Consultant – Data Visualization Specialist/Front-End Engineer (Data For Impact) – Remote At Mercy Corps

Background:

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

The Technology for Development (T4D) team is housed within the Program Department’s Technical Support Unit (TSU). It collaborates with Mercy Corps’ global teams and external partners to unlock new possibilities that increase program quality, impact, and innovation, helping improve more lives through the power of technology. Our mission and purpose are to drive sustainable program impact through responsible application of existing and emerging digital technologies.

Purpose / Project Description:

The Data for Impact Data Visualization Specialist will develop the front-end interfaces for the Data for Impact team’s Country Data Hubs supporting the development of effective data visualizations, dashboards, and web designs for Mercy Corps’ country teams. The D4I Data Viz Specialist is a creative and flexible technologist with experience working with technical and non-technical users. The D4I Data Viz Specialist will advise Mercy Corps teams on the effective use of data in visualizations, support UI/UX web development, and work with the D4I team to identify new use cases for data science.

Consultant Objectives:

They will provide data visualizations modules of the technical architecture supporting AWS data projects for both the Crisis Analytics and Food Security & Resilience workstreams. They will also lend practical expertise in the use and deployment of data visualizations to Mercy Corps country teams.

Consultant Activities:

Data Engineering & AWS Development

• Work with Mercy Corps teams to design and implement high quality, meaningful data visualizations for context monitoring and data analysis for country data hubs.
• Work with Data For Impact team members to develop standard data visualization work flows.
• Provide monthly training in data visualizations to Mercy Corps teams.
• Provide subject matter expertise on best practices in data visualization.
• Work with the Data For Impact Data Engineer to identify required data flows for visualizations in support of the Ukraine response and other crises.
• Support application and web development work with data visualizations.

Data Strategy and Best Practices

• Collaborate with the Data for Impact team to draft a strategy for selection, implementation, and training of data visualization tools

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership wherever implementations are conducted

Consultant Deliverables:

1. Build visualizations for the Ukraine and Lebanon country data hubs, collaborating with other D4I team members, Crisis Analytics, and other Mercy Corps teams to design and implement data visualizations, dashboards, and websites around this concept. Other country data hubs may be added.
2. Draft workflow recommendations for data visualization requests, from intake to delivery.
3. Provide training sessions twice per month in data visualization techniques (May-January).
4. Draft a data visualization strategy for the selection, implementation, and training of data visualization tools.
5. Provide documentation for all implemented solutions & maintain git repositories for all assigned projects (when applicable)
6. Support other data science projects as requested

Timeframe / Schedule:

• This consultancy will last from April 2022 – January 2023

The Consultant will report to:

Data Scientist, Data for Impact

The Consultant will work closely with:

IT, T4D, TSU teams.

Required Experience & Skills:

• 5-10 years of experience in relevant technical field
• Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field such as Business Analytics, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, Computer Science, and related fields or equivalent professional experience
• 2+ years of relevant experience working in an Analytics environment
• Demonstrated experience developing effective visualizations using open source tools such as PowerBI, Tableau, Excel, Python, and JavaScript
• Demonstrated experience developing front-end interfaces using at least one web development library (React, Agular, etc) and/or building and deploying web applications.
• Knowledge of at least one open source visualization library in Python such as Plotly, Seaborn, and Matplotlib, is required; knowledge of R (Shiny).
• Knowledge of SQL and NoSQL for data access is preferred
• Experience working with geospatial data and GIS platforms is preferred
• Ability to apply analytical problem solving skills
• Great interpersonal and intercultural communication skills
• Working hours are flexible but preference will be given to candidates able to work on a daily schedule aligned with GMT and nearby timezones

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.