Research Manager for Sudan, based in Kampala, Uganda

BACKGROUND ON IMPACT AND REACH

REACH was born in 2010 as a joint initiative of two International NGOs (IMPACT Initiatives and ACTED) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT). REACH’s purpose is to promote and facilitate the development of information products that enhance the humanitarian community’s decision making and planning capacity for emergency, reconstruction and development contexts, supporting and working within the framework of the humanitarian reform process. REACH facilitates information management for aid actors through three complementary services: (a) need and situation assessments facilitated by REACH teams; (b) situation analysis using satellite imagery; (c) provision of related database and (web)-mapping facilities and expertise.

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organisation manages several initiatives, including the REACH Initiative. The IMPACT team comprises specialists in data collection, management and analysis, GIS and remote sensing. IMPACT was launched at the initiative of ACTED, an international NGO with headquarters based in Paris and presence in thirty countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, which allows IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support in its fields of intervention.

We are currently looking for a Research Manager in Sudan.

Position: Research Manager

Contract duration: 12 months

Starting Date: ASAP

Location: Sudan (initially based in Kampala, Uganda)

COUNTRY PROFILE

Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted in Khartoum on 15 April 2023 and spread quickly across the country. Civilians are fleeing areas affected by fighting in increasing numbers, including to Chad, Egypt and South Sudan. Prices of food, fuel and other basic goods are reportedly skyrocketing, making critical goods unaffordable for many people. Humanitarian organizations are racing to respond to the most pressing needs wherever and whenever feasible.

In this fast-evolving context, IMPACT Initiatives is scaling up its operations in order to inform the emergency response. The first programmatic priorities are to support assessment and analysis coordination, conduct rapid assessments in Sudan and in neighboring countries, as well as critical cash and market research.

POSITION PROFILE

The Research Manager will be responsible for contributing to the strategy and supervising all research work done by IMPACT in Sudan, under the supervision of the Country Coordinator, and in liaison with HQ in Geneva. The candidate should be comfortable representing IMPACT with donors and be able to coordinate and liaise with a range of senior external partners. This position requires a profile that can be both analytical and managerial, as the Research Manager’s job can range from coordinating with external partners (whether data actor, humanitarian cluster, or donor) to analytical oversight of research products to logistics.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Research Manager’s responsibilities include:

Staff Management

· Direct management of international and senior national team members, including recruitment, conduct of appraisals, as well as staff career management;

· Development and implementation of capacity training plans for team members;

· Day-to-day management of team members, including the development of work plans and performance indicators.

Project/Research Cycle Management

· Ensure all assessments and analysis are planned and implemented in a structured and coherent manner, in line with relevant project and strategic objectives, and with global REACH guidelines;

· Oversee all Research Cycles, including reviewing ToRs, methodology notes, tools, products and dissemination strategies.

· Ensure the writing and production of timely, accurate and analytically rigorous reports, assessments, and factsheets;

· Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged in assessment design and planning;

· Monitor output achievement, project expenditure and ensure timely completion of the project.

· Actively advocate for the improving of analysis within REACH products, and using common methodologies, tools and analysis frameworks across units where relevant

Grants Management

· Under the guidance of the Country Coordinator, manage grants, including initial discussions with donors, conceptualisation of new projects, drafting proposals, regular reporting, and M&E;

· Under the guidance of the Country Coordinator, oversee the financial management of all grants covering research projects, including oversight of budget and expenditure;

· Ensure that contractual obligations are met in terms of programs deliverables.

External Engagement

· In coordination with the Country Coordinator and SMT, represent REACH with donors, partners, and the wider humanitarian aid community in Sudan.

Strategy Development and Implementation

· Under the guidance of the Country Coordinator, develop the units’ strategy, engagement and involvement with various technical and coordination forums;

· Work with key clusters and partner organizations and working groups to understand the various relevant information gaps within Sudan and identify how REACH can fill these gaps;

· As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), contribute to the development and implementation of the REACH Sudan country strategy;

· Develop and implement dissemination strategies to strengthen the impact of REACH programmes;

· Engagement with HQ on research and/or coordination.

· Provide contextual and technical support and guidance for assessment teams across all units

The Research Manager will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes. They will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of any information and data belonging to IMPACT and its partners or collected during his/her assignment with IMPACT.

REQUIREMENTS

· Excellent academic qualifications, including a master’s degree in a relevant discipline;

· At least 4 years of relevant working experience in a humanitarian setting, such as program management, evaluation and assessments;

· Excellent quantitative and qualitative research design, data collection, and data analysis experience required;

· Demonstrated team management skills, including remote management;

· Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting and reviewing;

· Prior experience with humanitarian coordination fora;

· Prior knowledge of the region an asset;

· Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility and work independently;

· Ability to operate Microsoft Word, Excel required;

· Ability to operate Adobe Suite preferred;

· Skills in SPSS, R or related statistical software are considered an asset;

· Fluency in English required, Arabic is an asset.

Compensation and Benefits

· For this position, salary between 2’900 CHF and 3’100 CHF monthly (before income tax), etc as well as a monthly living allowance of 300 USD

o NB – IMPACT salaries are strictly determined by our salary grid depending on the grade of the position and the level of education of staff. A location-dependent security and/or isolation adjustment is then applied as a recognition that some staff are required to work in difficult places where living and working conditions are much more difficult than elsewhere.

· Accommodation and food provided in a guesthouse.. NB – IMPACT is hosted by ACTED in this country

· Enrolment in Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approx. 9.975% of staff gross salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance

· This base is not a family duty station – Accompanied status does not apply to this position

· Flight tickets every 6 months & visa fees covered (in-country travel costs and professional expenses are fully covered)

· Contribution to the luggage transportation: between 20 and 100 kgs, depending on the length of the contract (+ luggage and personal property insurance)

· Annual leave of 36 days per year. Public holidays of the country of assignment. Family/compassionate leave when applicable.

· Predeparture induction – 3 days at IMPACT Initiatives’s HQ in Geneva + one week pre-departure training in ACTED HQ in Paris, including a 4-days in situ security training;

· Enrolment in IMPACT Initiatives Research Foundational Learning Programme within the first 3 months from the start of contract.

· IMPACT prioritizes the psychological safety of its staff and the health insurance provided covers, among others, up to 1000 € per year of psychosocial counselling fees

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