REACH Research Manager_Nairobi

Department: REACH

Position: REACH Research Manager

Country/s Kenya and Somalia

Direct Hierarchy: Deputy Country Coordinator Ken/Som

Duration: Fixed

Location: Nairobi

Expected Start Date: Sept 2022

BACKGROUND

ACTED is a French humanitarian NGO, founded in 1993, which supports vulnerable populations, affected by humanitarian crises worldwide. ACTED provides continued support to vulnerable communities by ensuring the sustainability of post-crisis interventions and engaging long-term challenges facing our target populations, in order to break the poverty cycle, foster development and reduce vulnerability to disasters. Their interventions seek to cover the multiple aspects of humanitarian and development crises through a multidisciplinary approach, which is both global and local, and adapted to each context. Their 3,300 staff is committed in to responding to emergencies worldwide, to supporting recovery and rehabilitation, towards sustainable development.

REACH was born in 2010 as a joint initiative of two International NGOs (IMPACT Initiatives and ACTED) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) 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, supporting and working within the framework of the humanitarian reform process. 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.

Position profile:

Under the management of the Deputy Country Coordinator, the Research Manager oversees the programs and staff within the SOM Inter-Sectoral unit. The Research Manager leads the ISU team to achieve program excellence and ensure the highest level of impact and accountability while ensuring compliance to IMPACT’s guidelines and standards. As part of the country’s Senior Management team, she/he contributes to the development and implementation of IMPACT’s country strategy and promotes organizational vision and core values across the mission. In his/her mission, the Research Manager 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 by ACTED’s Security, HR, Administration, and Logistics rules and regulations, and, in coordination with ACTED, will ensure IMPACT staff in his/her unit abide by them. The Research Manager is responsible for the management and coordination of all REACH’s research cycles in Kenya as well as Cash and Markets research cycles in Somalia. This includes implementation, resource mobilization and management, partnership framework, dissemination, and evaluation. He/she directly supervises all senior assessment and field staff and is responsible for the inter sectoral and cash and markets strategy in Kenya and Somalia.

OBJECTIVES

1. Develop and oversee the implementation of a unit strategy in alignment with country and global priorities, and fully integrated into country strategy; take a lead role in identifying strategic opportunities for strengthening IMPACT’s work in the country within the scope of his/her unit,
2. Ensure that all research is planned in line with relevant project and program objectives with the Unit/Country strategy.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Strategy development and implementation

   1. Ensure the Unit’s activities are relevant and have a measurable impact on the aid/humanitarian response
   2. Identify new programs and approaches in which the Unit can add value to the aid/humanitarian response
   3. In coordination with DCC, identify funding opportunities to consolidate, strengthen and/or expand the Unit’s programs;

2. Research Planning

   1. Ensure that all research complies with IMPACT’s HQ Research Department and other relevant guidelines
   2. Keep track of progress and delays of all assigned assessment throughout the research cycle. Ensure that delays or identified challenges for specific assessments are reported to the DCC and HQ research department in a timely manner
   3. Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged in assessment design and planning

3. Research implementation

   1. Autonomous overview of multiple research/project cycles including grants management, finance management, Asset and IT management etc
   2. Ensure regular situation updates on data collection have been produced and circulated to relevant IMPACT, ACTED, and external counterparts. Provide support and follow up on identified challenges during the data collection process;

4. Team management and leadership

   1. Provide leadership within their unit as well as within the country Senior Management Team
   2. Ensure that staff within his/her unit understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities;

5. Protection Mainstreaming– Promoting of and adhering to Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy and guidelines

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATION

❖ Excellent academic qualifications, including a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline – Master’s preferred (International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Research, Economics, Development Studies, or similar)

❖ Previous experience in a management role in a INGO at field level. Proven track record in successful management of international and national teams in humanitarian contexts

❖ Familiarity with the aid system, and the research community;

❖ Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting, including proven experience in contributing to high level presentations/briefings.

❖ At least 3 years of relevant working experience or proven progression within IMPACT

❖ Excellent research and analytical skills an asset. Experience in assessments. M&E, field research, evaluations an asset.

❖ 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 the Horn of Africa or Eastern Africa is desirable;

❖ Language skills Fluency in English required, competency in Swahili and/or Somali an asset;

❖ Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment