Vacancy Announcement

Data and Information Systems Advisor

Job Category: Monitoring & Evaluation
Requisition Number: DATAA001823
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Posting Details

o Posted: August 11, 2021
 Full-Time

 Locations
Maralal, KE-37, KEN

Job Details

Description
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their
best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse
backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

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 position is 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.

Deadline for receiving applications is 26th August, 2021

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis

Mercy corps does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process