We are currently looking for…
International Aid Information and Data Search Experts
Location: Home-based
Type of contract: Consultancy
Duration: Regular contributions
Closing date: Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis
About AidInfoPlus
AidInfoPlus (aidinfoplus.org) is a new nonprofit organization that aims to raise accountability and efficiency in international aid by empowering individuals and organizations to master aid data and information for change.
AidInfoPlus (AI+) offers support to track aid flows and development outcomes at the global and local levels to anyone involved in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of aid programs: civil society and media representatives, aid workers from NGOs and government agencies, academics and concerned citizens.
AidInfoPlus is operated by a small Secretariat located in Geneva, Switzerland, the hub of international aid for development. It mobilizes, coordinates and manages an international network of freelance experts. Its sources of funding come from public and private foundations, donations, as well as paid services.
About the Aid Data Hotline
The central component of the AI+ platform is the aid data hotline, a free service to assist users with questions related to searching for, accessing, understanding and reporting on development data. Requests for support on any aid-related topic (food security, sustainable agriculture, health, education, migrants, refugees and emergency responses, gender equality, water and sanitation, environment, climate change, etc.) will be channeled through an online form (under development).
In response to questions, the AI+ team of experts will not only provide answers but create short illustrated tutorials, following step-by-step methodologies that users can replicate to search on their own: clarifying the initial question; choosing the proper online resources and search tools; drafting powerful queries; double-checking results; scraping, cleaning, verifying, comparing data; visualizing results, etc. Over time, these little units of training based on real-life case studies will grow into a searchable online reference service to learn to search for aid information. More information can be found in this 2-pager (PDF).
General function
(*please note that hiring for these assignments is pending receipt of funding)
AidInfoPlus seeks to recruit a team of regular freelance contributors with complementary skills in searching, verifying, analyzing and presenting information and data related to development and humanitarian aid. Answering individual questions will require up to one day of work, including the drafting of a blog article describing and explaining the steps followed to get to the search results. This Q&A service will address users’ practical needs and adapt to all levels of technical skills with clear and simple language that can be understood by users with limited data literacy.
Contributors will be paid a competitive rate in agreement with AidInfoPlus. Questions will be dispatched based on the specific expertise and availability of contributors. Being a demand-driven service, it is not possible at this stage to evaluate the volume of work that collaboration with AI+ might represent for individual experts. While it might not initially amount to a main consultancy stream, the best performing collaborators might be called
upon for various consultancies, such as delivering custom-made on-site training, thematic webinars, evaluations, background research and data analysis.
About you:
Note: while it is expected that applicants possess most of the experience and skills outlined below, partial compliance should not prevent candidates with advanced technical expertise or in-depth knowledge of the international aid information landscape to apply.
Your experience and skills:
- Exceptional Internet search skills, knowledge of advanced techniques to find, verify, analyze results;
- A broad culture and knowledge of key international institutions and aid-related issues;
- Significant experience in a thematic sector such as global health, girls and women’s empowerment, education, global warming, emergencies, refugees, sustainable development and SDGs, extractive industries, anti-corruption;
- Proven skills in using and/or analyzing open aid data (OECD-DAC, IATI, World Bank, donor country platforms, national aid information management systems, etc.);
- Outstanding analytical skills, capable of synthesizing and presenting complex information in ways that can be understood by people with limited or no technical background;
- Excellent writing skills, in an easy-to-understand style using plain language, references and multimedia elements (links, image and video embeds, graphics) demonstrated by online publications;
- Experience in blog editing (AidInfoPlus uses WordPress) and screencasting desirable;
- Advanced data skills and experience in using tools to scrape (Outwit Hub, Import.io, Google Sheets scraper, etc.), analyze, visualize (Tableau, Fusion Tables, Datawrapper, etc.) open aid data;
- A post-graduate degree in a relevant field (international development studies, journalism, computer science, data analytics, etc.) or equivalent experience.
Your competencies:
- Excellent fact-checker, inquisitive, skeptical, always eager to ascertain the quality of information and to crosscheck findings;
- Resourceful, persistent and skillful individual with an analytical mind and attention to detail;
- Team player who works well on her/his own initiative;
- Available to work remotely on short deadlines;
- Written and spoken fluency in English and/or French. Spanish or Arabic is a plus.
***To apply, please send as soon as possible a one-page cover letter, a CV and a writing sample related to the subject matter of this consultancy to contact@aidinfoplus.org.
Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview over Skype and asked to answer a sample question. Candidates from aid recipient countries are strongly encouraged to apply. If you have any question, please write to Robert Bourgoing at contact@aidinfoplus.org.