IMPACT Initiatives
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 in its fields of intervention.
We are currently looking for an Assessment Officer to support our Humanitarian Situation Monitoring Unit in Ukraine.**
Department: REACH**
Position: Assessment Officer**
Contract duration: 6 months
Location: Ukraine, base TBD
Starting Date: ASAP
COUNTRY PROFILE
Following the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine on February 24th, 2022, military hostilities have caused widespread damage to infrastructure and houses, hundreds of civilian deaths, disrupted markets and essential services, and precipitated massive displacement within Ukraine and into neighbouring countries. Present in Ukraine since 2014, IMPACT is working across the country to provide humanitarian actors with rigorous data and in-depth analysis to ensure aid interventions are timely, appropriate, and relevant. The Humanitarian Situation Monitoring (HSM) Unit conducts regular data collection cycles to monitor the humanitarian needs of populations across Ukraine, to support ongoing humanitarian planning, and to enable effective prioritization of aid efforts. Assessment Officers support these aims, by coordinating data collection, producing analysis to better understand fluctuating needs, and ensuring this information is disseminated to operational partners via impactful and academically rigorous products.
FUNCTIONS
IMPACT is seeking a candidate who has previous experience in conducting primary data collection and/or producing analytical outputs, to support the HSM Unit in Ukraine. The Assessment Officer (AO) will be responsible for overseeing the data collection and output production for a specific geographic region of Ukraine, and should be comfortable analysing both quantitative and qualitative data, and drafting reports to tight deadlines. The HSM Unit regularly engages with both internal and external assessment teams, technical agencies, and key analysis forums to identify information gaps and provide technical support as needed. The AO will support the SAO and RM to represent REACH findings to key external actors, including stakeholders in the humanitarian coordination system, technical working groups and various NGO fora and information management groups.
The position is based in Ukraine, with the specific base to be discussed with the candidate. In addition, the position will require regular travel across Ukraine, all conducted in close coordination with the ACTED Country Security Manager and Ukraine Country Security Team.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The AO’s responsibilities include the following:
1) ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION
Objective 1.1: Management of assessment process
The Assessment Officer is responsible for designing the methodology and tools associated with each assessment, according to IMPACT requirements and principles. He/she will manage the planning, implementation, and follow-up of all IMPACT and projects specific assessment activities conducted in country. The Assessment Officer shall manage logistics, financial, administration and HR processes directly related to IMPACT and liaise accordingly with the relevant ACTED counterpart. He/she is directly responsible for the implementation of proper IMPACT and ACTED FLAT procedures in all IMPACT interventions.
Objective 1.2: Implementation
The Assessment Officer is responsible for contributing to the implementation of assessment projects, providing support to the development of assessment, database and GIS tools with the IMPACT team. This will specifically include, with the GIS/DB team, designing of data collection tools (household surveys, focus groups, and more); development or review of databases; contributing to GIS data collection procedures and mapping through ARC GIS and other ESRI products in particular; and analysis of spatial and other information to contribute to reports and the like.
2) REACH REPORTING
The Assessment Officer is responsible for consolidating all analyses and conclusions from each assessment into IMPACT products such as factsheets, reports and briefs using standard formats. The AO 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 aid coordination and planning and add to the general base of field knowledge in the country for all organisations working in the areas.
3) HR MANAGEMENT
The Assessment Officer is responsible for day-to-day management of project and field staff both directly and remotely. He/she is expected to guide and direct IMPACT staff and prepare and follow up work plans with each staff member that directly reports to him/her. The Assessment Officer will be required to take the lead in the recruitment of IMPACT assessment staff in coordination with the ACTED HR Officer. This will include the preparation of ToRs, observation of recruitment procedures by planning recruitment needs in advance, and undertake interviews. The Assessment Officer will ensure that all field teams are comprehensively briefed on the objective, expected outputs and that the overall implementation strategy of any given activity is clearly understood. He/she will ensure that project/field staff are given training and complete all the necessary documentation in line with program requirements set by IMPACT.
4) REPRESENTATION
The AO is responsible for representation of IMPACT in cluster and multi-sector meetings/ technical working groups in country and follow up on technical issues identified in cluster meetings in other parts of the country. This specifically will include liaising with external partners to identify potential for data sets to be integrated into existing databases and mapped to support the coordination of the broader humanitarian community.
5) ACCOUNTABILITY TO COMMUNITIES AND BENEFICIARIES
The AO is responsible for ensuring that all interactions with Ukrainian communities 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.
REQUIREMENTS
- Academic Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Research, Economics, Development Studies, or similar);
- Familiarity aid system Familiarity with the aid system an asset;
- Communication/reporting skills Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting, including proven experience in contributing to analytical reports;
- Years of work experience 1- 2 years of relevant working experience;
- Research skills: Excellent research and analytical skills. Experience in assessments, M&E, field research, or evaluations;
- 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 Ukraine or the region an asset;
- Language skills Fluency in English is required, competency in Ukrainian or Russian is an asset;
- Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment.
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