The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is a premier research-to-policy institution, generating evidence, strengthening research and related capacity in the African research and development ecosystem, and engaging policy to inform action on health and development. The Center is Africa-based and African-led, with its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, and a West Africa Regional Office (WARO), in Dakar, Senegal. APHRC seeks to drive change by developing strong African research leadership and promoting evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) across sub-Saharan Africa.

Data Synergy and Evaluation (DSE) and Data Science Programs (DSP)

The Data Science Program focuses on maximizing the power of data for population and health research in Africa through the creation of platforms for Africa-led data sharing, data custody, and application of state-of-the-art big data analytics and artificial intelligence to foster advances in health and wellbeing in Africa. The primary goal is to support the different Program Units in the application of statistical methodologies, data science, and evaluation tools to ensure scientific creativity guided by practicality to enhance the Center’s capacity in data use for monitoring, planning, and decision making. Data Synergy and Evaluation on the other hand serves as a cross-program support function that works closely with technical leads across the various institutional domains to ensure harmonization of data analytics and project evaluation and Impact assessment across the Center. The unit also works closely with other synergy units such as the Monitoring and Evaluation team.

Objectives

The objective of this consultancy is to propose a well-structured and defined career progression framework for all the roles within the Data Synergy and Evaluation and the Data Science Programs. This will help in fostering a solid career path and planning for the various roles set out within the units, boost employee motivation and career clarity among the teams.

Specific Tasks and Deliverables

1. Come up with a career progression and development framework that supports each role’s long-term development in a structured way, and act as an occupational roadmap for the respective role holder/ employee.
2. Review the current organogram and advise on its efficiency in supporting the career progression plan for new positions within the DSE and DSP functions.
3. Establish a well defined career progression path for DSE and DSP, some of the roles include; data systems and software developers, data scientists, data engineers, statisticians, data documentationists, data governance officers, AI experts, data engineers, mathematical modelers, economists etc.
4. Highlight the relevant learning and development programs needed for progression to the different roles.
5. Redefine career stages and responsibilities with clear job descriptions including qualifications required for all the positions.
6. Provide guidelines for measuring milestones and goals for data professionals.
7. Develop performance metrics for data professionals that can be aligned to research-related positions at the Center.
8. Develop a career development plan for data professionals to include objective career trajectories.

APHRC’s Responsibilities

• Provide relevant documents and literature to the consultant such as the Strategic Plan to ensure an in-depth understanding of APHRC, DSE and DSP.
• Liaise and assist in communicating with and mobilizing key stakeholders such as the Unit Leads.
• Plan for all consultative meetings.