Juliane Rodrigues Ramiro Martins

Why did you decide on a career at the UN?

I’ve always been driven by the desire to contribute to a more just and sustainable world—both socially and environmentally. However, I didn’t feel a sense of belonging in the private corporate world. Despite putting in a lot of effort and always being committed to learning and growing, I often felt that my knowledge and energy weren’t being directed toward something I truly valued. Joining the UN, and especially UNEP, gave me the chance to align my work with that purpose. At UNEP, I feel genuinely motivated, working in a multicultural environment where our common ground is a shared commitment to positive impact.

What has been your favorite technology project or initiative at the United Nations and why? What was your contribution?

One of my favorite initiatives has been designing and maintaining a suite of dashboards for the GEF Climate Change Mitigation Unit (CCMU) at UNEP, which manages a portfolio of over 150 active and completed projects in developing countries, implementing more than USD 500 million. In order to efficiently keep track of our work and to ease coordination, I developed dashboards covering everything from financial analysis and portfolio assessment, to project impact and reporting progress and cross-team task tracking—similar to a help desk model for internal support.

My main contribution was conceptualizing and building what we now call the CCMU Data Hub—a centralized space where team members can easily access multiple dashboards tailored to different areas of work. I leveraged Microsoft Power Platform tools and SharePoint to make the most of what’s available at UNEP. I structured the underlying data architecture by creating a set of SharePoint Lists that function as our internal databases, and complement the corporative systems (UMOJA, IPMR). To ensure efficient data collection, I developed a custom Power Apps application and implemented Power Automate flows to pull information from sources like donor emails, the Unit’s MS Planner, and others. I also collaborated with the CSD team to integrate web scraping solutions that feed real-time data into our dashboards via the EDP. While I led the full technical development—from data modeling to automation and visualization—the success of this initiative relies on team participation. Not all data can be automated, and I’ve learned that people engage more when they see the value of their input reflected in meaningful insights.

The Data Hub has already brought tangible benefits: improved efficiency, reduced admin time, higher quality of reporting, and better collaboration across teams. It also provides key figures and visuals to share with partners— such as calculated direct emission reductions of 313 million tCO₂e, an additional 354 million tCO₂e in indirect reductions, and a map highlighting action in over 100 countries. It further supports the case for our growing team, as demand continues to rise each year—evident in the increasing number of project implementation reports being submitted.

With our team spread across the globe, having a centralized, self-service data hub has been key to keeping everyone aligned and informed. Ultimately, this digital transformation helps to reduce time spent on admin tasks, empower colleagues to work more strategically, and enable leadership to make faster, data-driven decisions.

What advice would you give women interested in pursuing a field in technology?

You don’t need to come from a traditional tech background to succeed in technology. My background is in engineering and ESG, and I learned most of my tech skills through hands-on projects and being genuinely curious. Find real problems you care about and start experimenting with tech tools you have available to solve them. You don't need to start big with complicated projects to make an impact! I would also like to take the opportunity to bust the myth that protecting biodiversity and helping to fight climate change is only possible by going back in time. I believe that technology and innovation, when used ethically, can support our goal of creating a better planet.