Data, Monitoring and Research Jobs at Absa Bank Limited, Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and other companies


Deadline of this Job: 15 December 2022

JOB DETAILS:

Job Summary
To provide specialist advice and support in the development and implementation of business analysis and associated service delivery processes, methods and techniques.

Job Description
Business Systems Specialist
Overall, Job Purpose

• Lead projects and other initiatives to provide technical and business advice to business teams.
• Responsible for delivering projects and initiatives involving business processes, business change and technology solutions.
• Working closely with vendors, management, and technical staff to analyse, document and identify business and technical solutions to business problems and needs
• Analyse new and existing technologies and recommend changes in computer peripheral as per organization strategy.
• Perform quantitative and qualitative analysis to derive functional requirements based on standard procedures.
• Coordinate with technical teams and business users to define business values and technical solutions that would improve the business.
• Aid in process improvement activities and in development of procedures and policies.

Project Definition & Planning - 25 %
Outputs:
• Support development of business requirements to meet business strategic objectives.
• Lead projects and other initiatives to provide technical and advice to business teams.
• Support business prepare testing plans and provide training to colleagues.
• Identify effective solutions for business software system issues.
• Report common patterns, questions, and other issues to management.
• Propose solutions for improving and restructuring company procedures.
• Assess company performance, information, and plans by conducting regular tests and analysis.
• Research and estimate costs of upgrades and system improvements.
• Work with the country Business Analyst to ensure requirements are scoped well and Impact assessment has covered all business requirements.
• Support business to put together change request requirements
• Support business teams to review functional specification documents prior to sign off.
• Review and confirm all relevant integrations are scoped
• Engage with developers from a technical perspective
• Form part of the working group for country projects.

Project Execution 60%
Outputs:

• Provide systems support for any changes made to existing business environment
• Work with the business to identify and resolve operational risks and gaps introduced by changes in the system to the business.
• Assist in the development of test cases/scripts for UAT testing/Identify any gaps existing in support of the business units.
• Ensure timely delivery of services, adhere to quality, and meet high levels of customer satisfaction.
• Improve training and operational procedures within a business to increase efficiency and productivity
• Coordinate with Project Managers and UAT release manager to align on batch run initiation requirements for projects.
• Support with testing during UAT phase and support unlock issues raised.
• Tracking UAT execution and reporting/ publishing UAT status to stakeholders
• Coordinate with Project Manager to ensure system regression tests are performed
• Support to plan for system(technical) deployments
• Support project team during Hyper care.

Resourcing 10%
Outputs:

• Aid in maintaining vendor relationships.
• Supporting project team with resourcing from a vendor perspective.
• Managing and coordinating resources during testing.

Controls 5%
Outputs:

• Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with regulatory requirements, Enterprise-Wide Risk Management Framework and internal Policies and Policy Standards.
• Understand and manage risks and risk events (incidents) relevant to the role.
• Ensure adherence to the Group IT security policy and controls in accessing any system
• Comply with Operational risk and rigor in respect to protecting our people, customers, assets, and the organization.
• Responsible for driving own Performance Development, collating relevant documentation, preparing for, and arranging reviews.
• By utilizing skills matrix, identify training and development requirements, formulating own plan to be agreed with team leader. Responsible for ensuring own plan is completed within agreed timescales.
• Undertake all necessary training to perform the role to the required standards, including gaining accreditation where appropriate.

Education and experience required:
Essential

• Minimum 10 years managing system changes and Project delivery in complex Banking environment.
• Demonstrable track record of successful delivery of change projects
• Educated to degree or MBA level to be able to meet the intellectual demands of the job, or can demonstrate equivalent experience
• Experience with Oracle based systems (Flexcube Retail/Corporate).
• Experience with Card Management Systems (First Vision).
• Experience with Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRM).
• Experience with ATM - Estate management systems and Cash Deposit Machines (CDM)
• Experience Credit/Risk Management Applications (Debt Manager, Client/Lending Management Systems)
• Experience with Enterprise Management systems i.e. (Asset/Wealth Management platforms and Bancassurance).
• Experience with Bank Payments and Clearing systems.
• PRINCE2 or PMP Certified.
• A Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) from the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIPA).

Knowledge and skills:
• Knowledge in Business analysis planning and monitoring, elicitation and collaboration, requirements life cycle management.
• Strategy analysis, requirement analysis and design definition and solution evaluation.
• Good understanding of value-based management principles
• Experience with appropriate change/programme management software (Ms. Project, Ms. PowerPoint, Advanced Excel) and collaborative tools (Microsoft Teams, Jira, Test rail)
• Innovative problem solving – ability to challenge the status quo and drive beneficial change.
• Value-based business perspective – appreciation of the Absa strategy and of commercial consequences of change/programme management decisions.
• Managing resources – mobilizes and manages corporate resources against a value-based agenda.

Competencies:
• Strong problem-solving capacity
• People skills
• Drive for results
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
• Stakeholder management (ability to negotiate/influence at senior level)
• Planning and organizing
• Critical thinking ability
• Proven ability to effectively work across teams at all levels
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• High analytical mindset


Deadline of this Job: 31 December 2022
JOB DETAILS:

To achieve the goal of reducing food security crisis and humanitarian challenges from the impacts of current and future drought crisis in the East and Horn of Africa, we need to improve the planning coherence in the humanitarian relief programming, development and resilience programming. Although the triple nexus approach to assess how the humanitarian, development and peace activities are planned, implemented, and financed has been studied previously, the empirical evidence on the vested interests of agencies, the politics in diverse funding mechanisms, the relationships between the humanitarian and the development departments and the lessons from the implementation dynamics are still weak. The position will contribute to the analyze the relationship and the discourse between humanitarian relief and resilience programming in the Horn of Africa through empirical cases. The overall aim is to address the disconnects between short-term humanitarian responses and long-term resilience programming within the Horn of Africa.

Key Responsibilities
• Conduct Reviewing literature review and analysis on the relationship and the discourse between humanitarian relief and resilience programming in the Horn of Africa through empirical cases
• Mapping stakeholder networks
• Conducting original case study research focused on prominent humanitarian and resilience actors
• Publishing research articles based on the above activities
• Contribute to the development of proposals and resource mobilization efforts
• In addition to research, the post-doc will also convene stakeholders (international, regional, national and sub-national) to identify pathways and mechanisms of strengthening the coherence and synergies between short-term relief and long-term resilience programming.
• Perform any other related duties as may be assigned

Requirements

• PhD in development studies, geography, anthropology or a related discipline
• Relevant professional certification
• Proven track record of scientific writing as first and/or corresponding author
• Knowledge on pastoralism and dryland systems in developing countries
• Experience working in the Horn of Africa region and/or on closely related topics. Programmatic experience within humanitarian relief and/or resilience programming will be a significant advantage.
• Ability to work in multidisciplinary and teams and cultural contexts
Closing: 31 December 2022


Deadline of this Job: 04 January 2023
JOB DETAILS:

Position Summary
The MIM Officer has the overall responsibility for coordination of all monitoring and impact measurement (MIM) and Knowledge Management (KM) activities for the VIRCA Deployment Program in both Kenya and Rwanda. The MIM Officer will be responsible for establishing and implementing an effective MIM system and plan to monitor and evaluate progress, impacts and successes of project activities and performance at all levels, including outcomes related to gender equality. The MIM Officer will work with the MIM Specialist, CPM, Gender Advisor, and Area Managers to develop MIM plans and monitor all project activities to ensure that the project complies with USAID and BMGF performance standards.

Key Responsibilities:
• Work collaboratively with the HQ MIM Specialist and program team to develop a MIM plan, refine the program Theory of Change, Results Framework, Log frames/Results Tracker and compile to donor standards
• Design and supervise the implementation of baseline and periodic surveys and other relevant quantitative and qualitative data collection supported by the MIM Specialist and crosscutting services team
• Work with the Project team to integrate gender (including disaggregating gender data) into ongoing project planning and implementation systems and ensure adherence to donor standards
• Take the lead in the development of appropriate monitoring, tracking, and reporting systems, tools and templates that enhance monitoring of project outputs and quality, generate quality evidence on project impact and promote and ensure use of data for decision-making processes working in collaboration with relevant team members
• Leverage on available technology (Power Business Intelligence, CRM) to generate data reports (tables/graphs/reports) from the database at regular intervals, ensuring reports/information are available for program implementation staff as required. Facilitate data analysis with program implementation team as requested.
• Contribute to understanding of and support for mobile data collection (i.e QuestionPro) hardware and software.
• Coordinate the collection, writing and conducting reviews of stories of change
• Work with the HQ MIM and KM Specialists to generate data reports (tables/graphs/reports) from the database at regular intervals, ensuring reports/information are available for program implementation staff as required. Facilitate data analysis with program implementation team as requested.
• Conduct field visits to ensure all elements of the data system is being utilized effectively, assessing, and identifying breakdowns and areas that require clarifications and improvements; Analyse project results and inform senior project management of any gaps or shortcomings in the attainment of project goals.
• Work with Cassava Seed Entrepreneurs/Enterprises (CSEs) and project partners in evaluating gathered data and analyzing lessons learned and best practices for subsequent activities including from a gender and social inclusion.
• Work closely with the project teams to develop and deliver staff/partner trainings, improving capacities in monitoring and evaluation and database management: data collection, entry, verification, and analysis; gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) and other identified needs
• Contribute to understanding of and support for mobile data collection hardware and software in collaboration with the IT/KM Specialist
• Prepare and complete periodic appraisal reports including annual surveys, midterm and final evaluation to fulfill project requirements.
• Work with HQ MIM Specialist to collect and report on corporate related data (such as decent work)
• Perform any other duties to advance the MIM objectives of the project as necessary.

Job Requirements for All Staff
Organizational Policies and Procedures
• Ensure and adhere to all MEDA management, professional, finance, audit, legal, human capital, security, corporate and other policies as required
• Prepare quarterly and other required internal reports and planning documents
• Complete and participate in all training as required

Organizational Culture
• Appreciation, understanding and commitment to MEDA’s mission, creating business solutions to poverty
• Demonstrate MEDA’s Core Performance Values: Collaboration, Respect, Entrepreneurship and Accountability

Image and Engagement
• Adherence and demonstration of MEDA image according to MEDA values
• Comply with board approved brand strategy
• Promote MEDA thorough speaking engagements, media appearances and convention as require
Staff Management
• Performance of staff management and leadership function as applicable according to MEDA policies, procedures, and values
• Contribute to a healthy culture and work environment for staff team.

Position Qualifications
• Master’s degree in quantitative discipline (Preferably in Statistics, Economics, Social Science or any Development related field)
• At least 5 Years experience in the field of Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation.
• At least 5 years experience in private sector and international development required. Experience in gender equality and social inclusion is an added advantage
• Knowledge of major quantitative & qualitative monitoring methodologies and proven ability to design monitoring instrumentation while mainstreaming gender equality and sustainability
• Extensive experience with assessments, monitoring, learning & evaluation; information systems including MS Suite (Word, Excel, Power BI etc.), database and other computerized cloud data storage, data statistical analysis and management programs, and mobile data collection platforms.
• Experience working directly with target clients (e.g farmers, MSMEs, service providers etc)
• High level of proficiency in data collection tools (ideally QuestionPro)
• Experience in agri-market systems is desirable
• Demonstrated project assessment and report writing expertise in preparing reports for major donors.
• Strong facilitation, interpersonal, motivational, and communication/writing skills.
• Written and spoken English and Swahili required
• Willingness to work under pressure and to work extra hours when required.
• Willingness to travel 50% of the time to the project areas for project monitoring.

Additional Qualifications
• Appreciation and support of MEDA’s mission, vision, and values
• Understanding and appreciation of business principles, international development and MEDA’s approach of creating business solutions to poverty
• Creates an effective work environment though exceptional interpersonal, communication, teambuilding and relationship building skills.
• Proven experience in Team management, through delegation, clear assignment of responsibilities, provision of sufficient authority and budget, and performance assessment.
• Results and solution-oriented approaches