Lab Manager

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) manages an open data platform – the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX). The goal of HDX is to make humanitarian data easy to find and use for analysis. HDX currently holds over 5,000 datasets from over 290 organizations working in humanitarian crises around the world.

Established in 2014, the Nairobi Data Lab serves as a frontline, in-person service to the HDX platform. The Data Lab provides partners in the East African region with data services such as data extraction, cleaning, storage, and visualization. The Data Lab has undertaken a number of successful projects with partners since its establishment. Read this case study on our work with Twaweza on visualizing education levels. The goal of the Lab is to find new ways of working together in an effort to increase the insight from data collected and shared in the region. 

The Data Lab requires an experienced Lab Manager to work with new and existing partners on data activities. The consultant will oversee the Lab team which will currently includes a Data Manager but may also include other roles as needed. The Data Lab team will be expected to work closely with staff from the OCHA Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa and the OCHA Somalia office, both of which are based in Nairobi. 

The consultant will report to the head of the HDX Data Partnerships team, based in Geneva, with oversight from the HDX Product Manager. He or she will work closely with the communications, design and developer teams to deliver projects for partners.

-Implement a data acquisition strategy to identify the key regional partners and activities required to onboard these partners onto HDX. A successful outreach strategy and program will also include a community engagement plan to create awareness of the Nairobi Data Lab, and identify and prioritize both short and long term engagements for the Lab in line with HDX’s overall vision.

-Oversee the work of the Nairobi Data Lab including staffing, office space, community building, partner relationships, data services, and user experience research.

-Define the prioritized services that will be offered by the Data Lab based on an understanding of the needs of humanitarian partners. Manage user groups to test country, regional, and crisis specific features of HDX and HXL.

-Identify user groups and organize trainings and events aimed at increasing the data capacity, literacy and connectedness of the humanitarian community.

-Develop written material about the work of the Data Lab, including blogs and case studies; contribute to donor reporting for the Data Lab grant as needed.

-Represent HDX in meetings, trainings, workshops, hackathons and conferences; communicate the goals of the Data Lab and the HDX platform to a variety of audiences.

-Take part in HDX team meetings as required.

Deliverables

●     An updated data acquisition strategy and community engagement plan.

●     Identified quarterly objectives and key results for the Lab as per HDX priorities.

●     Effective and efficiently managed HDX Data Lab in Nairobi.

●     Strong positioning of Data Lab services.

●     Increase the use of HDX/HXL in the region and support current users. 

●     Promote open data initiatives across East Africa.  

Education: 

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in business development, management, information management, information technology, data science or related field.
• First level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) plus two (2) additional years of relevant experience, may be accepted in lieu of advanced university degree.
• Secondary or High School diploma plus eleven (11) years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of university degrees.

Experience:    

• At least five (5) years of relevant professional work experience with business development, project management and managing innovation projects.
• Demonstrated experience in staff management and communication.
• Humanitarian or tech experience a plus.

Language:      

• Fluency in English is required (both oral and written). Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.  

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

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