Data Specialist

Overview

Assist in survey design, data collection, quality control, and data analysis.

You have:

• University degree in Statistics, Agricultural Economics, Socio Economics, Food Security, Nutrition, or a relevant field
• At least 2 years of relevant experience in analyzing large-scale food security and agriculture data using statistical software packages
• Working knowledge (level C) of English

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Subregional Office for the Pacific (SAP) supports member countries in meeting their national priorities in the areas of agriculture, fisheries, forestry, agrifood systems, nutrition and rural development. FAO’s member countries in the Pacific include the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. FAO SAP is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing subregional agriculture, food, nutrition and rural development priorities. FAO SAP develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions including the Council of Regional Organizations in the Pacific (CROP). The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of FAO's Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) in Bangkok.

FAO SAP is seeking a Data Specialist to assist with survey design, data collection tool development, data collection quality control, and data analysis. The role also involves contributions to reporting and presentation of results that provide an evidence base to support FAO, governments, and development partners in decision-making and programming.

Reporting Lines

The Data Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for the Pacific Islands, the guidance of the Food and Nutrition Officer / Better Life and Better Nutrition Module Leader, and the direct technical supervision of the FAO SAP International Statistician Specialist. He/she works in collaboration with government institutions, relevant FAO technical and support staff and consultants as well as partners.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will assist with survey design, data collection tool development, data collection quality control and data analysis. He/She will contribute to reporting and presentation of results, ensuring alignment with FAO’s reporting standards, formats, and presentation guidelines. He/She will support the improvement of statistical methodologies.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Data Specialist’s responsibilities will include:

• Contribute to the development of methodological documents, including guidance documents, Standard Operating Procedures, tools, and scripts, in relation to the different steps of the data cycle (questionnaire design, sample design, enumerators training, data quality control, performance analysis, weights, data cleaning, data analysis) for Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviews surveys and in-person surveys using KoboToolBox and/or Survey Solutions. • Ensure that technical standards are applied in country surveys and alert on any issues. • Contribute to developing training materials / modalities and implementing training sessions in order to build the capacities of regional and country assessments/surveys specialists, and local partners, on the methodological materials. • Provide one-to-one technical support to regional and country assessment/surveys specialists on the use of the methodological materials, upon request. • Conduct quantitative data cleaning and analysis, upon request (country datasets, meta-analysis). • Assist in data management and archiving. • Contribute to lessons learnt exercises on assessment/surveys processes and tools and propose improvements. • Support to the data collection process - design of tools; sampling processes; data quality control; data processing and data analysis. • Ensure that assessment/survey tools comprehensively cover agriculture modules (crop, livestock, fisheries, forestry, etc.) to ensure formulation of appropriate questions and indicators to answer policy questions. • Support to the data analysis process - 'translate' program needs into viable evaluation questions and address them with rigor; analyze data using primary and secondary information – baseline data, etc.; establish contextual baseline secondary data to support interpretation of data collection results. • Support the data analysis for thematic institutional indicators and tools – support the analysis of FAO’s RIMA, and other internationally standardized indicators (HDDS, FCS, LCS, FIES, SDG indicators, etc.) to inform program and implementation. • Support review of reporting of results and methodological approaches for FAO SAP reports and publications. • Support coordination and implementation of activities with FAO SAP teams, partners, service providers and other stakeholders. • Perform any other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in Statistics, Agricultural Economics, Socio Economics, Food Security, Nutrition, or a relevant field • At least 2 years of relevant experience in analyzing large-scale food security, agriculture data or other relevant surveys using statistical software packages, including experience with the reporting, data visualization, GIS/mapping, presentation of results and recommendations from assessments, surveys, monitoring, and evaluations • Working knowledge (level C) of English

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Able to work under pressure and adapt to an evolving and complex humanitarian context and within multidisciplinary and different cultural background teams. • Advanced skills in sample design, data quality control and data analysis. • Excellent command of R, STATA or SPSS, basic command of the other statistical software packages. • Working knowledge of digital data collection applications (in particular, Kobo Toolbox and/or Survey Solutions). • Excellent command of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Power Bi, Tableau or other reporting and visualization software • Excellent command of the English language, and ability to write clear and concise reports in English. • Knowledge of key food security, agricultural and livelihoods indicators. • Familiarity with Geographic Information Systems and dashboards. • Experience in training others on survey design, implementation, analysis and reporting. • Ability to solve problems and provide creative solutions. • Strong individual planning capacity.

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Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: fao.org