DOTS (Foundry) Product Manager

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance

Job Title: DOTS (Foundry) Product Manager

Type of Contract: Consultant Level II

Division: TECX

Duty Station: Remote working

Duration: 11 months

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian agency, fighting hunger worldwide. The Technology Division (TEC) of the World Food Programme (WFP) is leading the enterprise-wide deployment of a data and analytics platform called DOTS which is powered by the Palantir Foundry solution. DOTS is at the center of TEC’s data ecosystem integrating data from multiple data sources, transforming data to create a dynamic ontology, and providing business insights to support decision-making.

The DOTS Product Manager is accountable and responsible for the DOTS strategic roadmap and the day-to-day operations of the DOTS Platform ensuring Engineering Services, Platform Governance Services and Data Services teams are proactively delivering value and providing access to trusted data and information for end-users across WFP. Acting as a DOTS champion, the incumbent is also expected to cultivate key stakeholder relationships to communicate the key outcomes and performance benefits that can be facilitated by a modern data platform. Finally, the DOTS Product Manager must build relationships within TEC to create the handshakes necessary for delivering as one TEC team.

Combining technical skills and hands-on experience of data and analytics, product and budget management, agile methodology, coaching high performance teams and managing stakeholders, the DOTS Product Manager will be equally comfortable discussing technical issues with the engineering team to engaging audiences with DOTS presentations and demos. Reporting to the Chief of Data Services in the TEC Division, this role will help build and maintain a team culture which relishes curiosity, learning, trust, and a devotion to provision of quality services.

Who we are looking for:

Does using data to answer key business questions, to inform better decision-making, and to provide support to WFP’s operations resonate with you? We are seeking data professionals who are ready to explore, question, and rapidly iterate as we work with our colleagues to design and implement use cases with global impact. Combining, project management, business analysis, data engineering and data science, you will have a chance to work on our fast-growing ontology and data ecosystem. Come join our team!

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the development of the DOTS product roadmap and ensure alignment of activities and deliverables towards strategic goals.
• Establish relationships with key business stakeholders to ensure DOTS product roadmap and activities supports business needs.
• Enable partnership collaboration with the Palantir focal point to develop a plan for activities with the Palantir Engineering team which will strengthen the DOTS product roadmap and provide technical advisory support for projects.
• Ensure cost efficiency and ROI calculations are provided for each project which utilizes the DOTS platform and provide annual data on overall cost efficiencies achieved by the DOTS product.
• Create seamless alignment with other TECX teams to ensure adoption of data architecture, data analysis and data engineering best practices.
• Collaborate with the TECX Field Data team to ensure field needs are also supported by the DOTS product roadmap and project activities
• Manage the review and prioritization of projects that require use of the DOTS platform
• Establish annual workplans for the DOTS team including specific breakouts for DOTS Platform Governance, Technical Team, Data Services and Training. Conduct regular reviews to ensure achievement of goals.
• Provide subject matter expertise and advice to data teams across WFP on data modelling, data integration, and advanced data analytics.
• Understand the data domains, metadata definitions, outputs of data mapping activities to ensure better data quality and alignment of data lifecycles.

DELIVERABLES:

1. Create and implement a DOTS Product Roadmap with key initiatives. For each key initiative, create a project plan for delivery and allocate team members and track progress.
2. Establish a Service Catalogue and End-user support for the DOTS product.
3. Lead the development of the team annual workplan and empower DOTS team members to achieve workplan goals through coaching and mentoring.
4. Adopt and implement standard data engineering, data modelling, data security and data science practices and processes.
5. Improve product quality by aligning with data architecture, and implementation of platform improvements aimed at end-users
6. Establish portfolio and project management methodology to ensure project scope, timelines, budget, and prioritization are realized.
7. Ensure implementation teams are fully utilizing SCRUM methodology and Azure DevOps to track and deliver Minimum Viable Products.
8. Define and analyse metrics that inform the success of the DOTS product. Identify and track key performance metrics.
9. Build DOTS community through training, communication, and advocacy events.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

University degree in data science or computer science or computer engineering or statistics.

Experience:

• 5+ years of hands-on data modelling or analytics experience.

In combination with:

• 2+ years of product management experience (analytical products or software products).
• 1+ year direct experience working on a project with data science, AI/ML deliverables.
• 1 + year experience working on projects delivering data visualizations (Tableau, MS BI, Looker etc.)

Highly Desirable: Experience working with Palantir Foundry.

Desirable: Experience working in WFP RB or CO offices and understanding of WFP data domains.

Technical Skills & Knowledge:

• Proficiency in SQL, languages such as Python and PySpark and or Scala
• Knowledge of data governance principles and data lifecycle management.
• Proven experience working on cloud analytics platforms (e.g. Foundry, Databricks, Snowflake, Azure, AWS, Google etc.)
• Established knowledge: product development, requirements and risk analysis, user story writing, pricing, planning, financial planning and strategy.
• Experience working with data analysis, or otherwise proven record of high technical aptitude and ability to work in highly technical and analytical environments.
• Proven ability to analyse business processes, uncovering, shaping, and documenting business needs and requirements that are aligned with business strategies.

Competencies:

• Takes personal accountability for upholding and delivering upon team’s commitments and provides assurance to stakeholders.
• Utilizes understanding of WFP’s Strategic Objectives to communicate linkages to team objectives and work.
• Can identify, support, and encourage focused on-the-job learning opportunities to address gaps between current skillsets and needed future skillsets for WFP.
• Demonstrates ability to adjust to team’s plans and priorities to optimize outcomes considering evolving directives, while also responding quickly in high-pressure environments, such as in emergency settings.
• Demonstrates ability to adapt engagement approach in the context of evolving partner circumstances and expectations

Language: Fluency (level C) in English language. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of a second official UN language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, and/or WFP’s working language, Portuguese, would be an asset

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

WFP offers a competitive compensation package, which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with WFP.

http://www.wfp.org Click on: "Our Work" and "Countries" to learn more about WFP's operations.

Deadline for applications: 05 August 2023 at at 11:59pm Rome time (CET/CEST)

Qualified female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply.

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.

Saving lives, changing lives

Apply For Job