Data Visualization & Dashboard Specialist I

Location:  Nairobi, Kenya; or Delhi, India.

IDinsight is hiring a full-time data visualization and dashboard specialist (1 to 3 years of relevant experience) to grow our dashboarding and broader data presentation capabilities. In this role, the specialist will work with project teams and clients to build dashboards that facilitate data-driven decision-making leading to social impact. This could include, for example, building interfaces to help manage on-the-ground efforts to locate out-of-school children, introduce greater accountability and effectiveness into social safety net programs, or deliver socioeconomic data to high-level decision-makers in the social sector.

We are a social-impact-oriented organization, so can guarantee meaningful work tackling some of the world’s most complex international development challenges around the world.

Grow as a data professional while doing meaningful work

We are working to build IDinsight into a global leader in the use of innovative data tools to solve some of the world’s most urgent problems. 

You’ll be joining a growing data science and engineering team and working on highly impactful and innovative projects with our partners. You’ll be joining an entrepreneurial team where you have a strong voice in how the team functions and grows. To be effective, dashboards need to be contextually relevant and build on subject-matter expertise. You will get to work closely with our partners, our team of economists, social-sector experts, and public health specialists to build and test solutions.

Learning is a key part of being an effective data professional. 10% of your time would be dedicated to learning new skills and side projects of your choice. You’ll have strong mentorship to guide your career and you’ll make interesting and valuable connections.

About IDinsight

We amplify social impact by partnering with leaders to develop tailored solutions. Our mission is to use data and evidence to help leaders combat poverty worldwide.

IDinsight is a mission-driven global advisory, data analytics, and research organization that helps global development leaders maximize their social impact. We tailor a wide range of data and evidence tools, including randomized evaluations and machine learning, to help decision-makers design effective programs and rigorously test what works to support communities. We work with governments, multilateral agencies, foundations, and innovative non-profit organizations in Asia and Africa. Our work spans a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, education, health, governance, sanitation, financial inclusion, and other areas.

We have expertise in a variety of rigorous approaches and methodologies, which we tailor to each client depending on their needs and constraints. To achieve a positive social impact we:

• Support clients’ use of data and evidence for routine and major decision-making.
• Inform funding decisions – toward high-impact initiatives and away from less effective programs or approaches.
• Create and share tools, knowledge, and ideas that expand the use of data and evidence for social good.

Our diverse, growing team of almost 300 outstanding colleagues operates in nearly two dozen countries around the world.  Learn more about our mission and values at www.IDinsight.org.  

About the Data Visualization & Dashboard Specialist role

We are seeking candidates with a strong background in dashboarding tools like Tableau, PowerBI, and Google Data Studio, the ability to code dashboards using R Shiny, data analysis skills, and a passion for building solutions to difficult social problems. Most importantly, successful candidates should possess the ability to work independently to solve complex challenges, both human and technological. The successful candidate will report to the Data Visualization & Dashboard Specialist II.

Responsibilities

As a data visualization and dashboard specialist, the day-to-day work may include:

• Working with clients to understand their needs: understanding their current processes and pain points, and identifying which of these can be addressed through informative dashboards.
• Performing analysis to understand clients’ data availability and quality, cleansing and preparing data to bridge identified gaps, and applying dataset modeling to optimize visualization and dashboard performance
• Designing visualizations and dashboards that cater to audiences ranging from on-the-ground implementers to executive reporting for both internal teams and external clients.
• Collaborating with client teams to set up, test, and deploy dashboards, and ensure timely maintenance.
• Collaborating with the data engineering team on data pipeline requirements.
• Helping develop the organization's strategy on dashboarding solutions for internal and external clients. This will involve developing and institutionalizing best practices on the design, execution, and management of dashboarding initiatives.

Required Technical Qualifications

• Experience designing and building data visualizations
• Experience creating custom datasets from databases and data modeling
• Bachelor's degree in design, information science, engineering, social science, or related fields
• Demonstrated understanding of design principles and aesthetics of business dashboards, data visualization, and reports
• Passion for UX principles and ability to work with stakeholders to understand their needs in the design process
• Experience working with popular data visualization and dashboarding platforms like PowerBI, Google Data Studio, Tableau
• Fluency with a git/GitHub version control workflow (though not primarily a coding role, you’ll work closely with our team of developers)
• Experience with SQL and related database systems such as PostgreSQL or BigQuery.

Preferred Qualification

• Experience building dashboards in R Shiny.

Other required qualifications:

• Proven ability to work alone and with teams in a dynamic, multicultural environment.
• Passion for improving lives through evidence-informed policy.
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English. Fluency in languages spoken in countries where IDinsight works is a plus.
• Strong values aligned with IDinsight’s stated values.
• Ability and interest in sharing knowledge, mentoring others, presenting work, and reviewing the work of others.
• Deeply passionate about global development and improving lives in disadvantaged populations
• Open-minded self-starter who will thrive while tackling new, unusual, and unpredictable challenges

Professional development

Skills and career development are core to IDinsight's values and long-term impact strategy and have been noted as highlights of teammates’ experiences. IDinsighters receive significant mentorship from IDinsight leadership, and support from talented peers, and are given considerable autonomy when ready. They maintain professional development plans and are given "stretch" opportunities designed to strengthen a variety of skills. Real-time feedback is embedded in our culture and a formal structure enables maximum professional growth. Additionally, teammates have access to an annual professional development stipend that they are encouraged to utilize to explore their career interests and develop their skills.

Nuts & bolts

Location

This position is located in one of IDinsight’s existing offices, with the possibility of extensive travel depending on project needs. The most likely offices for this position are New Delhi, India; or Nairobi, Kenya. Preference will be given to those with pre-existing work authorization in these countries; however, IDinsight will seek work permits where possible for exceptional candidates.

Start date

The start date of this position is flexible, although there is the potential to start almost immediately. We expect a minimum one-year commitment, with regular professional development conversations and potential for a long-term career at IDinsight.

Work Authorization

IDinsight is able to sponsor employment visas for all nationalities in these locations; however, we will prioritize candidates who do not require IDinsight to sponsor work authorization in the aforementioned countries. All candidates who are not currently located in our country offices listed above will be expected to relocate to their office locations at the onset of their employment. 

Compensation

Compensation and benefits are commensurate with the qualifications and experiences IDinsight is hiring for and are competitive within the global development sector. We are especially proud of the people-focused benefits we offer including comprehensive international health insurance, including mental health coverage; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; relocation benefits; a travel stipend; technology and work-from-home stipends; a professional development budget; and more.

Please note, as a non-profit, we are unable to provide compensation similar to leading private sector organizations. 

How to apply

Please click the "Apply for this job online" button at the top right. Applications are rolling and considered as they are submitted. The application asks various questions in order for us to get to know you, and requires a CV and cover letter. 

Please ensure that your CV includes relevant professional and personal experience as well as details on academic qualifications. CVs can range from one to two pages. Please note, headshot photographs, parental details, birth dates, marital status, and other personal information not relevant to the application do not need to be included in your CV. Additionally, we strongly encourage you to use your cover letter to highlight why you want to work for IDinsight specifically, and what has prepared you to succeed in the role you’re applying for. A customized cover letter is an important part of IDinsight’s recruiting process as it allows us to understand your motivations for the position, relevant skills, and clarity of writing.

More information, including details on IDinsight’s hiring process and frequently asked questions, can be found online at IDinsight Careers. Any questions should be directed to careers@IDinsight.org. 

IDinsight’s commitment to reducing power asymmetries

IDinsight is committed to reducing power asymmetries in the social sector. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects our understanding of the need for the sector to abandon unhealthy practices of the past. We wish to be part of a new generation of international NGOs who are honest about this history and transparent about our role in the present. Our commitment is also aligned with the impact of our work. 

We seek a workforce that is inclusive of a variety of perspectives that will help us refine and improve our methods and relationships, and strengthen the services we provide our clients and their communities or constituencies. The following commitments represent our vision for the IDinsight team:

1. IDinsight will have greater representation from the populations with whom we work and the clients we serve.
2. IDinsight will have greater representation from the countries in which we work.
3. Across all countries in which we recruit, we will seek greater representation from historically excluded communities.
4. IDinsight will foster an inclusive work culture that empowers a diverse team to do their best work.

IDinsight is an equal-opportunity employer and strives to create a diverse and supportive workplace.