Kenya: Data Platform Support Specialist

Organization: International Rescue Committee

Country: Kenya

Closing date: 22 Feb 2016

Background/IRC Summary

“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction." (Albert Einstein)

The International Rescue Committee helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. IRC teams provide health care, infrastructure, learning and economic support to people in 40 countries, with special programs designed for women and children. Every year, the IRC resettles thousands of refugees in 22 U.S. cities. Learn more at Rescue.org and follow the IRC on Twitter & Facebook.

Job Overview/Summary

Focused on technical system support for country programs, the Data Platform Support Specialist is a member of the team responsible for IRC’s new global measurement data platform, which is centered on the DHIS2 platform. Working in partnership with field staff, IT, International Programs Department, and technical units, the Support Specialist performs a key role in ensuring the success of data platform system functionality for the IRC user community.

Specific tasks include project data migration, project configuration, technical assistance and issues escalation, front line help desk application support, and participation in setting standards for processes, data quality, security, and systems configurations.

The position is based in IRC’s Program Quality Unit to ensure close contact with technical units and country programs and acts as a conduit to further IT and vendor systems support.

Major Responsibilities

• Provide technical support and backstopping to field and HQ staff using the IRC data platform


• Communicate with country focal points as to overall systems changes, needs, and questions, and advocate for systems improvements


• Provide escalated support to country programs and HQ, and manage further escalation of support questions to the vendor, IT or programs staff


• Ensure the data platform and systems adhere to IRC systems standards and processes


• On a project-by-project basis, migrate data from existing sources (e.g., spreadsheets) into the data platform


• Work with country teams to configure new projects in the data platform, including clarifying indicator definitions, then creating datasets, data elements, indicators, and other relevant DHIS2 objects


• Participate in the design, implementation, and operation of data quality processes as they apply to the data platform


• Analyze data platform issues and gaps and identify solutions


• Participate in the maintenance of systems and user documentation

Required Skills

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent


• At least two years of experience implementing and / or supporting DHIS2 including project and core system configuration


• Experience with M&E


• Must be fluent in French


• Ability to communicate effectively in both verbal (i.e. day-to-day discussions, team meetings) and written (requirements and design specifications) form, as well as an overall ability to be clear and concise in all communications


• Good listening skills


• Strong analytic curiosity and innovative problem solving skills using a systems thinking approach


• Proven ability to work both independently and in a dynamic, cross-functional team structure


• Proven ability to establish and maintain working relationships across all departments and levels of the organization

Preferred Skills

• Direct international experience implementing programs or M&E in an NGO context


• Experience with the DHIS2 tracker module


• Experience with SQL and / or data modeling


• Experience providing support for enterprise-level platforms with substantial numbers of users across global time zones and varying IT infrastructure


• Familiarity with mobile data collection and/or case management tools such as Ona, CommCare, Kobocat, Magpi, mFieldWork, OpenEMIS


• Experience with enterprise data architectures, integration and master data management


• Experience with the delivery of systems functionality in low/intermittent bandwidth scenarios for managing data


• Experience with GIS such as ESRI

Working Environment*:*

• Standard office working environment


• Some international travel as needed

How to apply:

Please follow this link to apply: http://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=YXN0cmlkLm1hdGhldy44MDU4NC4zODMwQGlyYy5hcGxpdHJhay5jb20