Data Scientist

Islamic Relief Worldwide is an independent humanitarian and development organisation, serving humanity for over 40 years. With an active presence in over 30 countries across the globe, we strive to make the world a better and fairer place for those affected by poverty, conflict and natural disasters.

IRW’s Finance & Corporate Services Division is recruiting for the position of ‘Data Scientist’ to join its dynamic team on a full-time, permanent basis, based out of its offices in Birmingham, UK. The organisation is currently operating to a hybrid working model.

As a Data Scientist, you will work as part of the research and analytics team to develop data-driven insights and solutions and contribute to various projects focused on driving business growth and innovation. Where your skills as a data scientist can drive meaningful change, to apply data-driven insights to address change and play a role in helping us achieve our mission.

The Research and Data Analytics unit, particularly the Data Scientist role, will involve contributing to strategic goals by providing valuable information about stakeholder needs and intelligence. This will involve collaboration with the executives to develop effective strategies to further develop services.

Risk management will also be part of your responsibilities. You will analyse historical data and trends to identify potential risks and develop predictive models.

The successful candidate must have or be:

• Educational background: Bachelor’s degree or higher in a quantitative field such as Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or related disciplines. A Master’s in the field is preferred.
• Technical skills: Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or similar languages. Experience with statistical analysis, data manipulation, and machine learning libraries such as pandas, sci-kit-learn, TensorFlow, or PyTorch.
• Analytical mindset: Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyse complex datasets, identify patterns, and extract insights. Demonstrated expertise in statistical analysis and experimental design.
• Communication skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively communicate complex findings and insights to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Team player: Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, work independently, and take ownership of projects from inception to completion.
• Experience: Experience as a data scientist or in a similar role, preferably in a finance or data analytics environment.
• Domain knowledge: Familiarity with research methodologies, statistical modelling, machine learning techniques, and data visualisation principles. Knowledge of advanced analytics tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or SAS is advantageous.
• Adaptability: Comfortable working in a fast-paced and dynamic environment and handling multiple competing priorities effectively.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Strong problem-solving abilities are necessary to formulate and frame data science problems, identify relevant variables, and design appropriate analytical approaches.
• Communication Skills: Clear and effective communication is crucial in data science. You should be able to articulate complex ideas to technical and non-technical stakeholders and convey insights meaningfully.
• Continuous Learning: Data science is a rapidly evolving field, so it is important to have a passion for continuous learning and staying up to date with the latest technologies, techniques, and industry trends.

For more information, please click on the Documents tab above to view the full Job Description.

If you are talented, reliable, service-minded, resilient and a highly motivated professional looking for a meaningful career, with a strong commitment to IRW’s mission and values of sincerity, excellence, compassion, social justice and custodianship, please apply by completing our online application form.

For more information on the excellent company benefits we offer our employees, please visit:

https://www.islamic-relief.org/work-with-us/what-we-offer/

PLEASE NOTE: Interviews are expected to take place on 26/05/2024.

Pre-employment Checks:

Any employment with Islamic Relief will be subject to the following checks:

• screening clearance
• proof of eligibility to live and work within the UK
• receipt of satisfactory references

Please note, for UK-based roles, we are only able to accept applications from candidates who are eligible to work in the UK. We are unable to progress applications which would require sponsorship.

Our values and commitment to safeguarding

IRW is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom IRW engages. IRW expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records checks. IRW also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.

In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.

By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Islamic Relief is an equal opportunities employer