Consultant on Data Storytelling

The Centre for Humanitarian Data is focused on increasing the use and impact of data in the humanitarian sector. It is managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and is based in The Hague, the Netherlands. The Centre’s services are available to humanitarian partners and OCHA staff in the field and at Headquarters free of charge.

The Centre focuses on four areas: data services, data responsibility, data literacy, and predictive analytics. The data services workstream focuses the management of the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) platform, the development and use of the Humanitarian Exchange Language (HXL) data standard, and support to the International Aid Transparency Initiative. The data responsibility worksteam focuses on the development and adoption of data responsibility guidelines and different techniques for the secure management of data, both within OCHA and the broader humanitarian system. The data literacy workstream focuses on improving the data skills of technical and non-technical humanitarians through the delivery of training programmes and development of capacity-building material. The predictive analytics workstream focuses on model development, including threshold and trigger design, and quality assurance of partner models through validation and a peer review process.

The Centre’s Data Fellows programme began in 2018 and supports all four workstreams. This high-profile initiative is designed to expose the Centre team and partners to new areas of data-related expertise that can impact humanitarian response and advance the goals of the Centre. The structure of the programme provides the Data Consultants/Fellows with exposure to different parts of the humanitarian system while allowing them to focus time and energy on an individual project that addresses a challenge related to the use and impact of data in the sector. 

The Centre will host its third class of Data Consultants/Fellows in The Hague in June and July 2020. The 2020 Data Consultants/Fellows will focus on three areas: Data Storytelling (Education), Predictive Analytics, and Statistics (Mosaic Effect). The Fellowship programme is residential, with Data Consultants/Fellows living and working in The Hague under the direction of the Coordinator for the Data Fellows Programme.

Data Storytelling

As the number of data-driven insights increases within the humanitarian sector, a major challenge has emerged in relation to how these insights translate into concrete action at a global, regional, and local level. One approach to addressing this challenge is data storytelling: helping to translate insights into action through visual and narrative storytelling tactics. Some of the most popular and engaging content produced by the Centre has been visualizations such as the data stories on displacement in South Sudan and the Central African Republic. To adapt similar data storytelling methods to the complex topic of education in contexts of forced displacement, the Centre requires a Data Consultant/Fellow.

We are looking for a candidate who is self-motivated and can thrive in an international, multidisciplinary team. The right candidate has the skills and abilities that together comprise the appropriate level of expertise to develop a communication strategy and an initial set of related assets for the Centre.

The Consultant will be responsible for the following:

• Design and execute a project related to data storytelling based including the development of at least one data story utilizing data available via HDX to help translate insight into action for humanitarian responders.

• Design and deliver at least one session (in person or online) for the Centre team and broader community on an aspect of their area of technical expertise. 

• Communicate publicly about the project focus and key outcomes (in the form of a blog and other related channels).

• Produce a final report outlining the key insights from the project and, as relevant, providing recommendations for further work in the area of focus.

• Utilize available project management and office communication tools to effectively track and deliver expected outputs. 

• Maintain active and clear communications with relevant members of the Centre and the Fellowship partner organization(s) throughout the course of the programme

Deliverables
The Consultant will complete the following deliverables

• A briefing note on the initial desk and user research including a concrete problem statement outlining the concept for a data story

• A data story using data available via HDX to generate actionable insight for humanitarian responders and the broader community, with a focus on education in forced displacement

• Detailed technical documentation (method, requirements, development roadmap) for the data storytelling approach as needed

• At least one blog post on the outcomes of the project.

• A final report outlining the key achievements of the project and, as relevant, providing recommendations for further work in the area of focus.

EDUCATION

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in graphic design, human-computer interaction or a related design discipline. 

• Bachelor’s degree with additional four years of experience can be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree with two years of experience. 

WORK EXPERIENCE

• At least two years of experience  (depending on Degree qualification) with communications, including designing visual language systems for digital products and services in design consultancy or in-house environment

• Demonstrated experience creating visual designs that effectively communicate product function and brand identity, including the design and production of screen layouts, color palettes, typography, user interface elements, and icons. 

• Knowledge of capabilities and limitations of Web technologies such as HTML, JavaScript and CSS. 

• Understanding of user behavior and experience as it relates to design. 

• Familiarity with responsive design and proficiency with relevant design software packages such as AdobeCC, Sketch and InVision. 

• A strong understanding of how comps translate to code. 

• Familiarity with agile development and prototyping.

In addition, the following would be desirable but are optional:

• Motion graphics and animation skills (optional but a plus) 

• Experience with designing for social impact a plus. 

LANGUAGES

• Fluency in English is required (both oral and written). 

• Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage. 

Contract type: ICA
Contract level: IICA-1/ICSC-9
Contract duration: 2 months

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.