AJIRA UMOJA WA MATAIFA - 9/25/2014

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has created a new humanitarian data platform – the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX).
The goal of HDX is to make humanitarian data easy to find and use for analysis.
The platform will include three technical components:
a dataset repository for sharing data from across the community; data visualization and analysis functionality to compare indicators across countries and crises; and standards for the exchange of humanitarian operational data (the Humanitarian Exchange Language or HXL).
HDX is being piloted in Colombia and Kenya in 2014.
As part of its roll out in Kenya, the HDX team will be establishing a Data Lab in Nairobi. 1. Data Manager – Humanitarian Data Exchange, Data Lab
Position Type: Consultant
Duration: 3-6 months
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Date: as soon as possible

The Data Lab will serve as a front line, in-person service to the HDX platform and create a neutral, physical space for humanitarian partners, government officials, technologists, universities, and international stakeholders to collaborate on all things data.

Data services will include data extraction, cleaning, storage, analysis and visualization.

The Lab will also provide the opportunity to find new ways of working together on humanitarian data.

Nairobi was chosen as the initial location for the Data Lab because it is a regional setting that is often dealing with multiple emergencies.

We also wanted to explore the relationship between data and resilience in a region that has persistent drought and food insecurity.

As we get established, we hope to benefit from the experience of local innovators involved in the local tech scene.

The HDX Data Lab requires an experienced Data Manager to collaborate with data partners.

The consultant will be part of the HDX Data Lab team which will include a Lab Manager and a Data Analyst.

The Data Lab team will be expected to work closely with staff from the OCHA regional office, based in Nairobi, and with the global HDX team.ReportingRelationships:

The consultant will report to the Lab Manager with oversight from the Statistician and Analytical Lead of the Humanitarian Data Exchange project who is based in New York.Accountabilities Within the limits of delegated authority, the consultant will be responsible for the following:

Work with partner organizations to support their data management processes.

Advise partners on the use of data extraction processes for their data systems;

develop scripts and APIs for data transferring when appropriate.

Monitor the use of HDX by partners in the region and undertake outreach to bring new organizations into the HDX community.

Ensure data freshness of region-specific data in HDX

Promote the use of shared data and interoperability standards within partner spreadsheets and systems using the Humanitarian Exchange Language (HXL).

Manage and distribute standard reference data, including taxonomies, code lists, and geodata.

Clean the common operational datasets for countries in the Eastern Africa region and move the cleaned files into the HDX platform.

Work with non-traditional data sources (telcos, social media) to see what data can be used to inform humanitarian decision making.

Take part in HDX project team meetings as required.Deliverables

Cleaned partner data and logical processes for sharing data with HDX.

Agreements with data providers for sharing data with the HDX platform.

Ongoing curation of data into the HDX analytical database.

Cleaned common operational datasets for countries in the region.

The use of HXL in partner spreadsheets or systems.Qualifications Education:

First level university degree in computer science, information management, information technology, or related field.Experience:

At least five years of professional work experience with managing data systems.

Proven experience in database programming.Demonstrated experience in technical communication.
Experience with the following a plus:

the Java and Python programming languages,

relational databases,

the CKAN open-data portal.Language:

Fluency in English is required (both oral and written).

Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.2. Vacancy: Data Analyst Consultant – Humanitarian Data Exchange, Data Lab
Posted in: Graduate Jobs in Kenya|September 23, 2014
Duration: 3-6 months
Date of Entry: as soon as possible
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
As part of its roll out in Kenya, the HDX team will be establishing a Data Lab in Nairobi.
The Data Lab will serve as a front line, in-person service to the HDX platform and create a neutral, physical space for humanitarian partners, government officials, technologists, universities, and international stakeholders to collaborate on all things data.
Data services will include data extraction, cleaning, storage, analysis and visualization.
The Lab will also provide the opportunity to find new ways of working together on humanitarian data.
Nairobi was chosen as the initial location for a Data Lab because it is a regional setting that is often dealing with multiple emergencies.
We also want to explore the relationship between data and resilience in a region that has persistent drought and food insecurity.
As we get established, we hope to benefit from the experience of local innovators involved in the local tech scene.
The HDX Data Lab requires an experienced Data Analyst to collaborate with data partners.
The consultant will be part of the HDX Data Lab team that will include a Lab Manager and a Data Analyst.
The Data Lab team will be expected to work closely with staff from the OCHA regional office, based in Nairobi, and with the global HDX team.
Reporting Relationships: The consultant will report to the Lab Manager with oversight from the Statistician and Analytical Lead of the Humanitarian Data Exchange project who is based in New York.
Accountabilities
Within the limits of delegated authority, the consultant will be responsible for the following:

Work closely with staff from partner organizations to prioritize business and information needs for the purpose of conducting analysis.

Organize, design and carry out the evaluation and analysis of Eastern Africa-specific data sets through meaningful statistical techniques.

Understand, document, and ensure the quality of high-value humanitarian data for accuracy, consistency and comparability within Kenya and across the region, where applicable.

Participate in the development, implementation, and management of new indicators, together with its accompanying data, to be included in a Common Humanitarian Dataset.

Advise on methodologies for key humanitarian indicators such as the ‘number of people affected’ and the ‘number of people in need of assistance’ and their application and use in humanitarian crises in Eastern Africa.

Make recommendations, as needed, on the data visualization and analytic functionality of local systems and their relationship to the HDX platform.

Develop ad hoc analysis on demand for partner organizations.

Take part in HDX project team meetings as required.Deliverables

Clean and validated high-value datasets produced by the humanitarian community.

Data visualizations and analysis of regional data, using both print and web technologies, conveying key insights for use by partner organizations and within the HDX platform.

Oversight and curation of data analytics for the relevant pages (e.g. country, region, crisis, or topic) in the HDX platform.Qualifications
Education:

A first level university degree in statistics, mathematics, economics, computer science or related field is required.Experience:

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in the collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination of statistical data or related area.

Proven experience of statistical software to analyze and evaluate complex data is required (e.g. SPSS, SAS, STATA).

Knowledge of geographic (GIS) data, its analytical procedures and software is a plus.

Knowledge of statistical programming languages (e.g. R, Python / NumPy) is a plus.

Knowledge of web-development technologies is a plus (e.g. JavaScript, HTML, CSS).

Experience with humanitarian data and indicators desirable.Language: Fluency in English is required (both oral and written).
3. Lab Manager - Humanitarian Data Exchange - Data Lab
The Data Lab will serve as a front line, in-person service to the HDX platform and create a neutral, physical space for humanitarian partners, government officials, technologists, universities, and international stakeholders to collaborate on all things data.
Data services will include data extraction, cleaning, storage, analysis and visualization.
The Lab will also provide the opportunity to find new ways of working together on humanitarian data.
Nairobi was chosen as the initial location for the Data Lab because it is a regional setting that is often dealing with multiple emergencies.
We also wanted to explore the relationship between data and resilience in a region that has persistent drought and food insecurity.
As we get established, we hope to benefit from the experience of local innovators involved in the local tech scene.
The HDX Data Lab requires an experienced Data Manager to collaborate with data partners.
The consultant will be part of the HDX Data Lab team which will include a Lab Manager and a Data Analyst.
The Data Lab team will be expected to work closely with staff from the OCHA regional office, based in Nairobi, and with the global HDX team.
Reporting Lines: The consultant will report to the Project Manager of the Humanitarian Data Exchange project in New York.
Accountabilities

Oversee all aspects of the Nairobi Data Lab including operational (staffing, resource allocation, office logistics) and programmatic elements (community building and outreach, partner services, representation, data management/analysis, and user experience research).

Support the hiring process of local lab staff in close coordination with the OCHA Regional Office in Nairobi.

Research, recommend, and secure a physical office space(s) for the Data Lab and oversee the set up of that space.

Maintain rigorous financial records and contribute to donor reporting for the Data Lab grant; write blogs and other communications material as needed.

Define the services for the humanitarian community to be offered by the Data Lab based on an understanding of the needs of humanitarian partners with a focus on innovation and collaboration.

Conduct formal and informal outreach to the humanitarian community to promote these services. Develop partnerships and identify useful networks for Data Lab staff to cultivate.

Offer training and events through the Data Lab aimed at increasing the data capacity and connectedness of the humanitarian community; host innovation and research projects within the physical lab.

Support the creation of a virtual Data Lab through the HDX platform to promote projects and connect collaborators.

Represent the HDX project in high level meetings, trainings, workshops, hackathons and conferences; communicate the goals of the

Data Lab and the HDX platform to a variety of audiences.

Develop a user experience component to test country, regional, and crisis specific pages and features.

Provide feedback on user experience elements to the HDX project team on the specific needs of local users.

Take part in HDX project team meetings as required.Deliverables

Well-functioning HDX Data Lab in Nairobi.

Hiring and management of local staff.

Clear understanding by partners of the work of the Data Lab and the services it provides.Qualifications Education:

First level university degree in business development, management, information management, information technology, or related field.Experience:

At least five years of professional work experience with business development, project management and innovation projects.

Demonstrated experience in staff management and communication. Humanitarian or tech experience a plus.Language:

Fluency in English is required (both oral and written).

Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.Send CVs to Mark Slezak at slezak@un.org with a copy to hdx@un.org. by 31st October