Online UN Volunteer - Data Consolidation and Visualization

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established by the United Nations General Assembly, is dedicated to advocating for children's rights and ensuring their basic needs are met. The organization focuses on expanding opportunities for children to reach their full potential. UNICEF Uganda specifically aims to advance Sustainable Development Goal 4, which emphasizes quality education and inclusive, equitable education for all children. The organization operates in numerous countries worldwide, employing thousands of staff members committed to improving the lives of children and families.

Job Overview:
The Online UN Volunteer will play a crucial role in developing a comprehensive and validated master list of all schools in Uganda. This position involves integrating data from various sources, including UNICEF projects, the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) Education Management Information System (EMIS), and partner databases. The volunteer will utilize digital tools and virtual collaboration to ensure the accuracy and usability of school data across all UNICEF education programs. The primary objectives include data consolidation, quality improvement, standardization, visualization, and sustainability of the data management process. The volunteer will also create dynamic dashboards using Power BI to visualize school data, which will aid UNICEF teams in making informed decisions regarding education interventions.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Online UN Volunteer include:

• Data mapping and inventory: Compile existing school lists from various sources, including UNICEF initiatives, MoES EMIS, and partner databases, while documenting sources and data attributes.
• Stakeholder engagement: Coordinate with UNICEF sections through virtual platforms like Teams and email to confirm data standards and validation protocols.
• Data cleaning and validation: Remove duplicates, correct errors, and verify data against official sources using remote methods, applying quality checks for completeness and consistency.
• Master list development: Create a consolidated dataset in an agreed format (Excel/Database) with metadata for traceability.
• Dynamic visualization: Build Power BI dashboards to visualize key information such as location, connectivity, enrollment, and geographic distribution, ensuring user-friendliness and accessibility for program teams.
• Documentation and Reporting: Prepare a comprehensive report detailing methodology, findings, challenges, and recommendations for sustainability, including guidelines for future updates and integration with UNICEF systems. The expected deliverables include a draft consolidated dataset, a final validated master list, a Power BI dashboard, a technical report, and a proposal for an update mechanism.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a strong understanding of data management and analysis, particularly in the context of educational data. Candidates should possess skills in data cleaning, validation, and visualization, as well as experience with tools such as Excel and Power BI. Familiarity with education systems and data standards in Uganda is highly desirable. Additionally, strong communication skills are essential for effective stakeholder engagement and collaboration with UNICEF teams and partners.

Educational Background:
Candidates should have a background in data science, statistics, education, or a related field. A degree in one of these areas is preferred, along with relevant coursework or certifications in data analysis and visualization.

Experience:
The ideal candidate should have prior experience in data management, particularly in educational contexts. Experience working with government or non-governmental organizations in Uganda or similar settings is advantageous. Familiarity with data visualization tools, especially Power BI, is also important for this role.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, as it is the primary language of communication within UNICEF and for documentation purposes. Knowledge of local languages spoken in Uganda would be considered an asset, as it may facilitate better engagement with local stakeholders and communities.

Additional Notes:
This position is a volunteer role, and while it may not offer financial compensation, it provides valuable experience working with a reputable international organization. The assignment duration and specific working hours are not specified, but the role is expected to be part-time and flexible, allowing for remote work. The volunteer will be expected to collaborate with various stakeholders and may need to adapt to different time zones depending on the teams they are working with.