Niger: IMPACT ASSESSMENT OFFICER - SECTORAL ASSESSMENT

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 organization 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.
REACH has been present in Niger since 2012, where it has contributed to humanitarian coordination and strategic planning through the mapping of socio-economic infrastructure, sectoral, and multi-sectoral assessments, particularly in the Diffa region. In fact, REACH assessments were referred to 21 times in the 2019 Niger Humanitarian Needs Overview. Moreover, REACH provides information management support to a wide range of humanitarian actors in Niger in the form of mapping, trainings and targeted advice. REACH works closely together with humanitarian coordination structures and plays an active role in the UNOCHA-led Information Management Working Group, for which REACH is likely to be co-chair from mid-2019, and it provides support to information management for the Rapid Response Mechanism in the country.

We are currently looking for an IMPACT Assessment Officer to support our IMPACT team in Niger.

Department: IMPACT- Sectoral Assessments

Position: IMPACT Assessment Officer

Contract duration: 6 months

Location: Niamey, Niger

Starting Date: ASAP

POSITION PROFILE

Under the supervision of the IMPACT Country Focal Point in Niger, the REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for the management and implementation of REACH sector-specific assessments in Niger, including their conception, preparation, implementation and follow-up. Those research cycles will be carried out to support sectors with limited data collection capacities and to facilitate a better and more efficient and targeted humanitarian response to the Diffa crisis in coordination with humanitarian clusters and/or working groups. S/he will also be responsible for related logistics, partner coordination, reporting and finance requirements and will be required to provide input to the strategic development of REACH in country and region, if relevant.

The REACH Assessment Officer shall be responsible for:

• Ensuring research design and the analysis and dissemination of collected data is undertaken in close coordination with the members of the respective Cluster / Working Group, which is an essential element of the impact of the assessment.
• Communicating with cluster leads is ongoing throughout from research design to product dissemination, while coordination with other cluster members occurs at key moments.
• Ensuring that assessment strategies are implemented in a structured and coherent manner in line with project and strategic objectives and donor expectations;
• Managing REACH assessment field staff to ensure a smooth and timely implementation of data collection activities;
• Ensuring a timely and coherent data collection, cleaning and analysis;
• Conducting briefings at cluster meetings during the implementation of the data collection and joint analysis sessions with cluster members (or dedicated working group) on the results of the indicators, to allow for their proper interpretation and contextualization and the communication of the first outcomes of the study
• Writing of timely and accurate assessment reports and other result outputs in line with donor requirements and according to REACH quality standards;
• Supporting the development and revision of assessment and programme strategies and new project proposals;
• Liaising with programme staff of other ACTED departments to ensure close coordination and information sharing is maintained;
• Disseminating outputs through REACH channels, as well as through the cluster and OCHA.

FUNCTIONS

Under the functional supervision of the IMPACT Country Focal Point in Niger, the Assessment Officer is responsible for the management and implementation of REACH sector-specific research cycles.

In his/her mission, the Assessment Officer 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.

The Assessment Officer will interact on regular basis with IMPACT HQ. These relations will also extend to ACTED country staff including Project Development, AMEU and Area Coordinators.

Externally, the Assessment Officer will be expected to liaise with OCHA, the Clusters’ IM and coordinators, national and international partners, UN agencies and clusters.

RESPONSIBILITIES

In coordination with the Country Focal Point, the Assessment Officer is responsible for:

1. REACH Assessment Management and Coordination

Objective 1.1: Management of assessments process

• The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for designing the methodology and tools associated with planned and ongoing assessments, according to REACH requirements and principles. He/she will manage the planning, implementation, and follow-up of REACH and projects specific assessment activities conducted in country. In this process, the REACH Assessment Officer is required to contribute to the preparation and follow up of the Project Management Framework and to ensure that activities are properly coordinated and implemented as per the Project Cycle Management.
• The REACH Assessment Officer shall manage logistics, financial, administration and HR processes directly related to REACH activities and liaise accordingly with relevant ACTED counterparts of supporting departments. He/she is directly responsible for the implementation of proper ACTED FLAT procedures in all REACH interventions.

Objective 1.2: Implementation

• The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for contributing to the implementation of assessment projects, providing support to the development of new assessments, management of databases and conception of new assessment tools with the REACH team. This specifically includes designing of data collection tools (household surveys, focus groups, and more); development or review of databases; and analysis of assessment data to contribute to reports and other results outputs.

Objective 1.3: Coordination

• The REACH Assessment Officer shall provide technical support to relevant ACTED departments in the preparation of new project proposals, the development of programme strategies, the implementation of project activities, and any other required REACH input to ACTED projects. The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible to timely and accurately support the preparation of narrative and financial reports related to REACH activities in country through close liaison with the Project Development and Finance departments.
• The REACH Assessment Officer shall liaise with other REACH Officers in country and the region and throughout IMPACT Initiatives’ and ACTED’s networks provide and receive technical support in the expansion of REACH globally.

2. REACH Reporting The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for consolidating analyses and conclusions from each assessment into REACH products such as factsheets, reports and briefs using standard formats and adhering to established internal quality standards.
The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for following the designated timeline of reports to be submitted to project partners and donors. He/she must ensure the writing of timely and accurate assessment reports and factsheets, ensuring the quality and accuracy of technical information provided as well as the confidentiality and protection of collected information. He/she will ensure that assessment reports contribute to the larger objective of strengthening evidence-based coordination and planning within the humanitarian community in Niger.
He/she will manage the drafting of narrative reports and contribute to the development of financial reports through regular budgetary follow-up.
The REACH Assessment Officer will be responsible to store and organize collected data and to disseminate assessment outputs, project documents and best practices among ACTED and project partners. He/she will coordinate timely and accurate reporting to IMPACT Headquarters.

3. REACH HR Management The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for day-to-day management field staff. He/she is expected to guide and direct national REACH staff and prepare and follow up on work plans with field teams. The REACH Assessment Officer will also support the recruitment of REACH national staff in coordination with the REACH Focal Point and the ACTED HR Manager. This will include the preparation of ToRs, the conducting of assessment tests and participation in HR interviews.
The REACH Assessment Officer will ensure that all field teams are comprehensively briefed on the objective and methodology of a given assessment and that the overall implementation strategy of a given activity is clearly understood. He/she will ensure that field staff are given the necessary training and project briefings to do so.

4. Representation

The REACH Assessment Officer is expected to represent ACTED/REACH in cluster and multi-sector meetings, as well as in technical working groups on country-level. The REACH Assessment Officer may further represent ACTED/REACH vis-a-vis current and potential donors in coordination with the REACH Country Focal Point and communicate relevant information to him and the ACTED Project Development Manager and Country Director.

More generally, the REACH Assessment Officer is expected to contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organisation.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO COMMUNITIES AND BENEFICIARIES

The staff member is responsible for ensuring that all relations with the communities IMPACT and partners work are conducted in a respectful and consultative manner. Due attention must be paid to ensuring that communities are adequately consulted and informed about IMPACT programme objectives, activities, beneficiary selection criteria, and methodologies. This is the responsibility of every IMPACT staff member.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

The Assessment Officer will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes. 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

• Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master degree in a relevant discipline;
• A minimum of 1 year of relevant working experience, preferably in information management in humanitarian settings;
• Excellent communication and drafting skills in French for effective reporting;
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Team management experience;
• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Familiarity with the aid system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements;
• Prior knowledge of the region an asset;
• Proficiency in French is required (ability to work in French and write and review French research documents);
• Fluency in English is an asset;
• Ability to operate Microsoft Word, Excel and Project Management Software;
• Ability to operate SPSS or related statistical programming an asset;
• Ability to work independently and in high-pressure environments;

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

Please apply on the following link :

https://www.impact-initiatives.org/work-with-us/vacancies/impact-assessment-officer-2/