Research Manager – Programming and Accountability Research Unit for Afghanistan

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 whose headquarter is based in Paris and is present in thirty countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, which allows particularly IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support on its fields of intervention.

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.

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 are committed to responding to emergencies worldwide, to supporting recovery and rehabilitation, towards sustainable development.

We are currently looking for a Research Manager to lead our Programming and Accountability Research Unit in Afghanistan.

Department: IMPACT

Position: Research Manager

Contract duration: 12 months

Starting Date: July 1, 2022

Location: Kabul, Afghanistan

COUNTRY PROFILE

REACH has been present in Afghanistan since 2016, providing a growing evidence base for humanitarian response planning through sectoral, multi-sectoral and area-based assessments as well as information management services. Working across all 34 provinces, including hard-to-reach areas, the Afghanistan team’s research supports and facilitates emergency response efforts immediately following conflict or natural disaster as well as more long-term oriented resilience and recovery activities.

In light of the political turmoil and economic crisis facing Afghanistan after the events of 2021, the humanitarian response is seeing an unprecedented scale-up in implementation to meet critical and rapidly worsening need across the country. In addition to supporting strategic planning and prioritization through the work of the Inter-Sectoral Research Unit (ISRU), emphasizing localization agendas through area-based early recovery and development through the work of the Resilience and Recovery Unit (RRRU), IMPACT Afghanistan has formed a new research unit with the objective of providing programmatic and operational support to key actors and partners in the aid response to ensure effective, appropriate, transparent, and accountable delivery of assistance to the people of Afghanistan. This portfolio includes already established research focusing on: price tracking and market functionality assessment through the Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI); dedicated information management and response assessment and evaluation for the ESNFI Cluster and partners; price tracking and market functionality assessment through the Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI); and general support to the Cash and Markets coordination architecture in Afghanistan through engagement with the Cash and Voucher Working Group, and emergency response mechanisms.

REACH Afghanistan is looking for a Research Manager to head the PARU, managing both existing research cycles and driving its new strategic direction, as of July 2022.

POSITION PROFILE

The Research Manager will be responsible for overseeing the development and strategy of the Programming and Accountability Research Unit, under the supervision of the IMPACT (Deputy) Country Coordinator and IMPACT HQ in Geneva. The candidate should be comfortable representing IMPACT with donors and be able to coordinate and liaise with a range of senior external partners.

He/she will be responsible for the implementation and completion of the various work streams within the PAR Unit. He/She will be responsible for engaging with partners, supporting in providing relevant contextual analysis, and provide technical support in analysing, reviewing and validating Programming and Accountability Research Unit products and research cycles. He/She will be responsible for engagement with analytical forums and workshops, including the ESNFI Cluster, Cash and Voucher Working Group, AAP Working Group, and other relevant forums or working groups. He/she will also be responsible for related logistics, partner coordination, reporting, grants management, and finance requirements and will be required to provide input to the strategic development of IMPACT, REACH, and other relevant initiatives, in the country and region. He/she will also be expected to coordinate and collaborate closely with the IMPACT (Deputy) Country Coordinator and the other heads of units within IMPACT Afghanistan.

The Research Manager responsibilities include:

1. Staff Management

• Direct management of international and senior national team members, including recruitment, conduct of appraisals, as well as staff career management;
• Development and implementation of capacity training plans for team members and performance indicators;
• Day-to-day management of team members, including the development of work plans

2. Project/Research Cycle Management

• Ensure all PARU assessments and analysis are planned and implemented in a structured and coherent manner, in line with relevant project and strategic objectives, and with global REACH guidelines;
• Oversee all PARU Research Cycles, including reviewing ToRs, methodology notes, tools, products and dissemination strategies.
• Ensure the writing and production of timely, accurate and analytically rigorous outputs, reports, and factsheets;
• Keep track of all progress and delays throughout PARU projects and research cycles;
• Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged in assessment design and planning;
• Monitor output achievement, project expenditure and ensure a timely completion of the project.
• Actively advocate for the improving of analysis within REACH products, and using common methodologies, tools and analysis frameworks across units where relevant

3. Grants Management

• Under the guidance of the (Deputy) Country Coordinator, management of grants in the PAR Unit, from initial discussions with donors, conceptualisation of new projects, drafting proposals, regular reporting, and M&E, and work closely with other RMs who have shared grants.
• With the guidance of the (Deputy) Country Coordinator, oversee the financial management of all grants covering PAR Unit projects, including oversight of budget and expenditure, and work closely with other RMs who have shared grants.
• Ensure that contractual obligations are met in terms of programs deliverables.
• Ensure activities are implemented according to the approved donor and partnership agreement.

4. External Engagement

• In coordination with the Country Coordinator and SMT, represent REACH with donors, partners, and the wider humanitarian aid community in Afghanistan.

5. Strategy Development and Implementation

• Under the guidance of the (Deputy) Country Coordinator, develop the PAR Unit’s strategy, engagement and involvement with various technical and coordination forums.
• Work with key clusters and partner organizations and working groups to understand the various relevant information gaps within Afghanistan and identify how the PAR Unit can fill these gaps.
• Further development, expansion, and redirection of the PARU existing workstreams as needed to best inform the response.
• As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), contribute to the development and implementation of the REACH Afghanistan country strategy.
• Develop and implement dissemination strategies to strengthen the impact of the PARU programmes.
• Engagement with HQ on PARU research and/or coordination.
• Provide contextual and technical support and guidance for assessment teams across all units on cash and markets, ESNFI, and general information management support and monitoring and evaluation components of research cycles in the mission.

The Research Manager 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’s degree in a relevant discipline;
• Excellent analytical skills;
• At least 4 years of relevant working experience in a humanitarian setting, such as program management, evaluation and assessments;
• Excellent quantitative and qualitative research design, data collection, and data analysis experience required;
• Demonstrated team management skills, including remote management;
• Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting and reviewing;
• Demonstrated ability to engage with donors and senior coordination-level partners;
• Prior experience with Cash and Markets, Programme Monitoring and Evaluation, and/or Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) work preferred;
• Prior knowledge of the region an asset;
• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Ability to work independently.
• Familiarity with the aid system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements;
• Ability to operate Microsoft Word, Excel and Project Management Software;
• Ability to operate Adobe Suite preferred
• Skills in SPSS, R or related statistical software are considered an asset.
• Fluency in English required;

CONDITIONS

• Salary defined by the IMPACT salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus
• Additional monthly living allowance
• Free 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