Data and Information Systems Advisor at Mercy Corps

The Program 

USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA) awarded funding to a Mercy Corps-led consortium of Kenyan and international partners for a 5-year Development Food Security Activity (DFSA) in Turkana and Samburu Counties of Kenya. Through a phased approach that emphasizes evidence gap analysis, as well as partnership, learning, and co-creation with government, civil society, communities, and the private sector, the NAWIRI program aims to drive sustained reductions in acute malnutrition in both counties. Mercy Corps’ consortium brings together the global leadership, research capacity, technical expertise, and implementation experience necessary to collaborate with local institutions to test, adapt, and scale evidence-based solutions. The program requires a robust county-centered design with government leadership, active engagement from communities, the private sector, and civil society. Together we will sustainably reduce persistent acute malnutrition for vulnerable populations in Turkana and Samburu counties

The Position

The Data and Information Systems Advisor will be seconded to work directly under the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, in the Directorate of Monitoring and Evaluation under the Department of Economic Planning and Finance, with oversight support from USAID Nawiri Monitoring and Evaluation Lead. The Data and Information Systems Advisor will be responsible for supporting efforts to improve the capacity of county Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Unit and county sector department teams in data management systems, operationalizing the GIS initiatives and support data use for decision-making. The Advisor will support activities to improve efficiencies of existing county-based and national data management systems to generate complete, accurate and timely data for analysis and use. S/he will work to harmonize the use of existing systems at the county level, and ensure the directorate achieves its goals and corresponding objectives and targets. In addition, s/he will provide data management support to the M&E departmental focal persons on a day-to-day basis, help strengthen data checks and ensure data is of high quality. S/he will support information system strengthening efforts that support nutrition outcomes at county level, including working with department of health in linking community health data to the County Health Information System, harmonization of departmental data through CIMES, and Support NDMA data dissemination efforts at county, sub-county and wards level. Support county government systems toward use of context monitoring for scenario planning to achieve journey to self-reliance.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provide support to county M&E department to ensure the Unit achieves its goals and corresponding objectives and targets;
• Provide technical support in results reporting, documentation of M&E activities and indicator results for progress, monthly, bi annual and annual reports, as appropriate;
• Lead strategic collaboration activities with key stakeholders including sectors to learn from Program data and adapt interventions as appropriate;
• Lead efforts to utilize training monitoring systems to track and monitor trainers and participants at training events to facilitate follow-up and documentation;
• Use data to contribute towards strategic decision-making, knowledge management, sharing best practices and program planning with program team;
• Lead efforts to adopt and scale up the use of spatial data/GIS for reporting and decision making in the county to inform resource planning and allocation;
• Defining new data collection and analysis processes especially those linked reducing persistent acute malnutrition;
• Build capacity of sector M&E leads to identifying patterns and trends in data sets available at county level and support platform for sharing and learning across department;
• Oversee and/or conduct targeted evaluations, including design, support in data collection, management and analysis
• Ensuring data is entered, analyzed, documented and written, and disseminated;
• Work closely with the county M&E Unit to coordinate all M&E capacity-building activities with departmental M&E focal persons and program team;
• Lead in quantitative and qualitative methodologies, reporting, data quality assessments, data analysis and presentation
• Lead data use platforms at county, sub-county and ward level including supporting Ward Development processes;
• Strengthen collaboration and networking between department, national government agencies and implementing partners;
• Support learning activity at county-level and ensuring that learning champions are identified and have favorable work environment to sustain learning momentum.

Representation

• Develop the necessary relationships and partnerships with all government departments at county and national levels, as well as implementing partners in the county;
• Identify, build and manage trusted partnerships with government departments, national government agencies, local communities and other stakeholders.

Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by county leadership;
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies;
• Perform any other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibility

No direct supervisory responsibility at the outset

Accountability

Reports Directly To: County Director M&E with dotted lines to USAID Nawiri M&E Lead.

Works Directly With: County M&E Officers, County GIS Officers, County Data Management & Information Officers, Ward Administrators, USAID Nawiri County M&E Coordinators and ICT Officers

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology/Information Systems, Mathematics, Data Management/Information Science, Computer Science or related field;

• A minimum of 7 years of experience in conceptualizing, designing and implementing robust Management Information Systems preferably in social and development focused areas;
• Demonstrated competence in information management and statistical analysis;
• Excellent skills in systems analysis, data management, database design and structures;
• Excellent computing skills, including LINUX R and other open Source software;
• Experience in managing multisite, distributed data collection and integration;
• Proven expertise in quantitative and qualitative methodologies, management information systems, reporting, data quality assessments, data analysis and presentation;
• Demonstrated experience in the application of GIS/Spatial information in design of data decision support systems;
• Demonstrated experience in complex project data needs, data handling and use of data analysis technologies including software packages such as SPSS, STATA, Atlas and SAS in addition to knowledge of MS Access, PowerPoint and Excel;
• Ability to objectively analyze complex data primary and secondary data and present it in simple understandable information for diverse audience;
• Project work experience with open source technology, GIS Mapping and development tools, social media, online community portals, mobile technology, and on/off connectivity solutions;
• Experience working with Government of Kenya and bilateral/multi-lateral donor agencies, preferably USAID/USG funded projects;
• A team player with demonstrated ability to train and build capacity of others as well as being experienced in contributing to knowledge generation and project learning agenda among partners including government structures;
• Ability to analyze large datasets;
• Ability to write comprehensive reports;
• Excellent interpersonal, facilitation, writing, and oral presentation skills;
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform.

Success Factors

The successful candidate must have excellent organization and negotiation skills, recognizing that change is the process and needs required patience, must be a creative and flexible thinker demonstrating that multiple avenues for problem solving create space for innovation. S/He should have enthusiasm and commitment to embrace collaboration, learning and adaptation (CLA) principles in building sustainability of the work done with county governments. Those with prior experience in organizing a multi-sectoral team towards a shared vision will have added advantage.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The positions are based in Maralal – Samburu. Must be willing to travel up to 50% of time within the sub-counties and wards to support data management, and monitoring & evaluation function, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited. 

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.