Position Title: REACH Senior Data Officer, ACTED

Department: REACH

Country/s Kenya and Somalia

Direct Hierarchy: Senior Data/GIS Manager

Duration: 6 months

Location: Nairobi

Expected Start Date: 15 August 2022

BACKGROUND

ACTED is a French humanitarian NGO, founded in 1993, which supports vulnerable populations, affected by humanitarian crises worldwide. ACTED provides continued support to vulnerable communities by ensuring the sustainability of post-crisis interventions and engaging long-term challenges facing our target populations, in order to break the poverty cycle, foster development and reduce vulnerability to disasters. Their interventions seek to cover the multiple aspects of humanitarian and development crises through a multidisciplinary approach, which is both global and local, and adapted to each context. Their 3,300 staff is committed in to responding to emergencies worldwide, to supporting recovery and rehabilitation, towards sustainable development.

REACH was born in 2010 as a joint initiative of two International NGOs (IMPACT Initiatives and ACTED) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT). REACH’s purpose is to promote and facilitate the development of information products that enhance the humanitarian community’s decision-making and planning capacity for emergency, reconstruction and development contexts, supporting and working within the framework of the humanitarian reform process. REACH facilitates information management for aid actors through three complementary services: (a) need and situation assessments facilitated by REACH teams; (b) situation analysis using satellite imagery; (c) provision of related database and (web)-mapping facilities and expertise.

Context / Country

REACH has been operational in Somalia since 2012, providing information management support to humanitarian actors in a complex environment through assessment capacity, GIS services, and multi-sectoral needs assessments across the country, including hard-to-reach areas. REACH Somalia is looking to continue and strengthen its information support to the humanitarian response in several key areas, including IDP settlement profiling, multi-cluster needs assessment, and improved remote data collection. Key strategic aims are to increase geographic and sectoral coverage and to enhance advocacy capacity through strengthened data collection and information targeting.

Kenya is a country characterized by fragile ecosystems, drought-prone climate conditions, poor infrastructure, instability, and historical marginalization that together pose a major development challenge for the country. In addition to this, Kenya hosts a large asylum-seeking and refugee population largely due to the country’s location in a conflict-prone area. REACH has been working in Kenya since 2016 providing information on the needs and intentions of refugees and vulnerable populations.

Assignment

Under the line management of the Senior Data/GIS Manager, the REACH Data Officer is responsible for the production of REACH’s analysis products in Somalia, including the preparation of research design, support in designing sampling methods, data analysis plans, data collection tools, data cleaning scripts and processes, analysis scripts, analysis outputs and production of web maps and information management systems. The Data officer will support in the dissemination and evaluation stages of the research cycle.

Duties and Responsibilities

I. Research Planning

• Contribute towards the identification and implementation of effective and adapted data management and analysis solutions for REACH research in Somalia and Kenya, in line with REACH’s relevant research and data guidelines.
• Support as designated by line manager sampling design, creation, and management of data collection tools (ODK or KoBo), training on data cleaning and management techniques, support for data analysis set up (specifically conducted in the R environment).
• Contribute to draft research ToRs with a specific focus on sampling, data collection tools, the data analysis plan, as well as data management plan;
• Support the development of qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, ensuring requirements of research cycle/assessment are met;
• In coordination with relevant assessment and GIS officer(s), support construction of quantitative sample; Keep track of progress and delays of all assigned tasks throughout the research cycle. Ensure that delays or identified problems are reported by writing and orally in a timely manner.

II. Research Implementation

• When relevant, support the identification and training of enumerators for primary data collection.
• When relevant, support oversight of data collection, in line with agreed TORs (including their Annexes), including data cleaning processes, checks and data cleaning scripts.
• In coordination with relevant assessment officer(s), document all changes in data collection that lead to a modification in the agreed TORs, ensuring that the relevant management are informed and agree on the modifications.

III. Data Management, Cleaning and Analysis

• Monitor accuracy of data collected in line with IMPACT’s Data Cleaning Minimum Standards Checklist.
• Cross check data collected in the field, ensure regular updates, and solve eventual discrepancies.
• Maintain, update, and expand R-based systems of data management and analysis for data dissemination and reporting.
• Support statistical analysis and quantitative reporting on assessments.

IV. Drafting of Products

• Ensure that all REACH analysis products meet the requirements of REACH and concerned partners.
• In support of the Research Manager or CC, as requested, provide regular communication with IMPACT HQ on progress and deadlines for analysis outputs
• Ensure the drafting of timely and accurate data and analysis products (such as factsheets, graphics, web maps, dashboards), which comply with IMPACT’s guidelines.
• Ensure findings are accurately reported given the data collection and analysis methodology planned in TORs.
• Ensure that all analysis outputs are validated by IMPACT HQ before external release.

V. Knowledge sharing and learning processes

• Provide content and contributes to lessons learned exercises

VI. Capacity building

• In coordination with line manager, conduct induction for new staff members, including training in basic technical data processing and analysis competencies
• Support the REACH GIS Manager in the development and implementation of capacity training plans for data and other team members within the Horn of Africa.
• Be available to provide regular support and technical backstopping to all teams and units within the country office.

VII. Internal Coordination

• Actively participate in regular team meetings.
• Ensure regular coordination and exchange with relevant colleagues.
• Engage in the development and implementation of IMPACT’s strategy in Somalia and Kenya.

VIII. External representation

• Promote an active use of datasets and research findings by partners and the broader humanitarian community for their decision making
• After validation by line manager, present research findings to relevant third parties in orders to enhance their use and impact;
• Ensure that all partner engagement and all external relations are clearly documented and communicated with the line manager and relevant colleagues
• More generally, contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organization, notably through the application of IMPACT’s mandate, ethics values and standpoint with regard to the actors.

VIII. Data Confidentiality and Protection

• The Data Officer will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes, ensuring full compliance with IMPACT’s data protection policy and SOPs. He/she will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of any information and data belonging to IMPACT and its partners or collected during his/her assignment with REACH.

Protection Mainstreaming– Promoting of and adhering to Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy and guidelines

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATION

• Masters’ degree in a relevant discipline (Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Management Systems, Statistics, Mathematics, etc.). Or, Bachelor’s degree in relevant discipline with relevant work experience;
• 5 years of experience in Data Science, Statistics, programming or GIS, preferably in a humanitarian context;
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Proficient knowledge of R programming language, Python, and other relevant data management software
• Experience with cleaning and analyzing large datasets required;
• Strong skills in Excel required;
• Good understanding of various sampling frameworks;
• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Ability to work independently and remotely;
• Written and spoken fluency in English required;
• Experience with GIS applications such as ArcGIS, QGIS, Google Earth Engine, OpenStreet Map, and/or Tableau is an added advantage
• Experience with Kobo, ODK or similar mobile data collection tools.