Senior Data Officer for South Sudan, based in Juba Full Time

BACKGROUND ON IMPACT AND REACH

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organisation manages several initiatives, including the REACH Initiative. The IMPACT team comprises specialists in data collection, management and analysis and GIS. IMPACT was launched at the initiative of ACTED, an international NGO whose headquarter is based in Paris and is present in thirty countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, enabling IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support on its fields of intervention.

We are currently looking for a Senior Data Officer to support our South Sudan team in Juba:

Position: Senior Data Officer

Contract duration:6 months

Location: Juba

Starting Date: 9 February 2025

COUNTRY PROFILE

IMPACT, through REACH, has been implementing programming in South Sudan since 2012 and is a leader in the research and strategic planning space. 2018 saw the expansions of both IMPACT and REACH programming to 10 of 10 states, spanning the refugee, IDP and development responses, and covering diverse activities such as cross-border port monitoring, assessments of hard to reach areas, flood mapping and vulnerability analysis, market monitoring and supply chain analysis, analysis of tensions and conflicts over access to natural resources, and third party monitoring of humanitarian and development programming. In 2019, REACH expanded its role within the technical space, increasing involvement in Integrated Phase Classification (IPC), Needs Analysis Working Group, UN technical agencies, and academics. In response, REACH has also expanded into multiple new research cycle streams beyond humanitarian needs monitoring, including sector specific, population movement, and AAP research.

The Senior Data Officer would support across all streams of work. More information on REACH’s work in South Sudan can be found here: https://www.reach-initiative.org/where-we-work/south-sudan/.

POSITION PROFILE

The Senior Data Officer (SDO) will serve as the technical focal point for all data-related processes within the mission, with a particular emphasis on quantitative methodology, statistics, and sampling design. The SDO will lead the development and implementation of robust data workflows across research cycles, ensuring statistical rigour, methodological soundness, and operational efficiency.

As the mission’s lead on data systems and quantitative methods, the SDO will support and advise assessment teams on sampling strategies, research design, and quantitative analysis plans. They will oversee the validation of data collection tools, design and implementation cleaning and analysis scripts, and will lead the production of analytical outputs including dashboards, summary tables, and statistical briefs.

The SDO will also be responsible for line-managing at least one Data Officer (DO) and supporting their technical growth. They will coordinate with the Research Manager and relevant assessment teams to align on priorities and deadlines and will serve as a central actor in troubleshooting methodological challenges and improving research processes.

This position requires a candidate with a strong background in statistics and data analysis, advanced proficiency in tools such as R, Stata, or Python, and experience designing and implementing sampling methodologies in humanitarian or development contexts. The ideal candidate will be highly organized, capable of managing multiple priorities, and able to work autonomously in volatile and fast-paced environments. A collaborative mindset, ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders, and a solution-oriented attitude are essential to success in this role.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Data Officer is responsible for the following:

RESEARCH CYCLE MANAGEMENT AND TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP

• Serve as the mission’s technical focal point for quantitative methodology, including sampling design, statistical validity, and data reliability across all research cycles.
• Lead the development of sampling frames and sample size calculations in coordination with assessment and GIS teams, ensuring relevance to research objectives and field realities.
• Support research planning by advising on quantitative tool design and data structure for effective analysis.
• Provide training and technical guidance to assessment teams and junior data staff on data cleaning, management, and statistical best practices.
• Advise on the selection and integration of indicators, contributing to the robustness of research and programmatic relevance.

DATA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS

• Oversee the cleaning, structuring, and quality assurance of collected data; design validation processes to identify errors and ensure accuracy.
• Manage and maintain R-based systems for data cleaning, transformation, and analysis, ensuring replicable and well-documented workflows.
• Lead the development and execution of analysis scripts, including descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, correlation, and regression analyses.
• Contribute to the automation of recurring data processing tasks to increase efficiency and consistency across research cycles.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

• Translate analysis findings into accessible and insightful data outputs, including summary statistics, visualizations, dashboards, and interactive tools.
• Collaborate with assessment and GIS teams to support the development of high-quality deliverables (e.g., factsheets, briefs, interactive maps).
• Provide ongoing technical support to internal teams and external stakeholders, including tailored analysis, data interpretation guidance, and capacity strengthening where needed.
• Ensure that data outputs are aligned with IMPACT’s internal quality standards and support decision-making in the response.
• Perform any other relevant tasks as requested by supervisors, in alignment with the mission’s strategic priorities.

The Senior Data Officer will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes, ensuring full compliance with IMPACT’s data protection policy and SOPs. They will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of any information and data belonging to IMPACT and its partners or collected during their assignment with IMPACT.

REQUIREMENTS

• Years of work experience At least 4 years of relevant working experience in a similar role preferably in the humanitarian field;
• Research skills Proficiency and proven experience with research methods, including both quantitative and qualitative research. Excellent analytical skills;
• Statistical skills Strong statistical and analytical skills;
• Software skills Advanced knowledge of R, STATA, Python or equivalent statistical software (with a willingness to learn R). Knowledge of ArcGIS or Power Bi an advantage;
• Sound judgment and emotional intelligence in high-pressure or sensitive situations. Possesses strong interpersonal awareness and the ability to respond constructively to feedback and shifting priorities;
• Level of independence Proven ability to work independently;
• Communication/reporting skills Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting;
• Organizational and coordination skills Strong presentation, and organisational skills;
• Multi-tasking skills Ability to multitask with tight deadlines;
• Cross-cultural work environment Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Academic qualifications Excellent academic qualifications, preferably including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (Computer or Data Science, Statistics, Social Science, Economics, or related);
• Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment.
• Experience in geographical region Past experience in the region is desirable;
• Language skills Fluency in English required.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• For this position, salary between 2’820CHF and 2’880 CHF monthly (before income tax), etc as well as a monthly living allowance of 300 USD NB – IMPACT salaries are strictly determined by our salary grid depending on the grade of the position and the level of education of staff. A location-dependent security and/or isolation adjustment is then applied as a recognition that some staff are required to work in difficult places where living and working conditions are much more difficult than elsewhere.
• Accommodation and food provided in the guesthouse. NB – IMPACT is hosted by ACTED in this country
• Enrolment in Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approx. 9.975% of staff gross salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance.
• Flight tickets every 6 months & visa fees covered (in-country travel costs and professional expenses are fully covered).
• R&R after 3 months (flight ticket up to 500$ + 200$ of living allowance)
• Contribution to the luggage transportation: between 20 and 100 kgs, depending on the length of the contract (+ luggage and personal property insurance)
• Annual leave of 36 days per year. Public holidays of the country of assignment. Family/compassionate leave when applicable.
• Predeparture induction – 3 days at IMPACT Initiatives’s HQ in Geneva + one week pre-departure training in ACTED HQ in Paris, including a 4-days in situ security training;
• IMPACT prioritizes the psychological safety of its staff and the health insurance provided covers, among others, up to 1000 € per year of psychosocial counselling fees.

Tagged as: Impact Initiatives, South Sudan