REACH GIS/Data Manager – ACTED

Position: REACH GIS/Data Manager

Department: REACH

Contract Duration: 01 year with possibility of extension depending on funds availability and performance

Location: Kampala, Uganda.

Salary range: Gross pay UGX 6M-7M

Scope: Open to Ugandan Nationals only

Starting date: March 2022

Background:

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization 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.

Position Profile:

Over the last 20 years, Uganda has become the destination for more than 1.5 million registered refugees, including people fleeing conflict and instability in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burundi. The recent influxes of refugees have aggravated the need for a comprehensive understanding of the humanitarian situation and the provision of services for refugees and host communities living both in dedicated refugee settlements as well as in urban settings, including ways to enhance the resilience of these communities.

IMPACT was first deployed to Uganda through its initiative REACH in 2017 in order to provide evidence-based information for humanitarian and development actors in support of strategic planning. In addition to providing assessment and information management response to the humanitarian coordination mechanisms through REACH, IMPACT has worked on strengthening the refugee response in urban centres, such as Kampala, and provides bilateral programme and assessment support to key actors in the response.

Based in Kampala, the GIS/Data Manager will provide cross-cutting technical support to IMPACT’s assessment teams.

Under the supervision of the Country Coordinator, the GIS/Data Manager will be responsible for supporting ongoing assessments by designing geospatial, data cleaning and analysis scripts and through the design of other automated systems improving the quality and efficiency of IMPACT’s work.

Function:

In particular, the GIS/Data Manager is responsible for the following:

1. Designing Innovative Data and GIS Solutions

• Taking the lead on engaging creatively with new and existing data collection cycles to identify opportunities for innovation, improved data quality, and increased strategic engagement with data;
• Improving data quality by automating data checking and cleaning processes in R, including for large country-wide assessments;
• Using R to create composite indicators, develop custom functions for data processes, and Implementing data analysis on complex weighted questionnaire/survey data sets.
• Automating recurrent data analysis processes to reduce the amount of time between data collection and the creation of information products;
• R Shiny dashboard development.
• Ensuring version control systems are in place.
• Designing products and technical processes to improve the use of and engagement with REACH data within the humanitarian response.
• Support the mission in identifying creative ways to use Data and GIS solutions.

2. Ensure data processes & functions within Research Cycle by working in close coordination with GIS, data, and assessment staff

• Supporting team members with designing and implementing assessment strategies and methodologies, including sampling frameworks, data analysis plans, data collection tools, and data quality checks;
• Ensuring the quality and accuracy of REACH data as well as the confidentiality and protection of collected information;
• Managing the analysis of data in line with IMPACT’s guidelines;
• Designing and producing engaging information products, including dashboards, reports, and maps, to visualize assessment results.
• Lead meeting with external stakeholder for coordinate technical activities.

3. Manage GIS and Database staff, supporting all work, training, and capacity development

• Manage 2-3 GIS/Database Officers, providing daily support, training, and capacity building to support career development. This include conducting appraisals coherently with ACTED/IMPACT calendar.
• Build overall data analysis/automation capacity of team through formal and informal trainings.
• Working with staff to troubleshoot issues with existing scripts and data processes.
• Work with the GIS/Data Manager, technical focal points, and IMPACT HQ members to identify and implement best technical practices.
• Participate in regular meetings with GIS and database staff to assess progress on research cycles and review/track progress of work plans.
• Provide oversight in GIS procedures regarding GIS data management and organization, data security, file sharing, output tracking, and asset management

4. External engagement

• In coordination with IMPACT Country Coordination and IMPACT Research Manager, ensure that relevant partners are consulted and involved in the preparation of data/GIS products;
• Engage independently in technical fora (for example, IM/GIS working groups)
• In support of the IMPACT Country Coordination and IMPACT Research Manager engaged with the maintenance of spatial data in country, ensuring IMPACT Geodatabases are up-to-date and in line with Common Operational Datasets (CODs) and Fundamental Operational Datasets (FODs)
• In coordination with the IMPACT Country Coordination and IMPACT Research Manager, support the presentation of DATA/GIS products to relevant third parties, to enhance their use and impact;
• Ensure that external communications with technical DATA/GIS/IM partners and key stakeholders, including relevant UN agencies, local and national government, and NGOs has been conducted and documented as appropriate.

5. Any other tasks need to ensure the success of the IMPACT mission

• The GIS/Data Manager maybe called upon to work on other IMPACT programmes in various locations in country as needs dictate and the as the security situation allows.

6. Confidentiality and Data Protection

• The GIS 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.

7. 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

8. Protection

• Promoting of and adhering to Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy and guidelines (for site residents, ACTED staff, partner agencies, casual labours etc).

Experience and Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in GIS, mathematics, statistics, computer science or related field
• Advanced experience analyzing complex survey data with R required, preferably related to a humanitarian context
• Advanced experience with QGIS and ArcGIS
• Advanced understanding of GIS, database and information management required
• Advanced understanding of database management & ODK/XLSForm tools & frameworks (required)
• Demonstrated work/research experience implementing data analysis and visualization in R
• Knowledge of statistical sampling methodologies for complex surveys
• Strong skills in collaborative communication/team work (via in-person and remote work), capacity building, and ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility
• Fluency in English
• Ability to work independently
• Experience building dashboards with R shiny