Data Management & System Design Activity Lead Cities and Infrastructure for Growth Zambia (CIGZambia)

Cities and Infrastructure for Growth Zambia

Position: Data Management & System Design Activity Lead
Location: Lusaka, Zambia
Start Date: Immediate
Contract: Long-term 50% to 75% time. One-year Contract with a possible second year extension.

About Cities and Infrastructure for Growth Zambia (CIGZambia):

Cities and Infrastructure for Growth Zambia (CIGZambia) is a facility set up to provide high quality independent technical advice and assistance to Zambian government bodies and private sector organisations engaged in projects and programmes that will help harness the potential of Zambia’s cities and towns to act as drivers for economic growth and job creation. The overall programme objectives are:

• increasing urban productivity
• improving inclusive access to urban economic infrastructure services
• increasing investment into urban economic infrastructure services
• enhancing national and regional integration between cities

About the Role

This role, while contracted by CIGZambia, will be supporting a joint workstream with the Climate Compatible Growth (CCG) Platform in Zambia. The workstream lead will aim to enhance the energy sector data management systems for the soon-to-be-established Energy Planning Center (EPC) and to bolster overall energy planning capacity in the sector. The individual selected will work closely with the CCG team, to deliver on Task 1 – 4 below.

Overall Aim: The primary objective is to strengthen the capacity for a better-planned and executed data management system for the EPC to support energy planning in Zambia.

Objectives:

1. Develop a comprehensive plan for data sector flow and management based on international best practices.
2. Establish a robust data repository featuring validation processes and stringent security controls.
3. Collaborate with the Ministry of Energy’s Department of Policy and Infrastructure (MoE’s DPI) and ZIPAR to operationalise the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Framework, while addressing and incorporating other essential indicators for Energy Planning Center (EPC) management within the data management flow system.

Task 1: Data Flows and Management

• Collaborate with the CCG team to conduct workshops, interviews, and focus groups to identify key data owners and primary users relevant for energy planning in Zambia.
• Assist in mapping existing data management processes in Zambia and analysing them against international best practices.
• Contribute to the evaluation of trade-offs between data quality, coverage, detail, openness, security, and commercial interests.
• Support the production of reports on data ownership, users, and requirements, along with a review of international best practices.

Task 2 – Technical Requirements

• Work with the CCG team to develop detailed technical requirements for a Zambian data repository in consultation with government ministries, energy modellers, researchers, and stakeholders.
• Assist in translating user requirements into concrete technical specifications.
• Contribute to the production of a report outlining technical requirements for the Zambian Data Repository for Energy Sector Data.

Task 3 – Prototype Online Data Repository

• Collaborate with the CCG team to establish a prototype data repository using existing frameworks such as CKAN or INVENIO.
• Assist in populating the repository with a limited set of energy-relevant data.
• Contribute to stakeholder engagement workshops to identify barriers, technical issues, and usability concerns.
• Support local developers in implementing the prototype data repository online.

Task 4 – Capacity Building to Develop Data Technical Skills

• Collaborate in organizing 1-2 capacity-building workshops focused on technical skills related to data collection methodologies, open data principles, data licensing, metadata management, and data publishing.
• Participate in providing hands-on, interactive learning experiences to empower participants with practical skills.
• Assist in tailoring workshop content to address the needs identified during the project, ensuring active participation from data providers and users.

Workstream Lead Responsibilities:

• Possess good knowledge of the Zambian energy-data ecosystem and understand data collection practices in energy and related areas.
• Demonstrate an understanding of ethical, security, and other aspects of data, including issues of identifiability of individuals or communities.
• Exhibit excellent networking skills to identify and develop working relationships with key stakeholders and decision-makers at different levels.
• Collaborate with the CCG and CIGZ EPC to identify crucial data sets needed for energy planning in Zambia.
• Coordinate research activities in Zambia, including selecting interviewees, organizing workshops, and collaborating with CCG researchers.
• Advocate for and build the profile of CIGZ EPC national data repository and workflows.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Computer Science, Information Technology, Data Science).
• Proven experience in data management, preferably in the energy sector or related fields.
• Familiarity with international best practices in data management and repository development.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and networking abilities.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural and interdisciplinary team environment.