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.

We are currently looking for a Senior Assessment Officer to support our REACH Somalia team.

Department: REACH

Position: Senior Assessment Officer, Durable Solutions

Contract duration: 1 year

Location: Hargeisa, Somaliland

Starting Date: ASAP

COUNTRY PROFILE

REACH has been operational in Somalia since 2012, providing information management support to humanitarian actors in a complex environment through assessment capacity, GIS services and support to Cluster IM practices. Projects have included tri-cluster assessments in support of the WASH, Shelter and Education Clusters, support to Food Security response analysis, and development of a Shelter Cluster M&E Framework.

REACH Somalia is looking to expand information support to the humanitarian response in several key areas, including IDP settlement profiling and monitoring, multi-cluster needs assessments, durable solutions and improved remote data collection. Key strategic aims are to increase geographic and sectoral coverage and to enhance advocacy capacity through strengthened data collection and information targeting.

POSITION PROFILE

REACH Somalia is seeking a Senior Assessment Officer (SAO) to serve as the focal point for Phase 2 of the Aspirations Survey, in partnership with the Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat (ReDSS). In this role, the SAO will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Aspirations Survey research cycle, as well as coordination and engagement with ReDSS focal points.

The objective of the Aspirations Survey is to obtain a comprehensive picture of displacement-related issues and dynamics to inform area-based durable solutions programming, complementing existing data and analysis. The survey will focus on aspirations vis-à-vis durable solutions, and the dynamics and relations within displacement-affected communities.

FUNCTIONS

Implementation of Aspirations Survey Phase 2 Objective 1.1: Coordination

Under the supervision of the IMPACT Country Coordinator, the SAO will be responsible for coordinating with ReDSS focal points for the project and wider membership of this platform. This will include collaboration on developing the research design, regular updates on implementation progress, joint analysis workshops held in each assessed location, and presentations of preliminary and final findings. Travel to Nairobi to facilitate this coordination is anticipated.

Objective 1.2: Research Design

Under the supervision of the IMPACT CC, and in collaboration with the Research Unit at IMPACT HQ (Geneva) and ReDSS focal points, the SAO will be responsible for ensuring that the Research Design for the project is comprehensive, and follows the best practices as defined by the global standards of IMPACT.

Objective 1.3: Implementation

Under the supervision of the IMPACT CC, and in collaboration with the IMPACT Research Unit and ReDSS focal points, the SAO will be responsible for supporting the implementation of all operational stages of the relevant data collection exercise(s), including tool and methodology design, coordination of data collection, data cleaning, and data analysis. The SAO will work cross-team with GIS, data, and field operations colleagues and will be expected to coordinate closely to ensure all relevant team members are aware of their roles across the research cycle.

Objective 1.4: Output Production

Under the supervision of the IMPACT CC, and in collaboration with the IMPACT Reporting Unit and ReDSS focal points, the SAO will be responsible for producing and/or overseeing the production of all relevant outputs related to the aforementioned data collection exercise. The specific deliverables for this project include:

• Inception report with PowerPoint presentation
• Final comparative and analytical report
• 4 thematic case studies and 1 policy brief

 

REQUIREMENTS

· Excellent academic qualifications, including a master’s degree in relevant discipline (international studies, development, humanitarian response, monitoring and evaluation, etc;

· Proven coordination and external engagement skills;

· Experience and knowledge in areas related to forced migration, durable solutions, and humanitarian/ development programming;

· At least 3 years of relevant working experience in humanitarian settings;

· Written and spoken fluency in English required;

· Previous experience in survey tool design and implementation;

· Strong analytical skills and experience with both quantitative and qualitative data;

· Excellent communication and drafting skills in English for effective reporting and coordination;

· Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

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

· Ability to work independently.

CONDITIONS

· Salary defined by the IMPACT salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus.

· Additional monthly living allowance provided in country by IMPACT’s partner ACTED.

· Food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse/or housing allowance (depending on contract length and country of assignment).

· Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance.

· Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement package.