Analysis Specialist - International Cocoa Initiative

International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) (www.cocoainitiative.org) is a multi-stakeholder organization, uniting the forces of civil society, certifiers, the cocoa and chocolate industry, and international institutions, and working with governments to address child and forced labour in the cocoa sector.

ICI has developed a Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS) that allows industry partners to responsibly manage the child labour risk in their cocoa supply chain. In line with the Ghana Child Labor Monitoring System (GCLMS), the system is based on the presence of Community Facilitators (CF) within cocoa-growing communities who raise awareness on the issue of child labour; identify cases and implement remediation activities. (www.cocoainitiative.org) 

Established in 2002, the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) is a leading organisation promoting child protection in cocoa-growing communities. ICI works with the cocoa industry, civil society and national governments in cocoa-producing countries to ensure a better future for children and contribute to eliminating child labour. In September 2024, ICI will mandate a baseline survey in 10 primary schools in Ghana's cocoa-growing communities for the “Alliance for Change: Supported Caregivers and thriving children” project.

Job Description

The International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) is a non-profit foundation that works to protect the rights of children and adults in cocoa-growing areas in West Africa. To reinforce its team, ICI is looking for an Analysis Specialist to strengthen the Learning, Monitoring and Evaluation team in Ghana. The successful candidate will join on a one-year contract, subject to extension.

Under the supervision of M&E Manager, the Analysis Specialist will increase ICI’s capacity to design and conduct research related to child labour and forced labour and support stakeholders to put learning into action.

The Analysis Specialist will be required to travel within Ghana, for example to visit projects and partners. The Analysis Specialist may also be required to travel elsewhere in the region on short missions, for example to Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon or Nigeria. Female candidates are especially encouraged to apply.

Main tasks and responsibilities

Analysis

Process and analyse quantitative data, using Stata and Excel, related to needs assessment, programme implementation, outcome and impact measurement

• Review and analyse literature to inform programme design and evaluation
• Develop compelling data visualisation, presentations and written reports
• Synthesize research outputs to develop clear and concise messages and recommendations for internal and external audiences 

Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation

• Support the development and implementation of project monitoring and evaluation frameworks
• Support the design and development of robust impact evaluations
• Develop, refine and improve data collection tools, building on established good practice, wherever possible
• Support the implementation of field research by ICI teams, independent contractors and universities, including recruitment and training of contractors and field data collection agents

Capacity building and training

• Support the development of data analysis skills across ICI’s teams, through training and coaching colleagues
• Identify ways to improve data quality in programme implementation
• Support collaborative learning, through accompanying partners to improve policies, programmes and practices, based on partners’ needs, findings from assessments and existing evidence about effective practice

Required Skills or Experience

Skills

• Solid working knowledge of Stata (skills in R, Python, SPSS, Excel or other statistical software an asset)
• Good understanding of inferential and causal design for programme evaluation (experimental designs, quasi-experimental designs such as difference-in-differences, propensity score matching, regression discontinuity design, etc.)
• Solid econometric skills for deriving robust results from complex socio-economic survey data
• Strong analytic capacity
• Listening and interview skills, including the ability to probe
• The ability to synthesize key messages, and develop and deliver clear presentations to diverse audiences
• Excellent interpersonal skills and strong communication skills
• Ability to work effectively in multicultural teams

Education and work experience
Essential:

• A relevant master’s degree, or equivalent, in Social Sciences, Economics, Statistics, Data Science, International Development, or other relevant fields
• At least four years of relevant work experience in data analysis, applied research in social science or related fields, monitoring and evaluation or information management
• Proven experience of research design, data processing and analysis, including involvement in field data collection

Desirable:

• Experience working with external partners, for example supporting assessments or audits of needs, gaps and capacities, providing training or capacity building
• Experience with qualitative methods in social research
• Experience working with hard-to-reach populations and working with sensitive data
• Knowledge of child rights, child labour and forced labour
• Knowledge of the cocoa sector or other types of smallholder agricultural production
• Knowledge of mobile data collection techniques and experience designing and implementing mobile data collection in developing countries
• Experience using Geographic Information Systems

Languages

Fluency in written and spoken English, and a Ghanaian language preferably Twi. Knowledge of French would be an asset.