Data Analyst

Action Against Hunger-USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network, which provides humanitarian relief in more than 50 countries worldwide in the sectors of nutrition, health, water/sanitation, and food security. Action Against Hunger-USA, an independent NGO, currently manages programs in 7 countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Haiti. Action Against Hunger-USA implements more than $60 million in programs annually, and approximately 1,500 permanent employees based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.

Action Against Hunger has been present in Kenya since 2001 and is a transformative leader in nutrition security for improved quality of life among vulnerable communities. Action Against Hunger wants to contribute to the optimal functional performance of National, County, and Community systems through strategic partnerships for innovative nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions to achieve its impact. The organization recognizes gender equality as central to its core strategy towards realization of effective and sustainable outcomes on nutrition, WASH and surveillance interventions. Action Against Hunger is currently implementing activities in West Pokot, Mandera, Samburu, Isiolo, Trans Nzoia, Kakamega, Bungoma and Busia counties.

Summary of position

Action is looking to fill the position of Data Analyst who will be responsible for all modelling undertaken with the ambition of providing stakeholders with vital capabilities to foresee significant changes in the nutritional status of a population several months ahead of a crisis, as well as offering insights into important drivers and context-specific dynamics. In Kenya, MERIAM was nested in existing early warning systems that already existed. The information used to test the models was gathered from the aggregated information available to the public but also from fine-grain information gathered after authorization was sought from relevant government entities. Following a successful initial test, Action Against Hunger seeks to pilot test MERIAM alongside existing food security and malnutrition early warning mechanisms and compare with the analysis outputs of MERIAM model. In Kenya, Action Against Hunger will team up with National Drought Management Authority during the pilot phase project.

The Data Analyst role has the following purpose, engagement and delivery:-

• Purpose: The promotion of capabilities of effective anticipatory action by generating model-based forecasts of acute malnutrition in children under five years of age, which are incorporated into existing Early Warning Systems.
• Engagement: Representing Action Against Hunger in various Country level and county level external meetings on MERIAM model capacity building, pilot research updates and dissemination of findings
• Liaise and collaborate with the Data Science Community, Food Security community for peer learning while providing support to the NDMA for its data centric needs.
• Work in collaboration with relevant county government in conducting joint surveys, surveillance, evaluation and monitoring
• MEAL Program Manager /Program Director for hierarchical relationship and project management
• Delivery: To gather of data for use in the MERIAM models, ensuring that chosen datasets fit with the information required in the model.
• Performs data pre-processing including data manipulation, transformation, normalization, standardization, visualization and derivation of new variables/features as needed to operationalize the MERIAM model.
• Utilizes advanced data analytics and mining techniques to analyses data, assessing data validity and usability; reviews data results to ensure accuracy while comparing outputs from the NDMA analysis model against the MERIAM model; and communicates comparable results and insights to stakeholders in the stakeholders’ forum.
• Provide suggestions/proposals to the existing MERIAM model design based on mathematical, statistical, in order to increase critical model relevance of the MERIAM outputs to the country context.

1. Essential job functions

Survey and surveillance Activities

• Participate in standardization of implementation of the integrated nutritional surveys and other survey activities in collaboration of the local authorities and relevant govern procedures/protocols adherence to Government of Kenya procedures / protocols / guidelines designed methodology, reporting process, etc.
• Support in Strengthening the capacity of staff, NDMA and Ministry of Health, and other partners in MERIAM model methodology

Project Monitoring

• Develop an implementation framework and procedures for MERIAM pilot.
• Define and implement the key project performance indicators (KPI) as well as monitor them throughout the duration of the research.
• Provide MERIAM pilot updates through comparative reports to NDMA, ACF and relevant stakeholders on research progress and including suggesting strategies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the MERIAM Model.
• Assist in review of MERIAM pilot work plans and targets accordingly throughout project implementation.
• Contribute towards the operationalization of MERIAM pilot study.

Data Management

• Management of data reporting cycle by generating internal data reporting calendar, data collection process, data analysis and data sharing/dissemination.
• Assist the project managers in collating quantitative and qualitative reports generated monthly, quarterly, half-yearly and annual on the progress of the project activities.
• Maintain MERIAM model database and ensures all related output data, reports, and records are clearly organized archived in a central location for future reference.
• Ensure the quality of data (timeliness, integral, reliable, valid and complete)
• Shared/disseminated and that it is verifiable.
• Aggregation, collation, analysis and comparative assessment of outputs from NDMA’s seasonal assessment versus MERIAM model.

1. Supervisory Responsibilities

• Coordinate delivery of Pilot MERIAM objectives.
• Initiate training packages MERIAM Model utilization to be used by NDMA data analysts, other stakeholders who routinely participate in the pilot activities.

1. Fiscal Responsibility

• Track MERIAM pilot activities monthly budget requests.
• Participate in development of analysis, stakeholder meeting budget plans.
• Ensure that MERIAM pilot is on scope and on time during the implementation.

1. Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.
• Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business travel as well as to the country offices if appropriate. Based on the country office needs, the time spent on field trips will be a minimum of a 70% of his/her working time. While visiting the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well is to infectious diseases.
• The employee will be based at the NDMA Office with a once-a-week work from ACF Capital Office.

1. Gender Equality Commitments & Zero Tolerance to Abuse

• Foster an environment that reinforces values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of staff.
• Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect all cultures.

1. Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• Master of art in nutrition, epidemiology, public health, data science or related discipline.
• Exposure to governance and regulatory matters as it relates to data such as the Kenya Data Protection Law.
• Knowledge/Experience in building models (credit scoring, propensity models, churn, etc.).
• Understanding of Food security, nutrition data processes, systems, and products.
• Proficient with “R” statistical analysis software – essential

1. Required Skills & Competencies

• Demonstrated analytical skills both qualitative and quantitative approaches (data analysis, documentation, interpretation and reporting).
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Experience developing and deploying feedback mechanism for multi-sector program working through county and national systems.
• Proven skills in statistical analysis using Excel and Epi-Info / ENA, as well as at least one other software platform such as SPSS, STATA, or PSPP.

Preferred but not mandatory;

• Candidate should have learning experience in;
  • Working with unstructured data (e.g. Streams, images)
  • Understanding of data flows, data architecture, ETL and processing of structured and unstructured data.
  • Using data mining to discover new patterns from large datasets.
• Implement standard and proprietary algorithms for handling and processing data.
  • Experience with common data science toolkits, such as SAS, R, SPSS, etc.
  • Experience with data visualisation tools, such as Power BI, Tableau, etc.
  • Proficiency in application and web development. Structured and Unstructured Query languages e.g. SQL, Qlikview; SSIS SSRS, Python, JSON , C#, Java, C++, HTML.
• Knowledgeable in Long Rains and Short Rains Analysis or IPC analysis.