Senior Assessment Officer – Joint Needs Assessment in Venezuela, based in Caracas

BACKGROUND ON IMPACT INITIATIVES (IMPACT)

IMPACT Initiatives (IMPACT) is an NGO based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization manages several initiatives, including the REACH Initiative (REACH), which aims to improve the impact of humanitarian, recovery, and development action through quality information, coordination, and capacity building of partners in the sector. IMPACT has been present in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) since 2019. To implement REACH activities, IMPACT works with ACTED, an international NGO whose headquarter is based in Paris and is present in thirty countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, enabling IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support in its fields of intervention.

Mission

We are looking for a Senior Assessment Officer to lead the Joint Needs Assessment in Venezuela

Department: REACH

Position: Senior Assessment Officer

Contract duration: 12 months (with possibility of extension)

Location: Caracas, Venezuela

Starting Date: 01 August 2024

FUNCTIONS

IMPACT is seeking an experienced candidate who has previously managed teams and implemented projects in a complex humanitarian setting. The candidate should be comfortable representing IMPACT and be able to coordinate and liaise with a range of external partners. The Senior Assessment Officer (SAO) will be responsible for overseeing the strategy development and implementation of the Joint Needs Assessment (JNA), under the supervision of the Research Manager, based in Caracas, Venezuela, and in close coordination with the IMPACT Analysis Cell and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The position is based in Caracas, with travel to other locations in Venezuela expected.

The overall goal of the SAO will be to ensure the smooth running of the JNA research cycle in Venezuela, including the preparation, data collection, analysis, drafting, dissemination and evaluation stages. Throughout the JNA, the JNA SAO engages with partners to promote their participation and maximize their impact. He/she also ensures an efficient and transparent use of resources required for project implementation. The JNA Assessment Officer will ensure an effective management of and close working relationship with staff and relevant external partners on related projects and other resources.

BACKGROUND ON MULTI-SECTOR NEEDS ASSESSMENTS

Whilst we are referring to the assessment here as the JNA, as it was originally OCHA led and executed, this assessment will take advantage of the IMPACT Initiatives Multi Sector Needs Assessment methodology. IMPACT HQ in Geneva supports the work of Multi-Sector Needs Assessments (MSNAs) in more than 20 countries. As a result of the World Humanitarian Summit and the Grand Bargain, a commitment was made to “impartial, unbiased, comprehensive, context sensitive, timely and up-to-date” joint needs assessments that can serve as “a sound evidence base for humanitarian response plans.” These exercises have been informing consolidated humanitarian appeals since 2016. Since 2016, the number of MSNAs supported by REACH has more than quadrupled; MSNA data continues to influence flagship humanitarian response processes such as Humanitarian Needs Overviews and Humanitarian Response Plans (HNOs/HRPs). This indicates that evidence-based decision making is increasingly becoming a cornerstone of effective humanitarian action.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research PlanninG AND IMPLEMENTATION

– Ensure that required secondary data review and/or analysis has been conducted in preparation of the assessment as well as during the product production phase;

– Ensure that the JNA is planned in line with the IMPACT country strategy, in close coordination with OCHA, and adheres to IMPACT’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;

– Design research approaches and methodologies according to IMPACT’s requirements and principles as well as OCHA, donors and other partners’ and relevant stakeholders’ information needs considered;

– Compose and construct, alongside GIS and data teams, qualitative and quantitative data collection tools;

– Prepare the assessment ToRs and ensure their validation by HQ before any data collection begins;

– Before project start, with support from the Research Manager ensure the organization of a kick off meeting documentations to plan the efficient use of assets, financial and human resources throughout the project;

– In close liaison with OCHA and partners’ field teams, ensure that required enumerators are identified,trained for and monitored throughout primary data collection in line with TORs;

– In close liaison with field teams, manage assessment logistics, identifying assessment areas, facilitating design workshops, managing joint data collection processes, and facilitating joint analysis workshops;

– Ensure regular situation updates on data collection are produced and circulated to line manager, relevant colleagues and external counterparts. Provide support and follow up on identified challenges during the data collection process, including potential delays or issues that prevents full implementation of the TOR;

– Alongside field teams and/or partners, see that data is revised and cleaned, and all revisions are recorded;

– In close liaison with data colleagues Provide data analysis on primary and/or secondary data as per ToRs, ensuring that meaningful techniques are used to analyze the data collected;

Drafting of Research Products

– Ensure the drafting of timely and accurate outputs that consolidate the analyses from the JNA etc which comply with IMPACT’s guidelines and quality standards and are validated before release;

– Liaise with relevant GIS colleagues to ensure effective spatial representation of research findings in maps or interactive web-portals, as relevant;

– Follow the designated timeline of reports to be submitted to project partners and donors. Ensure that delays or identified challenges for specific assessments are reported in a timely manner;

– Laise closely with the Analysis Cell so that data and products may have the maximum effect on humanitarian prioritization and decision-making, and that relevant actors have access to the information;

External Engagement

– Ensure that relevant partners, particularly OCHA and the Analysis Cell, are consulted and involved at all stages of research cycle:

– After validation by the line manager, represent IMPACT in relevant meetings/ working groups;

– Promote an active use of datasets and research findings by partners and the broader humanitarian community for their decision making;

– More generally, contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organization, notably through the application of IMPACT’s mandate, ethics, values and stand-point with regard to other actors.

Knowledge sharing and learning processes

– In coordination with country management, support the monitoring and evaluation ofeach Research Cycle, as specified in the research ToRs and in line with IMPACT Guidelines;

– Generate and document robust lessons learned at the end of each Research Cycle

– Ensure knowledge and learning processes are shared across teams within mission, and with HQ;

– When required, provide feedback to appropriate global organizational knowledge learning tools.

– Support the line manager in drafting of relevant project narrative and financial reports;

– Engage in the development and implementation of IMPACT’s strategy in Venezuela

Team Management and capacity building

– Direct supervision of at least one staff member

– Prepare and be responsible for their own work plan and the work plan(s) of their staff

– For all activities, ensure that all assessment, data/GIS and field teams are comprehensively briefed on objectives, expected outputs and that the overall implementation strategy is clearly understood;

– Ensure that project staff are given required training and resources to achieve their tasks in line with TORs

– Be available to provide regular support and technical backstopping; regularly debrief team members to receive feedback on the progress of an activity;

– In coordination with line manager, contribute to conduct induction for new staff members, including training in basic technical competencies for research design, implementation and analysis;

– Support to the line managers and specialists in the development and implementation of capacity training plans for team members.

Data Confidentiality and Protection

The JNA SAO will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes, ensuring full compliance with IMPACT’s data protection policy and SOPs. He/she 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

• Academic Excellent academic qualifications, preferably including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Research, Economics, Development Studies, or similar) or equivalent work experience;
• Management experience Previous experience in a management role in a humanitarian context, desirable. Excellent management, coordination, organisational and planning skills required, including an ability to manage large workloads, cooperate with multiple stakeholders and effectively meet deadlines, through multi-tasking and prioritisation;
• Years of work experience At least 3 years of relevant working experience in a humanitarian setting, such as program management, evaluation and assessments;
• Communication/reporting skills Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting, including proven experience in contributing to high level presentations/briefings.
• Research skills: Excellent research and analytical skills. Experience in assessments, M&E, field research, or evaluations. Previous experience working on Multi-Sector Needs Assessments, experience with the JIAF, and/or the OCHA Humanitarian programme Cycle, desirable
• Software skills: Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Familiarity with R, SPSS and/or STATA or other statistical analysis software an asset
• Multi-tasking skills Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles in complex environment;
• Level of independence A self-starter with a proven ability to work independently;
• Cross-cultural work environment Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Experience in geographical region Past experience in the region is desirable;
• Language skills Fluency in Spanish and working level of Engish required,
• Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• For this position, salary between 2’600 CHF and 2’800 CHF monthly (before income tax), etc as well as a monthly living allowance of 300 USD

• 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.
• 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
• Flight tickets every 6 months & visa fees covered (in-country travel costs and professional expenses are fully covered)
• R&R every 3 months (flight ticket up to 500$ + 200$ of living allowance) if duty station allows, alternating with the previous point
• Contribution to the luggage transportation: up to 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