SNV is a not-for-profit international development organisation that applies practical know-how to make a lasting difference in the lives of people living in poverty. We use our extensive and long-term in-country presence to apply and adapt our top-notch expertise in agriculture, energy and WASH to local contexts. SNV has over 1250 staff in more than 25 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. We are proud to be a not-for-profit organisation that uses project financing to implement our mission. This requires us to work efficiently and to invest in operational excellence.

In its new Strategic Plan period (2019 – 2022), SNV will more explicitly aim for systems change during project preparation and implementation - by strengthening institutions and kick-starting markets that help many more to escape poverty beyond our projects. We will continue to position ourselves as a premium organisation and invest in making knowledge flow to and from the frontline.

For more information on SNV, visit our website: www.snv.org

BACKGROUND OF THE ASSIGNMENT

SNV in Niger has recently has been awarded a grant to implement a new market-oriented project which will support the expansion of an integrated digital platform, already in place in Mali and Burkina Faso . This platform provides a tailored service to smallholders, pastoralists and farmers drawing on an ecosystem of diverse service providers. The digital bundled service will have the ambition to enable men and women to plan their herd’s migration with more predictability, contribute to improve their (agro-)pastoral productivity and to increase business opportunities and transactions within (agro-)pastoral value chains. The project aims also to facilitate the emergence of a shared vision among stakeholders for the scaling up of innovative digital services in Sahel and West Africa. The overall objective is to initiate pathways of change that will have a positive synergistic effect to : "Increase the resilience and food security of farming and pastoral households through the generation of economic (productivity gains, income) and social benefits (including avoided costs) through the use of multiple digital solutions integrated into a bundled innovative service". As part of the implementation of this project, SNV wishes to expand its team by recruiting an international data and analytics manager who will work in close collaboration with an ecosystem of service providers, decision makers and, our project teams esp. the monitoring, evaluation and learning officers not only in Niger but also in Mali and Burkina Faso.

ABOUT YOU

You want to be building data tools and inclusive data ecosystems to help public and private actors take better decisions for development and social impact. You are aspiring to tackle global issues and their direct consequences on the daily lives of the most vulnerable, from spread of pandemics to climate change to youth unemployment, ensuring no population is left behind. You are a problem solver and a committed self-starter. You do the extra mile to excel professionally. You are curious and a fast learner.

You are disciplined and attentive to data systems. You are passionate about the design of algorithms to solve pressing problems using (big) data and pride yourself on being up to date with the latest trends in the data engineering field. You are comfortable picking up any programming language or software and you’re a fast learner. You are curious about using new software engineering approaches to make customer-oriented solutions better, more stable, and scalable. You are self-driven, agile, and able to work independently and on multiple engagements simultaneously. You do not shy away from working in multicultural and multi-location teams. You value diversity.

The International Senior Data & Analytics Manager will report to IDAN project manager. He/she will be responsible for ensuring the quality of the data collected from the most remote communities in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and optimizing the data workflows that deliver it.

• Manage directly the development of a data sharing and exchange tool and language between existing projects and, interoperability for accessible data of bundled service platforms in Mali and Burkina Faso with the one to be designed in Niger to make data easy to find and use, to generate integrated analytics and customized data visualisations to be shared either publicly, privately and/or by request. This will imply to develop and maintain a long-term strategy for archiving historical data, including developing documentation and metadata standards for easy lookup and retrieval, work closely with programmatic and monitoring and evaluation officers of project teams and partners to ensure data is accurate and accessible for analysis, reporting and decision-making.
• Research, recommend and lead the development of guidance, processes and practices to improve data responsibility and security across the multiple dataflows within each and across the three projects and provide quality assurance in all aspects of data collection and storage to service providers of the bundled service platforms in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to lead to a save, ethical, legally complaint and efficient management of data. This will imply to develop standard operating procedures for data quality audits, data integrity, data privacy, calculation of key performance indicators and metrics, analysis and oversees compliance across information systems.
• Contribute to build data and digital skills of technical and non-technical project and partners staff in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to improve the use and impact of data in livestock and agriculture sector. Facilitate knowledge development around digital data for livestock and agriculture sector to bridge the gap between technical staff and decision makers on data needs, increase demand for better data and more targeted data collection. Contribute to improve conversations around an enabling environment for sustainable business models around data for livestock and agriculture in Sahel.
• With findings gained from the bundled digital services and their interoperability in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, share lessons learned and documents and, make use of visibility opportunities for SNV in the field of Digitalization for Agriculture. Explore how the data generated by the projects in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, together with existing relevant initiatives globally and, with advancements in statistics and machine learning could contribute to predictive analytics and models in livestock and agriculture sectors in Sahel.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s Degree required in statistics and applied agronomics, data science computing including data management and analytics, and any relevant field.
• ·8 years of progressively responsible experience, preferably in the field of digital analytics for humanitarian development, data for decision-making, or agriculture information systems. Prefer: 5 years’ experience in data system management

MINIMALLY REQUIRED JOB COMPETENCIES

• Data Use: Advanced level facilitation skills of data use by managers and leaders to drive key decisions in the design and improvement of programming and agriculture/livestock development.
• Hard Data & Programming. Advanced level of the following software packages; advanced use of spreadsheets (Excel or Google Sheets), ease with cloud-based environments (Google Drive) Basic understanding of GIS or mapping (QGIS or ArcGIS, OpenStreetMap); good knowledge of SQL,  R and/or Python, HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
• System Management: Advanced level M&E data systems management and administration and mobile applications for digital agriculture (ODK, Kobo Toolbox),
• Data Collection Methods: Mastery of knowledge in data integrity and collection methods.
• Central Data Reporting and Use: Mastery knowledge of principles and practices for timely and routine data reporting to track strategic objectives at programme level including proven ability to visualize and present data to build reports and dashboards that drive programming and learning.
• Data Quality Assurance: Mastery of data quality assurance principles and standard operating procedures.
• Rural Development in Sahel: Knowledge of pastoral and family farming systems in Sahel, including program data needs and standards for indicators, including special challenges faced in Sahel and related measurement issues.
• Leadership and Management: Proven ability to lead, manage, supervise, and develop others within a matrix structure.
• Change Leadership: Proven ability to demonstrate a high degree of flexibility in managing change across a broad group of stakeholders in an inclusive manner.
• Presentation Skills: Proven ability to make presentations on results to small and large groups.

MINIMALLY REQUIRED ORGANIZATIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Languages: Proven writing and speaking proficiency in English and French.
• Self-Management and Teamwork: Ability to work independently or as a team member, ability to work with people from different cultures, ability thrive in a matrix organization, ability to be detailed-oriented, and ability to manage stress effectively in a fast-pace environment.
• Communication and Influencing Skills: Proven ability to influence others, including donor agencies and local partners, through diplomacy and proven oral and written communication skills.
• Community Relations: Mastery of skills in facilitating work relationships between partners, government officials, and communities.
• Partnership management: Proven ability to work within Public Private Partnerships

Terms of Appointment

This position is for an initial two-year period with the possibility of renewal based on performance and funding.

The position is based in Niamey, Niger. Niamey is a family post with excellent educational facilities

Regular travels to Mali and Burkina Faso to provide technical support to projects-based teams (at least 15%)

WORKING AT SNV

SNV offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. We offer a challenging work environment, opportunities to lead and innovate, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and international working environment. Our staff benefits from, and contribute to, an internal and global network of experts. For more information, please visit our website: www.snv.org  

We will require that you provide us with full details of three people who are willing to act as a referee.  We will not contact these referees without your explicit permission.

HOW TO APPLY?

If you believe that your credentials meet the outlined profile, we invite you to apply by uploading your CV (in EuropeAid format) before 20th June 2021 by clicking on the link: I'm interested'. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should SNV wish to proceed with your application, two interviews with the Selection Committee will take place. 

SNV is an equal opportunities employer and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

- We do not appreciate third-party mediation based on this advertisement -