Data Specialist At IMPACT Initiatives

We are currently looking for a Data Specialist to support our team in Iraq.

Position: Data Specialist

Contract duration:12 months

Location: Erbil, Iraq

Starting Date: ASAP

COUNTRY PROFILE

Following years of displacement and conflict, the Iraq context is increasingly transitioning to a post-conflict stabilisation and development phase. While reconstruction and development initiatives are underway – with significant international support – populations in Iraq continue to face problems stemming from widespread infrastructural damage, reduced access to public services, and economic decline. Humanitarian needs also remain; in 2020, it was estimated that at least 4.1 million IDPs and returnees in Iraq were in need of humanitarian assistance, with ongoing climatic shocks continuing to intensify humanitarian needs. In addition, 1.2 million IDPs and 4.8 million returnees face hurdles to durable solutions to their displacement, including security concerns, lack of access to livelihoods, destroyed or damaged housing, and lack of social cohesion.

To support humanitarian decision-making and evidence-based prioritization, since 2012 IMPACT has been coordinating with humanitarian clusters and other national and regional coordination mechanisms to address information gaps and implement assessments. More recently, as the context continues to shift, IMPACT has supported development actors to improve humanitarian and development interventions’ effectiveness, efficiency, and efficacy, and encourage an equitable and needs-based transition to stabilization and development initiatives. Overall, IMPACT Iraq has led country-wide multi-sectoral assessments, informed cash programming across Iraq through monthly market monitoring exercises, extended technical support to CCCM and WASH partners, encouraged evidence-based approaches to durable solutions, and conducted thematic assessments and rapid needs assessments in response to contextual changes. More information can be found here.

FUNCTIONS

The REACH Data Specialist will fulfil the following functions:

Under the line management of the IMPACT Deputy Country Coordinator / Representative or his/her delegates in Iraq, the Data Specialist ensures the validity, strengthens the quality, and efficiency of all IMPACT research cycles in Iraq, per IMPACT’s standards, partner expectations, and IMPACT’s ethos of facilitating an evidence-based response. In coordination with the Country Senior Management Team, the Data Specialist will provide technical inputs at all stages of relevant research cycles, including for secondary data reviews, assessment conceptualization, research design, data cleaning, data analysis, production of information products (inclusive of maps and factsheets), and dissemination of information products, etc. S/he will be involved in partner coordination, donor reporting and presentations, and will be required to provide input to the strategic development of IMPACT in Iraq. The data Specialist will also be responsible for developing and implementing a continuous capacity building program for national and international team members, and (when relevant) for providing training to partners.

In his/her mission, the Data Specialist will be hosted by IMPACT’s global partner ACTED and will fall under the direct responsibility and management of ACTED’s Country Director and his/her delegates for all Administrative, Security, and relevant Logistics and Finance issues. S/he will therefore fully abide by ACTED’s Security, Administration, and relevant HR, Logistics and Finance rules and regulations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy development & implementation

The Data Specialist will participate and actively contribute to the development of IMPACT’s strategy in Iraq, in support of the Country Coordinator/Representative. She/he may be asked to collaborate with the Senior Management Team. In particular, s/he will support in identifying and concretising:

Contribute to country, regional, and unit strategies development with relevant technical and thematic contents;
Support the development/revision of assessment/programme strategies, reports, or new proposals;
Identify data gaps in the country and develop a national data strategy;
Ensure that data analysis strategies are implemented in a structured and coherent manner in line with project and strategic objectives and with IMPACT’s guidelines and processes;
Ensuring the national data strategy is integrated and actioned across Units and within individual work plans of data officers;
Synergies with other data and IM actors;
Dissemination strategies to strengthen the impact of our data and IM work;
Engagement with IMPACT HQ in global-level data priorities.

Research planning and implementation

In coordination with the Research Manager/focal point(s), ensuring that assessments are planned in line with project and program objectives, IMPACT’s research cycle, and other relevant guidelines;
Identification of available data to inform secondary data review, in coordination with the assessment team;
For each assessment, ensure contribution to and review of draft ToRs with a specific focus on the sampling design, data collection methodology, analysis plan, as well as data management plan;
In coordination with the Assessment team, co-construct qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, ensuring data requirements of the research cycle/assessment are met;
Develop data cleaning processes and scripts as relevant;
Keep track of progress and delays of all relevant data- and information-management tasks throughout the research cycle. Ensure that delays or identified problems are reported by writing and orally promptly;
When relevant, ensure that support is provided by data staff in overseeing data collection, in line with agreed TORs (including their Annexes), including validation as part of daily assessment checks;
In coordination with the assessment team, ensure that all changes in data collection that lead to a modification in the agreed TORs are documented; and that the IMPACT Country Coordinator/Representative and IMPACT HQ are informed and agree on the modifications.

Data management, cleaning and analysis

Ensure that all collected data is stored in line with IMPACT’s Data Management Guidelines, and with the ToRs (data management plan Annex);
Ensure that data is revised, cleaned and that all revisions are recorded;
Ensure data analysis is conducted on collected data as per ToRs;
Ensure that data analysis is validated by IMPACT HQ before the product drafting stage;
Ensure that data and its analysis do not contain personal information and are validated by IMPACT HQ before sharing with external parties;
Ensure the quality and accuracy of technical information provided as well as the confidentiality and protection of collected information.

Drafting of products

Ensure that the data products meet the requirements of IMPACT and concerned partners;
Maintain regular communication with IMPACT HQ on progress and deadlines for data analysis products;
Ensure the drafting of timely and accurate products (including factsheets, graphics, webmaps, and dashboards), which comply with IMPACT’s guidelines;
Ensure that products are validated by IMPACT HQ before external release;
When relevant, in close coordination with IMPACT HQ, support the regular maintenance and update of web products.

Team functional and line-Management

Close collaboration with Research Managers or CC/CRs who are line managing data staff in their units on the career development, work planning, and technical guidance of the relevant data staff; in addition to direct line management of cross-unit data staff, if any;
Conduct regular meetings with all international and senior national data team members to assess progress in all research cycles and to review the work plan;
Reviewing data staff’s work throughout the research cycles (clean datasets, analysis scripts, maps, etc.)
Bilateral management of international and senior national data team members as needed, including (in consultation with IMPACT Country Coordinator) the conduct of appraisals, as well as participation in staff career management;
In coordination with Country Coordinator, conduct induction for new staff members, and provide ongoing training for staff;
Be available to provide regular support and technical backstopping.

Internal Knowledge sharing, Learning and Capacity Building

Identify capacity gaps, and resolve to bridge these through targeted capacity building, training, performance monitoring, and backstopping where needed;
Support the line managers and specialists in the development and implementation of capacity training plans for data, assessment, and other team members;
Conduct and support regular training for Iraq teams, including regular updates on IMPACT guidelines, adapted (to context) training modules, and learning on the job; Complement in-house training material with external resources, if and as relevant;
Ensure impact of training and progression of staff is monitored;
Pro-actively provide regular technical support and backstopping to data and assessment teams;
Proactively monitor risks on data quality across all research cycles and ensure any issues are flagged to management in-country and HQ Research design and data unit.
Support data and Assessment teams to systematically review the efficiency and quality of research cycles and information products;
Support monitoring and evaluation for relevant Research Cycle, as specified in the research ToRs and in line with IMPACT Guidelines;
Contribute to generating and documenting robust lessons learned at the end of the relevant Research Cycle;
Ensure knowledge and learning processes are shared across the mission/region and with HQ;
Able and available to engage with Global Units and global learning processes, such as methodology notes, lessons learnt, Communities of Practice, etc;
Continuously seek to improve and innovate IMPACT assessments, information products and processes to identify and meet information gaps in the Iraq humanitarian response to support the facilitation of an evidence-based response;
Work closely with other specialists in Iraq to develop, implement, and monitor a multi-disciplinary training and learning plan for IMPACT teams;
More generally, contributes to creating a culture of rigour, innovation, and learning within IMPACT’s operations.

External Engagement

Under the coordination of the IMPACT Country Coordinator/Representative, ensure that relevant partners are consulted and involved in the preparation of data products;
In coordination with the IMPACT Country Coordinator/Representative, engage in relevant technical fora in the country (e.g. IM/data working groups);
In support of the IMPACT Country Coordinator/Representative, engage with other organisations engaged with the maintenance of data in Iraq, ensuring IMPACT databases are up-to-date and in line with Common Operational Datasets (CODs) and Fundamental Operational Datasets (FODs);
In coordination with the IMPACT Country Coordinator/Representative, support the presentation of data products to relevant third parties, to enhance their use and impact.

Dissemination

Ensure the strictest confidentiality of data and data processes. The Data Specialist will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of information and data;
In coordination with IMPACT HQ, ensure that data products are uploaded on relevant data portals, as specified in Research ToRs.

Data Confidentiality and Protection

The Data Specialist will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes. 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 IMPACT.

REQUIREMENTS

Academic Excellent academic qualifications, preferably including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline;
Research skills Excellent research and analytical skills are required, including a sound understanding of sampling frameworks and their application, an ability to analyse large data sets, as well as conduct temporal or spatial trend analysis. Demonstrable experience in data science. Excellent data analysis skills.
Software skills Advanced knowledge of R and R-Shiny software packages.
Knowledge of ArcGIS/QGIS as well as google earth engine is desirable. Proven knowledge of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Training skills Ability to conduct training and mentor IMPACT teams and partners on assessment skills;
Multi-tasking skills Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles;
Level of independence Strong existing ability to work independently in support of colleagues and partners;
Cross-cultural work environment Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;