ABOUT REACH, IMPACT & ACTED

was created in 2010 as a joint initiative of two International NGOs (IMPACT Initiatives and ACTED) and the United Nations Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT). 

REACH’s purpose is to promote and facilitate the development of information products that enhance the humanitarian community’s decision making and planning capacity for emergency, reconstruction and development contexts. REACH facilitates information management for aid actors through three complementary services: (a) need and situation assessments facilitated by REACH teams; (b) situation analysis using satellite imagery; (c) provision of related database and (web)-mapping facilities and expertise.

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization manages several initiatives, including the REACH Initiative. REACH’s field interventions benefit from ACTED’s operational support. REACH/ACTED staff span across 6 regions in Ethiopia, with a central office in Addis Ababa.

JOB PURPOSE 

The Data Assistant under the supervision of the Data Specialist will support a research unit within REACH Ethiopia with all aspects of research design, data processing, data analysis, and the creation of information products. The Data Assistant will use their technical experience, subject matter knowledge, and creative thinking skills to improve ways of working within the unit.

OBJECTIVES

Objective 1: supporting research design and data collection, and data quality assurance

The Data Assistant is responsible for supporting research design and data collection activities in the research unit with technical expertise, monitoring and quality control. They will develop KoBo tools for data collection, R scripts for data cleaning and processing, and any other technical solutions as needed. The Data Assistant will work with the Assessment Officers within the unit to ensure that all data collection activities they carry out are in line with technical requirements set by IMPACT Initiatives and Data officers within REACH Ethiopia. Additionally, the Data Assistant will pro-actively contribute to the development of new technical standards and tools to support data collection. 

Objective 2: data analysis and innovation

The Data Assistant will support the research unit with analysis of primary and secondary datasets. They will perform descriptive analyses, hypothesis testing, and correlation. The Data Assistant will work pro-actively to design innovative solutions and detailed analysis plans to fill information gaps in the humanitarian response. Furthermore, they will develop R scripts to automate data analysis processes; and explore opportunities to use alternative data sources (e.g., web scraping, social media, etc.).

Objective 3: developing information products and dashboards

The Data Assistant will collaborate with Assessment Officers within the unit to create information products and dashboards for public use with the collected data. The Data Assistant will work pro-actively to design new ways of displaying information, based on the needs of humanitarian actors in Ethiopia. The Data Assistant is enthusiastic about the potential for data to shape humanitarian action, and about working with others to make this a reality.

Objective 4: improving ways of working

The Data Assistant will work with the Data officers within REACH Ethiopia to improve ways of working across the Ethiopia team, and to implement those ways of working in the research unit. The Data Assistant will be expected to critically assess the existing data collection, analysis, and visualisation practices within REACH Ethiopia and propose and develop new ways of working where relevant.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The REACH Data Assistant is responsible for completing the following tasks:

• Research design support: collaborate with Assessment Officers to ensure that research design follows best practices for data quality and analysis.

• Data collection support: providing technical support to data collection and processing.

• Data quality assurance: supporting Assessment Officers with data cleaning/checking and validation to ensure that the data collected in the unit is of the best quality it can be.

• Data analysis support: supporting Assessment Officers with data analysis and ensuring that they accurately represent data in their work.

• Technical tool development: in collaboration with the Data officers within REACH Ethiopia, developing new technical tools for use by the unit and the REACH Ethiopia  team more broadly.

• Creation of information products: with the rest of the unit, support in creating factsheets, dashboards, and other information products to share with the wider humanitarian community.

• Creative problem solving: critically reviewing existing data processes within the unit and making improvements or developing new processes where relevant.

Job Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

 Requirements

•  Relevant degree in Computer or Data Science, Statistics, or related

• Professional experience analysing data with R or Python (if only Python skills, willingness and ability to learn R rapidly)

• Knowledge of fundamental of statistics

• Interest in learning different aspects of our research cycles and enthusiasm about using data to improve humanitarian action

• Desire to learn and teach others about data analytics and open to receiving and incorporating feedback

• Ability to effectively present technical information 

• Demonstrable creative thinking and innovation skills

• Good organisational and prioritisation skills, and ability to work in a fast-paced environment

• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility

• Ability to work independently and autonomously 

• Fluent speaking and writing English language.

Desirable

• Knowledge of Shiny Apps, Power BI and InDesign

• Previous experience with mobile data collection (ODK, ONA, KOBO)

• Work experience with an INGO in an emergency and/or development setting

 How To Apply

Qualified national persons with the required skills are invited to submit their applications accompanied by detailed curriculum vitae and cover letter as a single document with the cover letter being on the first page and the CV starting on the second page, detailing three work related referees and contacts. The application should only be sent via THIS LINK and received on or before 5.00 PM Friday 28th February 2025 with the subject line REACH-Data Assistant Addis Ababa.

Do not attach any other documents while sending your applications, if required they will be requested at a later stage.

Please note that REACH reserves the right to shortlist on ongoing basis. Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

REACH will at no stage of recruitment process request candidate to make payments of any kind. Further, REACH has not retained any agent in connection with recruitments.

REACH is committed to protecting beneficiaries within our programmes from exploitation and abuse and any kind of misconduct. REACH has specific policies, including PSEA and Child Protection, which outlines the expected behaviour and the responsibility of all staff, beneficiaries, consultants and other stakeholders and has zero tolerance towards misconducts. Any candidate offered a job with REACH will be expected to sign REACHs organizational Policies and Code of Conduct as an annex to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.

REACH is an Equal Opportunity Employer.