BACKGROUND ON IMPACT AND REACH
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.
Mission
We are currently looking for a Senior Assessment Officer to support our team in Iraq
Position: Senior Assessment Officer
Contract duration: 6 months
Deadline for Application: 21 June 2024
Starting Date: August 2024
Location: Erbil, Iraq
COUNTRY PROFILE
REACH Initiative has been present in Iraq since 2012, supporting humanitarian and development decision-making with assessments and information management activities focusing on the needs of displaced, returnees, and conflict-affected populations. Today, data collected and disseminated by REACH aims to provide a baseline for ongoing response planning efforts across Iraq.
REACH assessment activities in Iraq are currently focused along the three major themes:
- Information support and advocacy for durable solutions for internally displaced persons and returnees;
- Support for decision-makers in the humanitarian planning cycle;
- Third-party quality monitoring of humanitarian and development programs.
REACH has its main assessment office in Erbil, with data collection teams working across Iraq.
POSITION PROFILE
Under the supervision of the REACH Iraq Research Manager and Country Coordinator and of IMPACT’s HQ in Geneva, the REACH SAO will be responsible for managing the area-based assessment (ABA) sub-unit. In 2024, this will include overseeing the completion of 1 ABA, including leading on at least one assessment. In this role, the SAO will also be responsible for managing at least one other officer or staff member within the sub-unit.
During his/her mission, the REACH SAO will be hosted by ACTED and will fall under the direct responsibility and management of ACTED’s Country Director and his/her delegates for all Administrative, Security, Logistics and Finance issues. S/he will therefore fully abide to ACTED’s Security, HR, Administration and Logistics rules and regulations.
RESPONSIBILITIES
In coordination with the REACH Iraq Senior Management Team (SMT), the Iraq SAO will provide strategic direction and technical oversight for ABAs and informing area-based interventions within the Iraq mission. The SAO is responsible for (1) leading the ABA sub-unit within the, (2) the management of Officers in the ABA Sub-Unit and (3) supporting the strategic direction of REACH’s work on durable solutions in Iraq, particularly as regards area-based interventions and climate change.
- Leading the ABA sub-unit
1.1 Assessment Preparation and Planning:
- In coordination with Research Manager and consultations with relevant actors, design the conceptual and methodological framework for future ABAs, including:
- Identification of locations for assessments,
- Determination of relevant deliverables and actors responsible,
- Drafting TORs,
- Developing relevant indicators for assessment and creating/adapting research tools,
- Developing sampling techniques and framework.
- Prepare data collection tools in ODK form and upload to KoBo Collect;
- Liaise with other units in REACH Iraq to adequately prepare and manage assessment (e.g. Operations, Finance);
- Support, where appropriate, in obtaining of necessary authorizations for data collection;
- Support budget development and management in advance and throughout duration of assessment.
1.2 Data Collection
- Conduct training sessions on all tools for field officers and coordinators;
- Work with GIS officers, where relevant, to develop geo-points for household survey data collection;
- Supervise (or perform) daily data cleaning activities;
- Supervise (or perform) debriefing activities with field officers/enumerators;
- Ensure all data collected follows highest ethical standards (e.g. confidentiality, informed consent) and take appropriate measures, if needed;
- Produce clean, anonymised datasets for validation with HQ and publication on relevant sites (e.g. REACH Resource Centre, HDX);
- Coordinate with relevant partners in production of outputs (e.g. 4Ws, Service Mappings).
1.3 Reporting and Dissemination
- Draft preliminary findings presentations for partners and coordinating bodies for the purpose of informing and validating findings;
- Draft final reports, and related documents for dissemination;
- Oversee the production of dashboards, factsheets, maps, and other outputs (as appropriate)
- Arrange and conduct workshops with relevant partners (e.g. humanitarian and development actors, local NGOs, municipal figures, etc.);
- Ensure that all collected data is stored in line with IMPACT’s Data Management Guidelines, and with the ToRs (data management plan Annex);
- Ensure the strictest confidentiality of data and data processes, and actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of information and data;
- In coordination with the REACH SMT and with the assessment team, ensure that lessons learned are gathered and documented at the end of each research cycle.
1.4 External Relations
- Represent REACH among relevant bodies (Durable Solutions Technical Working Group [DSTWG], Area-Based Coordination [ABC] Groups, Returns Working Group [RWG]) and contribute technical and strategic inputs;
- Engage with operational level donor counterparts on assessment development and progress;
- Present key findings from ABAs to assist in operations of external partners;
- Engage relevant stakeholders to inform assessment development and identify external information gaps that could be filled by ABAs;
- Engage with IMPACT HQ and other missions to support the dissemination of lessons learned on area-based research.
- Management of Officers in ABA Sub-Unit
- Provide line management of all officers and staff within the ABA sub-unit;
- Promote the personal development of staff and encourage and support staff in their efforts;
- Advise staff on ABAs they may be conducting and other tasks within the unit.
Confidentiality and Data Protection
The REACH SAO will maintain the strictest confidentiality of data and processes. He/she will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of information and data belonging to IMPACT and its partners or collected during his/her assignment with IMPACT.
REQUIREMENTS
- Years of work experience:
- At least 3 years of relevant work experience in humanitarian or development settings;
- At least 2 years’ experience running assessments (drafting of TORs, development of qualitative and quantitative research tools, sampling frameworks, data analysis, etc.).
- Research skills:
- Experience in, or knowledge of, area-based approaches (ABAs);
- Excellent quantitative and qualitative research data analysis experience required.
- Familiarity with aid system:
- Understanding of the aid system and the research community;
- Prior experience in development sector preferred.
- Thematic experience Prior experience with climate change assessments is an asset;
- Communication/reporting skills Excellent verbal and written communication and drafting skills for effective reporting required;
- Academic qualifications Excellent academic qualifications, including a master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline (e.g. international studies, development, humanitarian response, data science, political science, etc.);
- 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;
- Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment;
- Experience in geographical region Past experience in the region is desirable;
- Language skills Fluency in English required, competency in Arabic is an asset.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
- For this position, salary between 2’400 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 the guesthouse.
- Enrolment in Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approx. 9.975% of staff gross salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance.
- 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.
