Since 1963 and in 148 countries, ACDI/VOCA has empowered people in developing and transitional nations to succeed in the global economy. Based in Washington, D.C., ACDI/VOCA is a nonprofit international development organization that designs and delivers technical and management solutions in agriculture, economic growth, and resilience to promote economic prosperity and social inclusion.

ACDI/VOCA Headquarters has been named a Top Workplace in 2024 by the Washington Post! In just our first-year vying for the award, ACDI/VOCA ranked 7th out of the 100 companies named to the list in the mid-size category.

OVERVIEW:

ACDI/VOCA is an international development organization dedicated to promoting economic prosperity, fostering food security, and supporting social inclusion through market-driven, locally focused solutions. This organization collaborates with diverse partners to empower people to succeed in the global economy. Their efforts focus on increasing incomes, improving livelihoods, and creating opportunities for traditionally excluded groups. ACDI/VOCA's work spans various countries and communities, making a tangible impact on lives and societies.

We foster an organizational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, women rights and inclusion. We want ACDI/VOCA to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. ACDI/VOCA is based on a culture of inclusivity, and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.
The position “Management Information System (MIS) Specialist” will be responsible for the development and operationalization of the Management Information System (MIS) across the Livestock and Nutrition Activity for enhancing MEL activities, reporting, and decision-making. The MIS Specialist will be involved in developing web-based data management systems with ActivityInfo and Power Bi software, ensuring data accuracy and integrity, analyzing project data, and visualizing data in the dashboard to support evidence-based implementation under the guidance of MEL Director and the ACDI/VOCA home office MEL/MIS team.

The MIS Specialist will also be accountable for overseeing the collection, storing, and quality control and management of quantitative and qualitative data at the Activity and partner level to streamline reporting processes and management priorities. S/he will engage in continuously checking the performance of the system, undertake necessary modifications of the system, and provide technical and troubleshooting support to the program and partner staff in accessing the data collection modules in the ActivityInfo database. The MIS specialist will also engage in institutionalizing feedback and response mechanisms for supporting Collaborating, Learning, and Adaptation (CLA), and promote adaptive management for enhancing drive-driven strategic decisions.

The MIS Specialist will work under the supervision of the MEL Director, as well as closely with regional MEL Coordinators, CLA Lead, Program Team Leads, MSD teams, Grants managers, and private sector partners for contributing to the data-driven decision support system by adopting innovative approaches in data analysis and visualization with high-quality reports.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• MIS system improvement and operationalization
• Improve and operationalize an MIS framework aligned with project goals and indicator reporting needs, enabling streamlined quantitative and qualitative data capture, storage, cleaning, quality control, analysis, and reporting.
• Maintain an up-to-date and efficient MIS platform that supports the project’s monitoring, evaluation, and reporting needs; ensure the system is user-friendly, scalable, and adaptable to evolving project requirements.
• Enhance the MIS interface and increase system efficiency through continuous upgradation by implementing bug fixes, establishing automated validation rules, and preventing duplicate and missing data entries.
• Maintain up-to-date standardized data collection tools and templates in the ActivityInfo database that meet project reporting requirements.
• Optimize relational databases and interactive dashboards streamlining management needs for data-driven decisions and meeting reporting requirements.
• Manage data architecture, navigation, user interfaces/forms, and permission levels to ensure data traceability, and compliance with reporting requirements, and adapt the system to accommodate project changes and additional tools as needed.
• Monitor system performance and recommend improvements to optimize efficiency and user experience.

Data integrity and quality control

• Assist in establishing internal data quality assessment (IDQA) and data confidentiality protocols and standards for data quality and integrity across program and partner levels and all communication levels.
• Establish rigorous data validation mechanisms; conduct regular data audits, and implement corrective actions to ensure high-quality, reliable data across project sites.
• Implement weekly system monitoring, regular data cleaning, and quality checks to promptly identify and address data integrity issues, ensuring swift responses to errors.
• Establish a feedback loop for data quality and system enhancements, incorporating suggestions from staff and stakeholders to improve data submission processes and system functionality.
• Review and monitor data within the MIS, identify areas for improvement, and collaborate with MEL Coordinators and private sector partners to enhance data collection and management to minimize data quality risks.
• Collaborate with partners and the regional team to ensure accurate and timely data reporting following standard operating procedures.
• Liaise with software providers and external partners to troubleshoot and optimize MIS functionality.

Improve MIS dashboard and visualization of data summary for management decision support.

• Develop interactive dashboards and reports that fulfill management reporting requirements with minimal manual adjustments, enabling stakeholders to effectively monitor key indicators.
• Analyze project data to identify trends and monitor progress, providing insights to inform decision-making and enhance project impact.
• Generate routine reports for donors and management team, summarizing findings from routine monitoring and annual survey data to support quarterly and annual reporting.
• Conduct supplementary data analysis to provide additional insights for management decision support, learning, and knowledge management.
• Assist in analyzing routine monitoring and annual survey data, summarizing findings to assist in the preparation of quarterly, annual, and other special reports, and extrapolating findings to report on indicator progress.

Capacity building of Activity and partner staff, data collectors, and data entry operators

• Train and support Activity and partner staff on quantitative and qualitative data entry, system usage, and reporting processes; contribute to building capacity on data interpretation for programmatic insights and improvements.
• Assist in leveraging data insights for project planning, evaluation, and adaptive management, fostering a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Provide technical support for MIS-related issues, promptly resolving data and system problems, while overseeing data-entry staff performance to ensure accuracy and adherence to reporting schedules.
• Work closely with Activity and partner staff, provide technical assistance on data entry in ActivityInfo, manage user credentials, and help them with better utilization of the dashboard.

Collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA)

• Contribute to fostering an adaptive learning culture by exploring innovative approaches in MIS system implementation, documenting, and sharing learning summaries with stakeholders.
• Assist in interpreting data visualizations related to project trends, strengths, and gaps, providing data-driven recommendations to management for improving project implementation.
• Work closely with the AV home office MEL and MIS team to redesign the database system, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of the MEL program and minimizes data duplication.
• Collaborate with system users to gather feedback on functionality, prioritize improvements to enhance user experience, and facilitate knowledge-sharing sessions to promote a data-driven organizational culture.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Bachelor's or Master’s degree in information systems, Computer Science, Data Management, Statistics, or a related field.
• Minimum 6 years of experience working in development projects, especially with USAID-funded market system development or food security programs.
• Proficiency in database and visualization software, such as SQL, Microsoft Access, ERP systems, and Power BI is mandatory.  Hands-on skills in data analysis and statistical software e.g. Excel, SPSS/STATA are advantageous.
• Knowledge of data collection tools such as ActivityInfo, KoboToolbox, ODK, or SurveyCTO for quantitative data and Dedoose for qualitative data is preferred.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to gather and analyze a variety of information about issues and to develop appropriate recommendations for action.
• Familiarity with MEL system implementation, data quality assurance principles, data cleaning, validation, and management practices to ensure data integrity and reliability.
• Extensive knowledge of Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) principles, tools, and processes within market systems and/or food security contexts.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing business needs and technological advancements, with a proactive approach to keeping MIS systems efficient and up to date.
• Ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

TO APPLY:

Please submit a resume to BangladeshLAN@joinav.org no later than December 02, 2024.
Please include the position title in the subject line.

Due to the high volume of applications, we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone. Only those candidates considered for an interview will be contacted.

ACDI/VOCA provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation.