IMPACT U-LEARN Data Specialist for Uganda

BACKGROUND ON IMPACT AND REACH

REACH was born in 2010 as a joint initiative of two International NGOs (IMPACT Initiatives and ACTED) and the United Nations 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. 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.

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organisation manages several initiatives, including the REACH Initiative. The IMPACT team comprises specialists in data collection, management and analysis and GIS. IMPACT was launched at the initiative of ACTED, an international NGO whose headquarter is based in Paris and is present in thirty countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, enabling IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support on its fields of intervention.
We are currently looking for a U-LEARN Data Specialist to support our U-LEARN Consortium team in Uganda.

Department: IMPACT
Contract duration: One year

Location: Kampala, Uganda

Starting Date: ASAP

POSITION PROFILE

IMPACT, as part of the “U-LEARN” consortium led by Save the Children International’s Response Innovation Lab (RIL) and in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (UK), will implement a three year cross-sectoral field-driven learning programme for the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development’s Building Resilience and an Effective Emergency Refugee Response (BRAER) business case. U-LEARN will focus on improving quality, accountability and innovation in the Uganda refugee response through the delivery of an integrated programme to enable continuous improvements to the response in Uganda whilst ensuring better accountability to refugee and host communities. The consortium will optimize existing financial resources, systems for Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) and knowledge assets to enhance learning with each partner responsible for the implementation of one component. Consortium partners will develop synergies amongst the findings and make results appropriately and easily accessible to various audiences through a Learning Hub, established as a key output of the programme.

IMPACT will provide oversight of aid delivery by DFID’s partners and mitigate risk through systematic and regular visits to DFID-funded project sites to independently verify (IV) the approach taken by partners in a mixed-methods and multi-pronged approach, centered on risk-reduction and clear Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP). IMPACT’s activities will seek to capture detailed information about aid delivery and experience of beneficiaries in close coordination with IRC. These experiences will be conveyed to both DFID and their partners, and other actors in the broader humanitarian response as necessary and will directly inform the AAP and learning components of U-LEARN. IMPACT will take a flexible approach to IV to allow for real time adaptations, and to ensure activities are useful and relevant. All activities will be tailored to provide quantitative and qualitative information across refugee settlements where BRAER partners operate.

IMPACT’s IV approach will include, but will not be limited to:

• Desk reviews of DFID M&E documents and partnership frameworks, such as results frameworks, past project reports, relevant tools for documenting and monitoring project activities, to understand BRAER partners and their activities.


• Household (HH) surveys and assessments through observations, interviews and focus group discussions.


• Key informant interviews (KIIs) with community and village heads, local councils, settlement and district authorities, teachers etc.


• Regular visits and on-site monitoring with visual documentation of implementation sites, such as warehouses, stores, health centers, among others to verify quality and results.


• Inclusion of women and children as well as persons with disabilities in assessments and surveys


• Triangulation of monitoring findings with partner data and through joint analysis workshops to ensure inclusion and comparison.

FUNCTIONS

Under the supervision of the IMPACT Country Coordinator, the IMPACT Data specialist will be responsible for providing technical support on all U-Learn research cycles, including methodology design, data quality assurance, analysis, and spatial verification, through the development of automated systems and the functional management of GIS (GISO) and Database Officers (DBOs). The Data specialist will ensure the implementation of GIS and DB activities including preparation, implementation, and follow-up, and ensure sufficient quality and compliance with internal procedures.

The position will be based in Kampala. In close coordination with the IMPACT Country Coordinator and U-LEARN Research Manager, the Data Specialist is responsible for:

Functional management of the Uganda GIS and DB team

• Serving in an advisory capacity to the Country Coordinator, the Data Specialist will provide a single point of contact to all Uganda GIS and DB staff and track all GIS/DB activities within the Uganda mission.


• Tracking and guiding of all GIS/DB work plans and consolidation into master work plan. The Data Specialist will be provided with GIS/DB work plans by GISOs/DBOs and advise the Country Coordinator on issues related to work load (e.g. staff availability, need for support, etc.).


• Responsible for strengthening capacity development among GIS and DB staff in Uganda mission.

Management of functions within research cycles and Terms of References (TORs)

• Develop technical systems (scripts, etc.) and provide staff training on systems to ensure smooth data collection, cleaning, analysis, and output production processes


• Tracking of all Uganda TORs, in relation to specific GIS/analysis needs


• Responsible for providing (or ensuring provision of) GIS/analysis consultation to each TOR. For this, the Data Specialist will need to be in copy during TOR discussions at drafting stage and will either comment directly or ensure that another GIS/DB staff member contributes to the TOR development.

Review and verification of Uganda GIS outputs

• Review and verification of all Uganda GIS and analysis products prior to Geneva validation


• Provide technical input to GISOs and DBOs to improve the quality of products prior to publication


• Train GIS and DB staff to develop analytical products based on assessment data, in coordination with the Research Manager and Assessment Officers

Management of all data

• Monitor the accuracy of data collected through the development of automated systems to ensure high quality data


• Ensure accurate linkages between spatial databases and assessment data


• Ensure data management and server efficiency with GIS/GB officers


• Ensure data protection SOPs are fully understood and followed in the mission


• Organize and supervise GIS/DB staff field missions as necessary

Strategy Development and Implementation

• The Data Specialist will participate and actively contribute to the development of the IMPACT/REACH strategy in Uganda, in support of the Country Coordinator. In particular s/he will support in identifying:


• GIS/analytical gaps in country


• Synergies with other GIS and IM actors


• Dissemination strategies to strengthen the impact of our GIS and IM work


• Support in the preparation and follow up of country level internal strategic workshops and plans


• Lead on staff capacity building and provide technical training and follow up to GIS/DB team on a routine basis


• Engagement with IMPACT HQ in global level GIS/analysis priorities

External Engagement

Represent the Uganda mission in relevant Information Management (IM) fora, other external engagement as needed for presentations or technical workshops.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

The Research Manager will maintain the strictest confidentiality of data and processes. He/she will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of information and data.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO COMMUNITIES AND BENEFICIARIES

The staff member is responsible for ensuring that all relations with the communities IMPACT and partners work are conducted in a respectful and consultative manner. Due attention must be paid to ensuring that communities are adequately consulted and informed about IMPACT programme objectives, activities, beneficiary selection criteria, and methodologies. This is the responsibility of every IMPACT staff member.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor degree in statistics, economics, GIS, geography, environmental studies or a related discipline


• Minimum 5 years of experience in GIS / database management, preferably in a humanitarian context;


• Proven excellent coordination leadership and/or technical leadership capacity and ability to train and guide GIS and DB staff


• Significant previous experience in monitoring and evaluation, research or information management;


• Extensive experience analyzing data with R is desirable; knowledge of other statistical programming languages and packages a plus (Python, SPSS, STATA, etc.);


• Extensive previous experience with mobile data collection (ODK, ONA, KOBO);


• Excellent Microsoft Excel skills


• Knowledge of the Adobe Suite, particularly Illustrator and InDesign is required;


• Excellent team management skills;


• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;


• Fluency in English is required;


• Previous experience in East Africa is desired;


• Ability to work independently.

CONDITIONS

• Salary defined by the IMPACT salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus


• Monthly living allowance provided in country by IMPACT’s partner ACTED


• Food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse/or housing allowance (depending on grade level, contract length, and country of assignment)


• Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance


• Provision of medical, life and repatriation insurance + retirement package