Data Quality Specialist

Data Quality Specialist

USAID Learns

Hanoi, Vietnam

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Position Description (taleo.net)

About Social Impact:

Social Impact (SI) is a global development management consulting firm. We provide monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning, and capacity building services to advance development effectiveness. We work across all development sectors including democracy and governance, health and education, the environment, and economic growth. Since 1997 we have worked in over 100 countries for clients such as US government agencies, bilateral donors, multilateral development banks, foundations, and nonprofits. 

Project Objective:   

SI is implementing the USAID Learns Contract (Learns). The scope of the five-year project is to support USAID/Vietnam staff and its implementing partners (IPs) to implement more efficient, effective, and transparent programs by: (1) improving IP knowledge and skills in Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) and Collaborating, Learning & Adapting (CLA); (2) advancing evidence-informed decision-making; and (3) strengthening strategic collaboration between staff and local stakeholders. 

Position Description:   

Learns seeks to hire a full-time Data Quality Specialist to actively engage in, facilitate and support the quality and deeper use of monitoring across the USAID/Vietnam portfolio. The Data Quality Specialist will work closely with other Learns Monitoring team members and a wide variety of other USAID-funded partners, offering ongoing technical capacity building support and advisory services, especially in areas of data-quality, including Data Quality Assessments (DQAs). 

The position is an exciting opportunity to help USAID and implementing partners use performance monitoring information to manage adaptively and improve programming. For more on using performance monitoring data, see SI’s write-up on this topic.We are looking for someone who has the passion and skills to make this vision a reality.

Note that while we prefer the Specialist to already know USAID-specific monitoring processes, this knowledge can be learned on the job.  Especially in the initial months, the Specialist may also be learning-on-the-job how to use and apply Learns-specific tools/systems/procedures but should early on demonstrate the desire and ability to quickly learn and effectively apply these processes and associated approaches. Learns is most interested in a candidate with a strong sense of curiosity, sound analytical, collaboration and communication skills and who cares deeply about helping others making evidence-based decision-making easier and more widely practiced.  

This position will be based in Hanoi, Vietnam reporting to the Learns Deputy Chief of Party but working in close coordination day-to-day with the Senior Monitoring Specialist.

**Please note: This is a local position. Only Vietnamese citizens are eligible to apply** 

Responsibilities:  

The Data Quality Specialist will be working closely, day-to-day, with other two Monitoring Specialists, and other Learns colleagues, as may apply, to collaboratively carry out the following responsibilities:

• Data Quality Coordination, Technical Assistance & Advocacy  
  
  • DQA coordination - Lead on the development of the annual DQA calendar, and the coordination/management and overall quality control of all DQAs done with the support of the Learns team.
  • Lead on the maintenance of the Mission Indicator Library, contributing to the annual DQA calendar.
  • Lead on all data-quality related data, findings, insights and resulting adaptations.
  • Carry out and/or support DQAs, when applicable, and offer related technical support to help IPs strengthen any identified areas of weakness (and highlight strength areas)
  • Conduct the review and offer technical assistance (TA) to IPs developing or updating their MEL Plans, on demand, including TA on indicator development and associated processes (PIRS development, data collection tools, data management, internal data quality assurance, etc.). 
  • More broadly and regularly engage with other Learns team members, IPs and USAID to continuously advocate for and help improve data quality activity-wide (i.e., not just data feeding into externally reported indicators), through improved data collection, data management, data use, and monitoring practices that are evidence-based, collaborative, and adaptive.
• External Data Management (DM) Coordination  
  Lead on the coordination of IP data-management related efforts including to:
  
  • capture ongoing data/findings, lessons learned, resulting adaptations.
  • support the overall consistency and quality of Learns data-management related services to IPs, including the design of more efficient data-collection, DM platforms and visualization tools/ systems.
  • keep up-to-date DM tools / approaches (including ‘situation analysis exercises) and recommended practices, as may apply.
  • internally support other Learns Specialists (if/when required) who directly engage with assigned IP teams.
  • offer overall supervision of Learns DM officer(s) (consultant(s)), when applicable 
    
• Internal DM
  
  • Internal DM coordinator, responsible for the day-to-day upkeep and maintenance of all data related to the Learns’ Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (AMELP) and Learns’ Task Tracker, and the quality of its data. 
  • Support the creation of task completion surveys for Monitoring team members on Survey Monkey.  
  • Work closely with relevant colleagues to make sure that all raw data (especially Learns indicator-related data) is reliable and timely.  
  • Periodic collection, data-quality control, aggregation and analysis of Learns data, including quarterly AMELP results. 
  • Perform data-entry and seek associated approvals for the submission of Learns AMELP results on the Development Information Solutions (DIS). 
  • Ongoing production/sharing of key Learns data (and associated visuals) for Learns quarterly and annual reports, as well as other ad-hoc communications or strategic reviews.  
  • Other emerging data-quality, data-visualization and data-analysis in support of Learns’ reporting, communication and learning needs.  
  • The Specialist may be called upon to support other Monitoring services, depending on needs and availability, coordinating closely with the Learns Senior Monitoring Specialist and/or the DCOP. The Specialist will be expected to plan and manage deliverables and ongoing assignments in a timely and compliant manner and ensure that all expected tasks and deliverables are of high quality and done in highly collaborative manner.

Qualifications:  

• Education: Masters’ degree, preferred; an Undergraduate University degree, required
• At least 6 years of relevant working experience, more preferred.
• Experience working with USAID-funded activities, preferred.
• Technical experience and skills:
  
  • Demonstrated experience on Monitoring and Data management.
  • Interest / affinity with data management related skills and keen interest in developing more on these skills.
  • Proven basic data analysis, data visualization techniques and skills.
  • Familiar with some of the core data management software (e.g., Excel, Power Query, VBA, Power BI, Tableau, Google Data Studio, Google Apps Script and/or other relevant platforms).
  • Strong analytical, system design, and presentation skills.
  • Service oriented, proactive, adaptive, collaborative a strong-listener and a practical solutions-finder.
  • Strong inter-personal/communications skills in English and Vietnamese (both verbal and written).
  • Ability to organize, collaborate, prioritize, and follow through on multiple tasks.
  • Familiarity/experience with USAID or other donor development practices, recommended, but not required.
    

The closing date for application: April 16, 2023. Selection and interview will be performed constantly and interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.  

To apply, please merge both your CV and a cover letter (one-page briefly outlining your qualifications and motivations for applying) into one pdf file and submit it through the online portal.

To learn more about Social Impact, please visit our website: http://www.socialimpact.com

SI is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.   

Only selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please, no phone calls and/or office visits.