COAR Analyst

Position Title: Analyst
Position Location: Remote Work
Reference No.: 230103
Timeframe: Open-ended employment
Assigned Unit/Team: COAR Operational Analysis
Supervisor: Project Manager

Overview: This scope of work (SoW) outlines the analyst consultancy with the Center for Operational Analysis and Research (COAR). The Analyst will be expected to produce deliverables (as outlined below) by understanding both the Syrian context/conflict and the donor-funded humanitarian and development response. The Analyst will be expected to support multiple tasks and projects from different clients through a fast-paced, real-time collection of qualitative data and analytical writing.

About COAR: COAR is an independent social enterprise that directly supports practitioners, policy- makers, and donors by facilitating humanitarian and development interventions in complex, fragile, and high-risk environments. COAR delivers neutral and objective research and analysis, which identifies – but does not influence – local stakeholders, relationships, interests, and analyzes broader political, economic, social, and security dynamics and trends. COAR research leverages social media, personal networks, field research teams, and local experts in order to map and translate the local human context; COAR analysis synthesizes and studies this data in order to inform both programmatic and strategic decision-making, reduce security and conflict sensitivity risks, and increase the impact of humanitarian, development, stabilization, peace-building, and peacekeeping initiatives.

Objectives:

• To expand on expertise, through both secondary and primary research, of the status and legacy of the Syrian societies.
• To undertake primary and secondary research and provide high-quality reporting and analysis that focuses on the following topics: security/conflict, governance, regional interventions, economics, society, and humanitarian/development dynamics and interventions.

Activities:
The Analyst will:

• Researching, reviewing, evaluating, and integrating Open Source data to contribute to and/or produce draft and finished Open Source assessments.
• Effectively utilize open-source research including social media, public media, publicly accessible databases, Professional and academic publications, Commercial data, and gray literature.
• Analyze relevant data points and articulate specific topics, geographies, and entities within Syria;
• Advice/support the process of producing profiling products in a way that ensures similar linguistic and analytical qualities;
• Be available to thoughtfully provide responses on specific issues, topics, or projects. The Analyst should expect requests for input outside of normal working hours;
• Work in a committed, professional manner with consistency, integrity, and confidentiality.

Deliverables
The Analyst will:

• Collaborate with Research Unit in transforming the secondary and primary research into strong analytical papers written in fluent English;
• Support other team members on ad-hoc Requests to complement their research and analysis work;
• Collaborate with other team members to ensure high-quality writing in fluent English.
• The analyst will produce location analysis, background analysis, and ad-hoc analysis of thematic sectoral or contextual topics of interest.

Qualifications and Experience
The ideal candidate for COAR Analyst will have:

• A bachelor’s degree in Political Science, International Affairs/Relations, Middle East Studies, Public Policy, Anthropology, Sociology, or a related field. Master’s degree is desirable.
• One to three years of experience collecting and analyzing qualitative data for a research institution, think tank, publication, or NGO. Experience in the collection of highly sensitive primary information from a field researcher network highly desirable.
• One to three-year experience working in the humanitarian, early recovery, stabilization, or development field. Work experience with an implementing local or international NGO highly desirable.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Syrian context.
• Demonstrated understanding of donor-funded humanitarian, early recovery, stabilization, and/or development architecture.
• Demonstrated ability and/or willingness to work under tight deadlines, provide real-time data points and analysis with accuracy under pressure, and off-work hours.
• Commitment to discretion and confidentiality.