JOB DETAILS:

Supervisor: Technical Lead- Data Insights & Innovation
Years of Experience: 4-6 years
Department: Venn
Travel Required: 10%

About Raising The Village
At Raising The Village (RTV), we are dedicated to eradicating ultra-poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a dynamic, rapidly growing international development organisation, we've assembled a team of over 250 passionate individuals in Uganda, alongside 17 professionals in North America and 15 in Rwanda. Together, we are committed to elevating communities out of ultra-poverty by implementing innovative solutions and leveraging advanced data analytics to drive impact.

To date, our holistic approach has positively impacted over 1 million lives since 2012, and we're poised to achieve even greater milestones, aiming to assist 1 million individuals annually by 2027. Our growth and success are fueled by the invaluable support of global partners who share our vision of sustainable change. Learn more about our impactful programs at www.raisingthevillage.org

The Venn department is the data and technology backbone of our organization, connecting advanced analytics, and custom software tools with field implementation to ensure data-informed decision-making at every level.

Job Description:

The Senior Data Scientist is both a strategic and hands-on role, focusing on advancing our data science roadmap, building smart and scalable products, and elevating the department's machine learning maturity. The successful candidate will bring a blend of technical excellence, visionary thinking, and strong leadership to shape how Venn uses data to predict, inform, and deliver meaningful outcomes. The role requires a deep understanding of statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms, and data science methodologies to provide actionable insights and improve overall efficiency.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Strategic AI & ML Leadership

• Champion the organisation's AI and ML strategy aligning technical capabilities with organisational goals and impact metrics.
• Lead the development of flagship AI solutions such as climate risk engines, household vulnerability scoring, crop diagnostics, and more.
• Foster a roadmap of experimentation and continuous learning, including internal pilots and partnerships with research and academic institutions.

Technical Oversight & Model Development

• Lead end-to-end development of robust machine learning models - from data discovery and feature engineering to deployment and monitoring.
• Build models that go beyond outputs to predict outcomes, evaluate counterfactuals, and support early warning systems like risk assessments.
• Ensure all models are explainable, ethical, and responsive to field realities in low-data environments.

Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Supervise and mentor a cross-functional team of data scientists, ML engineers, and data engineers.
• Cultivate a strong culture of collaboration, technical growth, and continuous innovation.
• Guide peer learning and internal capacity building across Venn and program teams.

Product Integration & Scale

• Work with product managers, software engineers, and other teams to integrate AI/ML features into digital platforms used by field teams.
• Support the development of real-time analytics tools and advisory systems that are accessible, reliable, and actionable at the last mile.

Innovation Partnerships & Influence

• Represent Venn's AI capabilities internally and externally to build visibility and partnerships that enhance our innovation portfolio.
• Stay ahead of emerging trends in AI, ML, and data science and translate relevant advances into RTV's context.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, Economics, or a related field.
• At least 4 years of experience in predictive analytics, AI, machine learning, or data science.
• Strong proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, SQL, or Julia.
• Experience with machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn) and big data technologies.
• Expertise in statistical analysis, predictive modeling, and algorithm development.
• Proficiency in data visualization tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or Matplotlib.
• Knowledge of cloud-based AI services (e.g., AWS, Google AI, Azure Machine Learning).
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills with a results-oriented approach.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with diverse teams.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and adapt to evolving priorities.
• Experience in applied AI within social impact, healthcare, or rural development contexts is desirable.

Personal Qualities:

• Highly motivated and proactive with a passion for data-driven innovation.
• Strong analytical mindset with attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Enthusiastic about applying AI and predictive analytics for social good.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in workplace practices.