Data Scientist - Cape Town, South Africa - Ilifa Labantwana Foundation

Description

Cape Town/Johannesburg/Pretoria
Background

Ilifa Labantwana is committed to quality early childhood development (ECD) for all children that supports caregivers, creates sustainable livelihoods for women, and builds an equitable and prosperous South Africa for all.

Ilifa Labantwana works towards a South Africa where everyone recognises their contribution to children reaching their full potential.

We use our deep understanding of government and technical expertise; alongside evidence, collaboration, and advocacy to strengthen the ECD ecosystem.

Purpose
The overall purpose of the role is to hold Ilifa's core ECD data analysis and modelling responsibilities.

The Data Scientist will build and maintain Excel-based models reflecting scenarios for current and future levels of access to ECD services, the pathways to achieving those targets, and the costs and financing sources entailed.

They will also analyse key datasets relating to ECD, tracking trends over time, and identifying and exploring critical research and systems-change questions.

They will work closely with the other knowledge production and management functions of Ilifa to generate ECD insights to support Ilifa's strategy.

Responsibilities:


Strategic leadership:

Work with the Chief Economist to execute Ilifa's Economics and Financing Solutions strategy and give guidance in this area to the leadership team and to key external stakeholders.

Support building Ilifa's thought leadership role in the ECD sector, and position Ilifa as a leading generator of data-rich ECD insights.

Collaborate with Ilifa's core systems change coalition partners to enrich Ilifa's data analysis and modelling work.

Work with Ilifa's Knowledge, Information and Data Solutions (KIDS), Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) and Economics and Financing Solutions functions and products to generate ECD insights to support Ilifa's strategy.

Database management:

Ongoing analysis and trend tracking of key data sources relating to ECD, constantly deepening our understanding of the ECD landscape in South Africa.

Support government and Ilifa's teams by developing and maintaining evidence-based models to inform policy and strategy decisions, planning and budgeting.

Produce analysis and commentary relating to service access and quality.

Conduct research and analysis highlighting the role of ECD as enabling women to work, shifting gender inequality, contributing to local economic development, etc.

Collaborate with other Ilifa portfolios and partners to produce and maintain ECD dashboards and publishing regular updates on key indicators on Ilifa's website.

Track key indicators to feed into Ilifa's MERL function.

Service expansion and cost modelling:

Build and maintain Excel-based models for the expansion of access to and quality of ECD services over time, using a combination of data sources and informed assumptions.

Conduct cost and budget modelling linked to ECD service delivery and existing and new government systems. Develop up-to-date and informed assumptions to enable modelling in a context of limited data and information.

In collaboration with the Economics and Financing Solutions team, and key internal and external partners, build and adapt scenarios for models to serve the needs of various products, such as annual government departmental budget submissions to National Treasury, strategic plans, advocacy products, funding proposals, etc.

Organisational support:

Ensure data cleaning, analysis and modelling capacity is made available to other Ilifa portfolios to support achievement of their objectives, including supporting the development and execution of team strategies and designing robust research approaches.

Input into Ilifa's proposal writing and reporting to existing and new donors. Ensure financial, procurement and compliance processes are adhered to.


Requirements:

Honours or Master's degree (or equivalent) in economics, econometrics, data science, statistics, mathematical statistics, Demography or similar.
At least two years of relevant work experience, especially within the development, consulting, or public sectors.
Advanced quantitative data analysis skills, using statistical software such as R, Stata, Excel.
Demonstrable modelling experience. Proficient in Excel with advanced skills for modelling using a combination of primary and secondary data.
Able to develop up-to-date and informed assumptions to enable modelling in a context of limited data and information.
Able to translate data into compelling visuals.
Competencies and personal qualities
Systems-change mindset and a creative outlook on technical issues.
Excellent writing skills.
Advanced user of Office 365 suite and data management tools and software.
Able to work independently and prioritise workload.
Takes ownership of and encourages accountability for delivering results, anticipating, planning and monitoring progress, adjusting as needed.
Analytical thinking,