REACH Research Manager – Nigeria Job at IMPACT Initiatives

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 on its fields of intervention.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: REACH Research Manager

Location: Maiduguri, Borno with field travel, security permitting, as appropriate/desired
Department: REACH
Contract duration: 12 months
Starting Date: ASAP

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.

Country Profile

• In North East Nigeria (NEN), the ongoing crisis continues to have a profound impact on the population, leading to displacement both within and out of the region and high rates of unmet needs among internally displaced persons. The conflict additionally exacerbates prior unmet needs among non-displaced and host communities. While the primary driver of the conflict remains violent conflict, including ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa
• Province), JAS (Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad) and associated armed opposition groups (AOGs), other underlying factors, such as climate change, poverty, and disease outbreaks, exacerbate need and further complicate aid delivery.
• Against the backdrop of this protracted crisis, UNOCHA estimates 7.1 million people in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states are in need of humanitarian assistance.
• Major incidents at the end of 2018 and beginning of 2019, led to mass displacements and severely affected the provision of humanitarian assistance in the region.
• According to the IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix, more than 1.9 million people were displaced with an estimated 80% being women and children. Currently, Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, hosts the largest proportion of IDPs (over 1.4 million).
• The sudden influx of arrivals added strain to the existing infrastructure of the humanitarian community, resulting in high rates of unmet needs, overcrowding in camps, and exposure to protection risks for vulnerable groups. The congestion status of the camps has resulted in over 60% of IDPs residing outside of camps within host communities, further complicating service delivery. The intensity of needs within Maiduguri and the instability of the security situation in more remote regions has resulted in increased focus on populations in accessible areas; however, populations in the less accessible areas are presumed to have even greater needs.
• These hard-to-reach areas are estimated to contain over 830,000 persons.Very little is known about the specific conditions and needs of the populations living in these areas, but they are presumed to have little mobility, limited essential services, and little or no access to humanitarian aid. The same threats that severely limit the ability of humanitarian actors to conduct thorough assessments also immediately affect the population living in the region. A pilot assessment of these populations in Borno state found that no humanitarian assistance was received in the past six months in 88 to 100% of assessed settlements.
• As such, the needs for evidenced-based Humanitarian Aid and information on populations in both accessible and inaccessible areas is paramount to a coordinated response. REACH has been present in Nigeria since 2017, providing a growing evidence base for humanitarian response planning through sectoral, multi-sectoral and area-based assessments as well as information management services. In 2019, REACH is looking to continue to provide the humanitarian community with relevant and reliable information to strengthen strategic programming and needs-based targeting in Northeast Nigeria.

Functions
The REACH Research Manager will fulfill the following functions:
Management of all Research Cycles
Assessment Preparation and Planning:

• Ensuring that all assessments are planned in line with relevant project and program objectives and with REACH research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
• Ensure that required secondary data analysis has been conducted in preparation of an assessment;
• For each assessment, review ToRs before they are sent to Geneva for validation and ensure that TORs are validated by HQ before any data collection begins;
• Ensure that ToRs are understood and used by assessment staff and stakeholders, and updated as required; Compose and construct, in close coordination with GIS and data management team, qualitative and quantitative data collection tools; ensure engagement with GIS teams on GIS requirements of research cycle/assessment;
• 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 in writing and orally in a timely manner;
• Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged in assessment design and planning.

Data collection and management:

• Ensure that required enumerators are identified and trained for primary data collection;
• Monitor data collection, ensuring its correct implementation in line with agreed TORs;
• Ensure that Country Coordinator is alerted to any issues that prevents full implementation of the methodology in line with the agreed TORs; ensure that all changes to the methodology are documented throughout implementation;
• Ensure logistics, financial, administration, security and HR processes directly related to REACH have been appropriately implemented and with the relevant ACTED departments;
• Ensure regular situation updates on data collection have been produced and circulated to relevant REACH, ACTED and external counterparts. Provide support and follow up on identified challenges during the data collection process;
• Ensure that all collected data is stored in line with IMPACT’s Data Management Guidelines, and with the ToRs (data management plan Annex);
• Ensure that data is revised and cleaned, and that all revisions are recorded;
• Oversee analysis on collected data as per ToRs;
• Ensure that meaningful techniques are used to analyze the data collected;
• Ensure that data and its analysis are validated by IMPACT HQ before product drafting stage;
• Ensure that data and its analysis do not contain personal information and are validated by IMPACT HQ before sharing to external parties.

Product drafting:

• Maintain regular communication with IMPACT HQ on progress and deadlines for written products;
• Ensure the drafting of timely and accurate assessment outputs (i.e. reports, factsheets, etc.), which comply with IMPACT’s guidelines and quality standards;
• Review all products before they are sent to IMPACT HQ for validation;
• Ensure that all written products are validated by IMPACT HQ before external release.

Product dissemination and evaluation:

• Under the direction of the Country Coordinator, engage in the dissemination of research products, including through articles, IMPACT social media contents, targeted e-mails, presentations, meetings, etc, in line with IMPACT Dissemination and External Communication Guidelines and Research ToRs;
• Under supervision of IMPACT HQ, ensure that research products are uploaded in relevant data portals, as specified in Research ToRs;
• Ensure that lessons learned are gathered and documented at the end of each research cycle;
• Support the Country Coordinator to conduct monitoring and evaluation as specified in the research ToRs and in line with IMPACT Guidelines.

Management of Assessment Team

• Conduct regular meeting with all international and senior national Assessment Team members to assess progress in all research cycles and to review work plan;
• Bilateral management of international and senior national assessment team members, including (in consultation with Country Coordinator) the conduct of appraisals, as well as participation in staff career management;
• In coordination with Country Coordinator, conduct induction for new staff members, including training in basic technical competencies for assessment design, implementation and analysis;
• Support to the Country Coordinator in the development and implementation of capacity training plans for REACH assessment and field team member;
• Be available to provide regular support and technical backstopping;
• When relevant, support/ lead staff appraisal and recruitment process in collaboration with Country Coordinator.

External Relations

• In coordination with the Country Coordinator, ensure that relevant partners are consulted and involved at all stages of research cycle: the preparation of the assessment; data collection; data analysis; review of research products; product dissemination; and lessons learnt; ensure that partner engagement is documented;
• In coordination with the Country Coordinator, present research findings to relevant third parties, to enhance their use and impact;
• Ensure that external communications with partners and key stakeholders, including relevant UN agencies, local and national government, and NGOs has been conducted and documented as appropriate;
• In coordination with the Country Coordinator, represent REACH/IMPACT in technical external engagements related to assessments;
• Support the IMPACT Country Coordinator in external engagement in relation to REACH/IMPACT strategy or (when requested and with focal point) to fundraising and grants management.

Strategy Development and Implementation
In support to the Country Coordinator, the Research Manager will actively contribute to the development of the REACH strategy in Nigeria. In particular s/he will support in identifying and formalising:

• The need for assessments, in line with humanitarian priorities
• Synergies with other assessment and knowledge management actors
• Strategic partnerships with key humanitarian stakeholders and decision makers
• Key events / milestones that should be informed
• Advocacy and dissemination strategies to strengthen the impact of our work
• Support in the preparation and follow up of country level internal strategic workshops and plans
• Engagement with IMPACT HQ in global level strategic priorities

Others

• Support the Country Coordinator in drafting of relevant project narrative and financial reports;
• Maintain an oversight of budget availability and expenditure for assessment activities for which s/he is responsible;
• Other tasks as requested by supervisors.

Confidentiality And Data Protection:

• 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.

Accountability To Communities And Beneficiaries:

• The staff member is responsible for ensuring that all relations with the communities REACH 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 REACH programme objectives, activities, beneficiary selection criteria, and methodologies. This is the responsibility of every REACH staff member.

Requirements

• Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in relevant discipline;
• 3 years of relevant working experience in a humanitarian setting;
• Ability to work independently and manage people remotely required;
• Solution-oriented, flexible, and open-minded, including ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment required;
• Good understanding of the Nigeria context – past experience in the region is desirable;
• Fluency in English required;
• A sense of curiosity and a drive to work to improve the humanitarian sector.
• Excellent team management, coordination, organisational and planning skills required, including ability to manage large workloads, oversee multiple teams and effectively meet deadlines, through an excellent ability to multi-task and prioritize;
• Experience with external engagement (donors, partners and other key stakeholders) required;
• Familiarity with the humanitarian coordination system required;
• Understanding of processes involved in conducting assessments an asset;
• Excellent communication and drafting skills required for effective donor reporting and proposal development;
• Excellent analytical skills required;
• Experience managing budgets an asset;

Conditions:

• Salary defined by the IMPACT salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus
• Additional monthly living allowance
• Food allowance and lodging provided at the organization’s guesthouse
• Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance
• Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement package.

Deadline: 23rd April, 2020.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online