Country Logistic Officer - Kenya South Sudan

Background on ACTED

ACTED is an independent international, private, non-partisan and non-profit organization that operates according to principles of strict neutrality, political and religious impartiality, and non discrimination.

ACTED was created in 1993 to support populations affected by the conflict in Afghanistan. Based in Paris, France, ACTED now operates in 30 countries worldwide, with over 200 international and 4000 national staff. ACTED has a 110 million € budget for over 350 projects spanning 8 sectors of intervention; including emergency relief, food security, health promotion, economic development, education & training, microfinance, local governance & institutional support, and cultural promotion.

For more information, please visit our website at www.acted.org.

Country profile

Capital Office : Nairobi

National Staff : 64

International Staff : 14

Areas : 3 (West Pokot, East Pokot, Maralal)

On-going programmes : 8

Budget : 1.8 M €

ACTED launched its Kenya mission in January of 2008 with an emergency assistance program for residents in Nairobi slums affected by the post election violence. Since 2009, Nairobi has also been the home base of ACTED’s relief operation in Southern Somalia.

In 2011, ACTED responded to the worst drought in Kenya in the past sixty years, providing vulnerable agro-pastoralists in Northern Kenya with emergency water and sanitation assistance, cash injections and destocking. ACTED facilitated dialogue and peace negotiations among and between conflicting communities, enabling pastoralists to peaceably access and share scarce water resources and pasture at the height of the crisis. Capacity-building and input support for agro-pastoralists in the beginning of the year sought to improve animal health and marketing, strengthen income-generating activities and aid in sustainable management of resources, protecting livelihoods from the impact of the drought and building community resilience.

In 2012, ACTED remains poised to respond to emergency needs in Northern Kenya.

ACTED also continues enhancing community and government capacity to prepare for and manage drought, building stronger, more resilient livelihoods in Samburu county and East Pokot district.

Position profile

The MIS officer will be responsible for the construction and development of an interactive online database for the Somalia Returns Consortium (RC), headed by UNHCR. The database must be constructed for cross-donor data entry and interactive querying functionality with the ability to be used in an offline environment.

Deliverables:

• SQL-based relational table database system developed with the below-mentioned details

• Weekly progress reports to the REACH Focal Point

• Incorporation of RC member feedback into database

Functions

Information Management

The MIS officer will be responsible for the construction and development of an online information management portal for the returns consortium operational in Somalia.

• Development of a structured relational table database system using SQL Server/MySQL

• Creation of an interactive user front end through either ASP.NET or PHP with querying ability

• Creation of a “dashboard” style front end with automated graph and report generation queried directly from the database

• Implementation of password access to system functionalities and information for different project partners

• Creation of a standardised data entry form that matches the assessment form used in the field

• Ensuring data quality assurance through a well structured data entry web portal with data quality clauses (possibly through the use of JavaScript commands)

• Monitoring the data quality of the database with regular data quality checks through active database management

• Proposing new technical solutions to the database as the project progresses and develops

Key features of the inter-agency monitoring database:

(a) Online web database with specific access for each RC members also inclusive of offline functions (such as data entry);

(b) Automated analysis of the data (automated graph production and data analysis built into the database; Stream flowing the data analysis saving time on report production);

(d) Automatic interaction/updating of the web map on Arc-Server;

(e) Interaction/connectivity between indicators from other sources/databases;

(f) Consolidation of future RC Database(s) as and if relevant;

(g) Integration with RC’s feedback and complaints mechanism.

Reporting

• To work according to the priorities set by the REACH Focal Point

• To report to the REACH Focal Point at frequent and regular intervals on the progress of database construction

• To report to the REACH Focal Point at frequent and regular intervals about any outstanding inaccuracies and / or discrepancies in the database populated by project partners

• Respond to information requests from the REACH GIS / DB Specialist, REACH Focal Point, project partners and other INGO’s, NGO’s;

• Ensure project partners/donors have the sufficient access to their specified data requirements;

• Ensure the database can be provided to the REACH GIS Mapping team (GIS Officers/GIS Assistants) and integrated into mapping software’s through providing Excel/Access compatible files;

• Respond to information requests from REACH/ACTED partners;

• Support the collection of spatial datasets and integration with REACH activities in all ACTED/REACH bases.

• Liaise with appropriate technical people for involved organizations as multiple data collection forms will need to be integrated as well as uploading capability of Excel sheets from 2 external systems (NRC mobile data collection, DRC mobile phone complaints mechanism).

• See further details in attached Annex M&E Framework.

Other

• Support the transfer of project collected data is successfully transferred to the REACH HQ – Geneva and integrated with the on-line mapping system

Accountability to Communities and Beneficiaries

The staff member is responsible for ensuring that all relations with the communities we work are conducted in a respectful and consultative manner. Due attention must be paid to ensuring that communities are adequately consulted and informed about ACTED programme objectives, activities, beneficiary selection criteria, and methodologies. This is the responsibility of every ACTED staff member.

Work Plan

The GIS/MIS officer is responsible for the construction of the online interactive web portal and the monitoring of the data inputted by project partners. The daily work plan will thus involve:

• Regular development and maintenance of the online system

• Ensuring the highest standards of accuracy of entered data

Qualifications

- Flexibility and adaptability are essential, as well as the ability to plan, take initiative and organize work independently. In addition Impartiality, objectivity and confidentiality are imperative;

- Good command of GIS software (especially those used by ACTED), Excel, Word and Database software such as Access or Foxpro. Familiarity with other information and data sources related to GIS to be recommended to ACTED for better GIS practices would be an asset.

- Understanding the nature of the work carried out by programs is necessary for ensuring the relevancy and usability of the maps produced. Therefore a proactive and self-motivated attitude towards gaining a good understanding of ACTED programs, innovating GIS activities and developing new GIS components for proposals is essential;

- Willingness to learn and capacity to innovate: The GIS Manager must be inventive and eager to improve his or her own skills, and be capable to adapt, shape and develop tools best suited for ACTED’s activities

- Ability to travel to the field for data collection, cross-checking the data and provide training to field staff;

- Good organizational and communication skills with international and national staff and rural communities.