Evidence Action Analysis Associate Job in Kisumu, Kenya

Organization: Evidence Action

Position Title: Associate, Analysis
 

Reporting to: Senior Associate, Monitoring, Analysis, and Research 
 

Location: Kisumu, Kenya 
 

Start Date: ASAP
 

Deadline: Rolling Basis

Summary: Evidence Action is a new organization working in partnership with an existing non-profit organization (Innovations for Poverty Action, IPA) to scale proven interventions to improve the lives of the poor in Africa and Asia. Rigor, evidence, and action are all part of our values. 

We are looking for a dynamic, engaged individual to join our team as an Associate, Analysis working within the Monitoring, Analysis, and Research arm of the organization’s Monitoring, Learning, and Information Systems (MLIS) team. 

The successful candidate, like the MLIS team, will embody the evidence-based and data-driven nature of the organization.

About Evidence Action: Evidence Action assumes management and growth responsibility for two programs currently making a difference in the lives of millions of people in Africa and Asia:

• Dispensers for Safe Water is an entrepreneurial program scaling the chlorine dispenser system – a proven innovation that dramatically expands access to water treatment at an extremely low cost. This year the program has provided access to over two million people in Africa providing safe drinking water to vulnerable populations.

• The Deworm the World Initiative actively supports the scale-up of school-based deworming programs worldwide to improve children’s health, education, and long-term development. Free of intestinal worms, these children can concentrate better and get more out of schooling. 

We partner with governments to support their work as part of our strategy for financial sustainability and in order to ensure integration with other health and education initiatives.

IPA has played in important role incubating the Dispensers for Safe Water program and the Deworm the World Initiative. Now the management, strategic planning, and evolution of this work are transitioning to Evidence Action.

Position Overview: The Associate, Analysis will synthesize, analyze, and extract actionable recommendations from information collected from all of Evidence Action’s programs. 

The role will require analysis of program survey and form data, independently led secondary research, and systematic documentation of the analytical efforts used to reach the evidence-based recommendations. 

The ideal Associate, Analysis will be extremely intellectually curious, service-oriented, and able to conduct, document, and explain complex analysis and research geared towards real-world improvements in the programs service delivery to millions of people throughout East Africa.
 

This position will be a critical piece of the Monitoring, Analysis and Research team that operates within Evidence Action’s broader Monitoring, Learning, and Information Systems (MLIS) team. The MLIS team embodies the evidence-based nature of Evidence Action’s work and enables us to be a data-driven organization. 

The MLIS team provides services across Evidence Action Africa region to ensure quality in M&E design, data collection, analysis and research. It builds the necessary standards, systems and processes to enable Evidence Action program to optimally leverage data for decision making. 
 

Goals and Responsibilities

Data Management Responsibility: The Associate, Analysis will be the primary data expert for the Evidence Action’s emerging third program, the Kenya Future Leaders Program (KFLP) which aims to improve remedial education, social cohesion and youth employment outcomes.

• Extensive knowledge and familiarity with KFLP: Process Data, Outcome Data, and Impact Data
• Manage data storage and file organization related to KFLP Analysis files and file paths
• Provide guidance/expertise on the necessary KFLP data restructuring and reshaping to conduct required analysis
• Ensure that the Data Quality and Management team provides clean, easily useable data sets from all KFLP surveys and forms that enable program analysis

Analysis
 

The Associate, Analysis will be responsible for conducting medium and long-term analysis projects that improve program efficiency and impact in all Evidence Action – Africa Region programs.

In addition, the Associate, Analysis will carry primary responsibility for all “ad-hoc” analysis requests related to the Kenya Future Leaders Program.  

This area of responsibility includes but is not limited to:

• Data analysis required in support of regular reporting requirements that go above and beyond the ability of program MIS capacity to provide automated reports
• Calculating, formatting, and sharing, summary statistics from KFLP forms and surveys
• Data analysis related to “on-going” monitoring data including time-series analysis, high-frequency data checks, and back-check analysis
• Identifying and produce well-designed regressions, correlations, conditional means, and other statistical measurements to express the results of program data.
• Maintaining proper documentation of all analysis for ease of replication and explain methodology used in analysis.
• Extract meaning, through analysis, from monitoring and evaluation and research activities that provides insightful interpretations of data.
• Write and edit 1- and 2-page summary notes detailing the conclusions drawn from analysis projects
• Draft and contribute to “concept note” documents prior to conducting analysis that detail the background, intended objectives, and methodology, of research process for individual inquiries requiring data analysis

Qualifications, Experience and Skills

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in economics, statistics or another quantitative field
• A minimum of 1-2 years work experience in a highly analytical and quantitative role
• Strong familiarity with statistical software packages such as Stata and Excel or similar languages such as R, MatLab, SAS etc. with the ability to learn and adapt to new programs (experience with Stata preferred)
• Strong interest in research on public health, epidemiology, water, and/or sanitation; prior knowledge of the associated literature a plus
• Experience building infographics and/or using design and infographic software (e.g. Gapminder, StatSilk, Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop, OmniGraffle etc.)
• Familiarity with behavior change literature, operational analytics, supply-chain analytics, and/or market research principles
• A working knowledge of geospatial analysis in ArcGIS/QGIS and mobile phone survey programming experience in Open Data Kit preferred (at minimum, willingness to learn and independently acquire new technical skills)
• Work experience in entrepreneurial or start-up environments in Africa
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills to work effectively with a team that is geographically dispersed
• Self-directed/self-motivating personality, with proven ability to manage demands from multiple supervisors while adhering to program deadlines and priorities
• Strong critical and analytical thinking skills
• Intellectual flexibility and willingness to form and adjust opinions based on evidence
• Quick to learn, motivated to self-teach and capable of independently translating new knowledge into practice
• Willingness to travel

Note: Please specifically illustrate the above desired qualifications in your cover letter by giving examples from your experience.

In addition, this position requires a candidate to:

• Have a strong commitment to evidence-based practice and policy in the development field
• Be enthusiastic to develop personally and professionally as part of a growing global team
• Possess a strong attention to detail and a genuine love of working with data

To Apply

Please follow the application instructions below.  

Any applications or CVs submitted outside this process will not be considered.  

Note, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview. 

Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

• Send a CV and a cover letter to kenyajobs@evidenceaction.org
• In the subject line: Copy exactly the following position line: XXXXXXXXXXXXX
• In the email body: Put your full name, first (given) name followed by last (family) name
• Attachments: Please attach your CV and cover letter.  Optionally, include a work sample which highlights your analytical and written communications skills.

Please do not include any text besides the position line(s) in the body of the e-mail. Adding extra text will interfere with the processing of your application. 

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted by email for an interview. 

Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and a decision may be made before the deadline.

IPA is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer:

All persons shall have the opportunity to be considered for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, alienage or citizenship status, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

IPA will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation to a qualified applicant with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business. If you believe you require such assistance to complete this form or to participate in an interview, please contact us at kenyajobs@evidenceaction.org

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work to be performed by the Associate, Analysis.  The statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs as necessary. Please note that IPA will never request any form of payment from an applicant. Applicants are encouraged to confirm the information listed above with IPA prior to releasing any extensive personal information to the organization. Please direct questions to jobs-info@poverty-action.org.