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 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. 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 and GIS. IMPACT was launched at the initiative of 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 on its fields of intervention.
Missions
We are currently looking for an Senior Assessment Officer to support our team in Sudan
Department: REACH
Position: Senior Assessment Officer MSNA
Contract duration: 12 months
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Starting Date: ASAP
Country profile
Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out on 15 April 2023. Fighting has been concentrated in densely populated urban centres, starting in Khartoum but quickly spreading across the country. These clashes have triggered waves of forced displacement, both internally as well as to neighbouring countries, including Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, and South Sudan. The operating environment for humanitarian actors has also been constrained due to insecurity.
This latest crisis comes amidst a complex and protracted humanitarian context in Sudan, with 15.8 million people estimated to be in need – the highest in a decade – prior to these events. The country faces persistent environmental risks, including recurrent flooding events, droughts, and locust invasions, in addition to widespread food insecurity and economic challenges. Prolonged internal displacement, high refugee caseloads, and continual pockets of inter-communal conflict further exacerbate needs and vulnerabilities.
Through its REACH initiative, IMPACT has been present in Sudan since 2020, providing humanitarian actors with up-to-date data and analysis on existing needs through a first country-wide Multi-sectoral Needs Assessment. Following the recent outbreak in violence between the SAF and RSF, IMPACT is mobilising an emergency response in Sudan and neighbouring countries, to provide decision makers with rapid analysis of conditions on the ground.
FUNCTIONS
Under the line management of the REACH Research Manager, the Senior Assessment Officer will be leading on the implementation of the 2024 MSNA, including research design, preparation, data processing, analysis, output drafting, dissemination and evaluation stages. Throughout the research cycle, the Senior Assessment Officer will engage with partners to promote their participation and maximize their impact. He/she will also ensure an efficient and transparent use of resources required for project implementation.
More specifically, the Senior Assessment Officer will closely coordinate with other members of the REACH country team to ensure the effective implementation of the MSNA. In addition to REACH team members this includes external stakeholders and members of the MSNA Technical Working Group (TWG) to ensure smooth collaboration on training, data collection and data cleaning processes, as well as Data team members to jointly design and implement data collection monitoring, data cleaning and data analysis procedures. The Senior Assessment Officer will also with line management support, lead external engagement with key stakeholders and members of the TWG.
In his/her mission, the Senior Assessment Officer will be hosted by IMPACT’s global partner ACTED and will fall under the direct responsibility and management of ACTED’s Country Director and his/her delegates for all Administrative, Security, and relevant Logistics and Finance issues. S/he will therefore fully abide to ACTED’s Security, Administration, and relevant HR, Logistics and Finance rules and regulations.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Senior Assessment Officer is responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation and follow up of research cycles to which s/he is assigned, in close coordination with other team members and with relevant external partners. In doing so, the Senior Assessment Officer will ensure an effective management of related projects and resources, including (when relevant) line-management national and international assessment staff.
Research Planning:
• Anticipate knowledge gaps prior to the execution of a Research Cycle;
• Ensure that required secondary data review and/or analysis has been conducted in preparation of an assessment;
• Ensure that all research cycles are planned in line with the country strategy, relevant research and project objectives and with IMPACT’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
• Design research approaches and methodologies according to IMPACT’s requirements and principles as well as partners’ information needs;
• Present research approach to TWG members and unsure their buy-in for smooth implementation and adherence.
• Compose and construct, in close coordination with GIS and data teams, TWG members, relevant clusters, quantitative data collection tools;
• Prepare ToRs and ensure their validation by HQ before any data collection begins;
• Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged in research design and planning.
Research Implementation
• In close liaison with TWG members, support monitor data collection, ensuring its correct implementation in line with agreed TORs;
• In close liaison with TWG members ensure regular situation updates on data collection are produced and circulated to relevant colleagues and external counterparts. Provide support and follow up on identified challenges during the data collection process;
• Ensure that the line manager and IMPACT HQ research department are alerted to any issues that prevents full implementation of the methodology agreed in the approved TORs. Ensure that all changes to the methodology are documented throughout implementation, and that any change is formally validated by IMPACT HQ;
• Keep track of progress and delays of all assigned assessments throughout the research cycle. Ensure that delays or identified challenges for specific assessments are reported in writing and orally in a timely manner;
• In close liaison with field officer (s), Ensure logistics, financial, administration, security and HR processes directly related to ongoing and upcoming assessments are appropriately planned, implemented and coordinated with the relevant ACTED departments;
• Ensure that all collected data is stored in line with IMPACT’s Data Management Guidelines and with the ToRs;
• In close liaison with field officer (s), Ensure that data is revised and cleaned, and that 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;
• Ensure that data and its analysis are validated by IMPACT HQ before product drafting stage;
• Ensure that data and its analysis do not contain personal information and are validated by IMPACT HQ before sharing to external parties.
Drafting of Research Products
• Ensure the drafting of timely and accurate outputs that consolidate the analyses from each research cycle into relevant products such as factsheets, reports, briefs, presentations, etc which comply with IMPACT’s guidelines and quality standards;
• Ensure that products accurately reflect the information collected and that information is conveyed in a way that maximizes their impact in line with their intended use;
• 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 writing and orally in a timely manner;
• Maintain regular communication with country Management and IMPACT HQ on progress and deadlines for written products;
• Ensure that all written products are validated by IMPACT HQ before external release.
External Engagement
• Ensure that relevant partners are consulted and involved at all stages of research cycle: assessment preparation; data collection; data analysis; review of research products; product dissemination; and lessons learnt;
• After validation by the line manager, represent IMPACT in relevant meetings/ working groups;
• Follow up on issues identified by partners or during meetings / working groups;
• Promote an active use of datasets and research findings by partners and the broader humanitarian community for their decision making;
• After validation by line manager, present research findings to relevant third parties in order to enhance their use and impact;
• Ensure that all partner engagement and all external relations are clearly documented and communicated with the line manager and relevant colleagues;
• 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 conduct of monitoring and evaluation for each 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 with other Units and teams within mission, and with HQ;
• When required, provide feedback to appropriate global organizational knowledge learning tools.
Project Cycle Management
For relevant projects, ensure compliance to project cycle management requirements and guidelines at all phases.
• Before project start, ensure the organization of a kick off meeting and the availability of key project management documentations to plan the efficient use of assets, financial and human resources;
• In close coordination with line management, finance and grants colleagues, monitor and regularly update the use of assets, financial and human resources, in full compliance with IMPACT’s guidelines; this includes maintaining an oversight of budget availability and expenditure for assessment activities;
• Ensure that project deliverables and requirements are tracked, met and complied to;
• Ensure that any issue in relation to project implementation is reported to the line manager, finance and grants colleagues, and HQ;
• Ensure that a project completion meeting is held and documented for all relevant projects;
• Support the line manager, finance and grants colleagues in drafting of relevant project narrative and financial reports;
• Other tasks as requested by supervisors.
Team Management and capacity building
• As relevant, line management of national and international assessment team members;
• For staff under his/her responsibility, and in close consultation with line manager, conduct of appraisals, provision of regular feedback, and participation in career management;
• Prepare and follow up work plans with each staff member that directly reports to him/her;
• Conduct regular meetings with relevant national and international assessment staff members to assess progress in relevant research cycles and to review work plan;
• For all activities, ensure that all assessment and field teams are comprehensively briefed on objectives, expected outputs and that the overall implementation strategy is clearly understood;
• Ensure that project/field staff are given required training and resources to achieve their tasks in line with IMPACT and project requirements;
• 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.
Internal Coordination
• Actively participate in regular team meetings;
• Ensure regular coordination and exchange with relevant colleagues;
• Engage in the development and implementation of IMPACT’s strategy in (country) under the direction of his/her supervisors.
Data Confidentiality and Protection
The Senior Assessment Officer 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 degree in relevant discipline;
- Research skills Masters and proven experience with complex research methods. Excellent analytical skills and capacity to contextualize and interpret the data. Familiarity with qualitative analysis is required for this position – either through the saturation grid system or with software;
- Program specific skills Experience conducting multi-sectoral or intersectoral research highly desired;
- Software skills Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Advanced skills in R, SPSS and/or STATA or other statistical analysis software are an advantage but not essential. However, this person must be familiar with statistical outputs and able to interpret them. Experience with InDesign / illustration software is an asset.
- Familiarity aid system Familiarity with the aid system is required;
- Years of work experience At least 3 years of relevant working experience;
- Management skills Proven team management experience and skills; ability to build assessment capacity of team through training and mentoring. The person chosen for this position will likely manage one junior Assessment Officer and will coordinate with the field team and data team.
- Communication/reporting skills Excellent written and verbal communication; the Senior Assessment Officer will be responsible to engage different stakeholders and partners during the research design, analysis and reporting. Excellent writing skills for effective reporting.
- Multi-tasking skills Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles;
- Level of independence Proven ability to work independently;
- Cross-cultural work environment Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility; the person shall be culturally aware and able to establish effective relationship with a multicultural team. Ability to work effectively in a consortium and ability to be flexible in working closely with external actors
- Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment;
- Experience in geographical region Past experience in Ethiopia and East Africa is desirable;
- Language skills Fluency in English
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
· For this position, salary between 2’520 CHF and 2’640 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. Depending on the country situation, a contribution to a housing allowance of up to 75% of country-specific benchmark can be considered instead. 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
· 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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