related statistical standards.
•    Draft correspondence to Member Nations, UN agencies and other institutions regarding metadata, classifications and statistical information; draft text for reports on specialized matters; evaluate, verify and edit classifications, code lists and tables, for annual and periodic publications and internal or international meetings.
•    Review and recommend changes to operating procedures and systems.
•    Perform other duties as required.

Impact of Work

The incumbent’s work impacts directly on the quality of the output of the work unit and reflects on constituent units.

He/she plays a lead role in the coordination and provision of the metadata management support services for the successful achievement of the Division’s mandate.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Education: Secondary School Education.
Experience: Five years of relevant experience in statistical and metadata management support.
Languages: Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of one of the other FAO official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
IT Skills: Very good knowledge of standard MS Office applications, Excel, Internet and office technology equipment.

Residency: General Service Staff are recruited locally.

To be eligible for this position, candidates must be nationals of the country of the duty station or possess an existing visa/work permit and reside within commuting distance of the duty station at the time of the application.

“Commuting distance” means the distance within which staff members can travel daily between their place of work and their residence.

Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical Skills

•    Thorough knowledge of metadata standards, international classifications, metadata modelling and governance of metadata.
•    Thorough knowledge of contemporary software used in statistics and approaches to manage metadata (i.e.

SMDX, Linked Open Data).
•    Thorough knowledge of relevant corporate computerized systems, policies and procedures.

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

•    Very good knowledge of the corporate structure.
•    Very good knowledge of the corporate statistical governance mechanisms.
•    Very good knowledge of the international statistical classifications.