Anticipatory Action Data Specialist

We are looking for a Data Specialist to support humanitarian partners with successfully implementing products & services. This position is focused on our Anticipatory Action portfolio and in particular projects and services that involve our Impact based Forecasting Portal and data services around Anticipatory Action.

This thematic area within 510 deals with digital products and services enabling anticipatory actions, i.e. actions ahead of predicted hazards to prevent or reduce acute humanitarian impacts before they fully unfold. We turn forecasts and warnings into actionable insights, translating "what the weather will be” into "what the weather will do”. The Netherlands Red Cross provides data & digital support towards development of impact-based forecasting (IBF) for various hazards. Our work is currently focused on the following products and services: risk and impact analysis, trigger models and IBF Operational dashboards.

Anticipatory Action Data Specialist (32-40 hours/week)

Location: The Hague, Netherlands

510 is the data & digital initiative of the Netherlands Red Cross. 510 improves humanitarian action by developing data and digital solutions for our partners. 510 is part of the International Assistance division in the Netherlands Red Cross (NLRC). Since its founding in 2016, 510 has grown into a team of 60 core and project staff, students and volunteer experts. Our partners are Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Our services include Digital Transformation and Information Management, major products focus on Cash Aid, Anticipatory Action and Digital Community Engagement.

As a member of 510’s data team you will build a strong foundation for our products and services by implementing a clear, resource-efficient and scalable data architecture. You develop and standardize analytical and predictive models, and data management tools. You are on top of the data architecture and pipelines for our anticipatory action products. You participate at a tactical level in the Anticipatory Action thematic area, where together with the Service Coordinator, IBF Product Manager, Scientific Lead, Project Manager, Software Development Lead, and Design Lead you make our work in Anticipatory Action successful by setting and realizing priorities at a quarterly level (10% of your time). You actively work in our Anticipatory Action projects (70% of your time) and you lead the data architecture for anticipatory action (20%).

We value diversity — in backgrounds and experiences. We need people from all backgrounds to help build the future of data & digital in the humanitarian sector. All our team members’ points of view are key to our success!

In the first year, these will be the roles & responsibilities:

Within 3 months

• Understand the purpose and responsibilities of each role of the thematic area
• Understand the data architecture behind the products & services
• Understand how resources are organized and managed in our cloud environment (Azure)
• Developing a plan around the Data Catalogue and Azure Data Lake to store and share data sources.
• Participate in the tactical and strategic meetings of the thematic area and help setting and realizing joint objectives
• Stay up to date with technological innovation and research that can bring added value to our data architecture.
• Work in projects with our partners to implement data analytics and data science solutions
• Make and review work breakdown structure of tasks for complex service deliverables in projects an proposals
• Understand the data protection and security in our Azure cloud
• Identify together with the service coordinator  opportunities to improve data products and services on a technical level
• Link with the NLRC Advisors to enable them to bring in the data and digital aspects in their conversations with delegations and desks.

Within 6 months

• Maintain a good working relationship with data experts for Anticipatory Action within the IFRC Network and key partners.
• Develop and implement data quality standards for the team among others by creating Azure resources.

• Develop monitoring tools for data quality and identify areas for improvement

• Responsible for data protection and security in our Azure cloud

• Develop and improve analytical and predictive models
• Lead the documentation of the data architecture and design decisions

• Set up data pipeline monitoring and set up new pipelines where needed
• Responsible to assign and maintain ownership within the team for each Azure resource
• Standardize deployment and use of our Anticipatory Action tools.
• Provide technical documentation and learnings to the team and coach them to use the data architecture effectively
• Support the implementation of the thematic priorities, by using your time in projects effectively
• Identify innovation opportunities that follow from jointly formulated strategic and tactical priorities and contribute to the development of prototypes and minimum viable products .
• Identify and review latest techniques and innovations that can help project delivery
• provide backup or support for colleagues within the same thematic area or other thematic areas during emergency deployments and leave.
• Join technical working groups with partners to discuss and agree on the modelling approach

Within 12 months

• Support our national society partners with setting up a data architecture and advanced analytics capabilities
• Lead review of potential strong technical partners
• Lead the development and implementation of data quality standards
• Develop and implement advanced analytics models independently
• Work with stakeholders to resolve data quality issues
• Mentor new team members and assist with their onboarding
• Able to represent 510’s portfolios to partners

Capabilities

• 3+ years' experience in advanced analytics or data science
• Experience in data and cloud engineering
• Understanding of humanitarian operations
• Track record of creating technical documentation
• Software development experience, especially in python
• Team player
• Great communication skills (English)
• Experience to train and instruct others
• Willingness to travel (short missions of 1-2 weeks)

Competencies

You have a strong ability to analyse and form opinions, along with a creative mindset, devotion to accuracy, helicopter view, adaptability, and a focus on quality

Bonus points

• Active network of data experts in the thematic area
• Practical experience with hazard impact modelling
• Working proficiency in French, Arabic or Spanish
• Active network within Red Cross Red Crescent Movement
• Working experience in Azure
• Working experience in MLOps
• Working experience in remote sensing and climate data
• Working experience in geographic information system (GIS)
• Open-source contributor
• Research background (PhD)

Our offer

An interesting job with a unique organization and an innovative team. The organization has an immense international network and a significant impact in the humanitarian sector.

We offer a flexible and social working environment with room for initiative and personal development. A contract for a year with the possibility to extend. The salary is set in scale 11 and dependent upon education and relevant professional experience (min. € 3.650,42 and max. € 4.746,42 gross based on fulltime position).

Our office is in the Hague, walking distance from the Laan van NOI station. Based on our re-work concept you work partly from home and partly from the office. We regularly meet colleagues on the work floor but also online via Teams to discuss cross functional issues and to stay connected to each other and our networks.

How do you apply?

Please send your resume in English and letter of motivation with reference to HR Advisor Shelly Jonker before 24 May 2024 through the following link: https://werkenbijhetrodekruis.inhroffice.com/nl/job/313390. For more information about the position, you can contact Marijke Panis (data team lead) at mpanis@redcross.nl.

Please note that an integrity background check and an assessment forms part of the selection process.

Acquisition on this job opening is not appreciated