We are currently looking for a Senior Assessment Officer to support our team in Somalia.

Position: Senior Assessment Officer

Contract duration: 12 months

Starting Date: 1 December 2023

Location: Mogadishu

POSITION PROFILE

Under the line management of the IMPACT Intersectoral Unit Research Manager in Somalia, the MSNA Senior Assessment Officer is responsible for the implementation of IMPACT’s MSNA research cycle in Somalia, including the preparation, data collection, analysis, drafting, dissemination, and evaluation stages. Throughout the MSNA, the MSNA Senior Assessment Officer engages with partners to promote their participation and maximize their impact. They also ensure an efficient and transparent use of resources required for project implementation.

This position requires strong research skills, prior experience in hardship location, an analytical mind, creativity, independence, and an interest in the regional context. Candidates should have strong writing and presentation skills and be able to clearly think through and articulate implications of research findings. The position will regularly require looking at data, pulling out relevant findings, writing engaging briefs and factsheets, presenting findings to external audiences with varying amounts of data literacy, and guiding colleagues in how to think more analytically about their own research.

BACKGROUND ON MULTI-SECTOR NEEDS ASSESSMENTS

IMPACT HQ in Geneva supports the work of Multi-Sector Needs Assessments (MSNAs) in more than 20 countries. As a result of the World Humanitarian Summit and the Grand Bargain, a commitment was made to “impartial, unbiased, comprehensive, context sensitive, timely and up-to date” joint needs assessments that can serve as “a sound evidence base for humanitarian response plans.” These exercises have been informing consolidated humanitarian appeals since 2016. Since 2016, the number of MSNAs supported by REACH has more than quadrupled; MSNA data continues to influence flagship humanitarian response processes such as Humanitarian Needs Overviews and Humanitarian Response Plans (HNOs/HRPs). This indicates that evidence-based decision making is increasingly becoming a cornerstone of effective humanitarian action.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Assessment Officer’s responsibilities include:

RESEARCH CYCLE MANAGEMENT

• Understanding and anticipating knowledge gaps prior to the execution of the MSNA.
• Ensuring that required secondary data review and/or analysis has been conducted in preparation of the assessment as well as during the product production phase.
• Ensuring that the MSNA is planned in line with the country strategy, relevant research and project objectives and with IMPACT’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
• Design research approaches and methodologies according to IMPACT’s requirements and principles as well as partners’ information needs;
• Managing relevant research cycle, including oversight of research design, data collection, or analysis.
• Overseeing development and implementation of analytical workstreams, including use of existing REACH data in thematic briefs, reports, presentations, etc.

CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING

• Keeping up to date with the shifting regional context.

STAFF MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING

• Promoting capacity building across the IMPACT Somalia mission related to deepening analytical capacities using existing research (capacity building portfolio will depend on level of experience).
• Providing day-to-day direct and indirect management of the research team within their unit/workstream.

COORDINATION

Internal Coordination

• Interacting autonomously with HQ departments and may serve as mission focal point for particular themes or technical areas;
• Coordinating with research units and teams to move forward or improve aspects of the research cycle;
• Supporting senior management with designing, planning, and implementing strategies, and objectives.

External Coordination

• Leading on external engagement related to analytical research findings as necessary.

The Senior Assessment Officer will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes. They 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

• Years of work experience 3 years of relevant working experience in a humanitarian setting, such as assessments, monitoring and evaluation, research design and analysis, etc.;
• Research skills Excellent quantitative and qualitative research data analysis experience required. Ability to interpret quantitative and qualitative data to a high standard.
• Familiarity with aid system Good understanding of the aid system and the research community. Prior experience with humanitarian coordination forums preferred;
• Thematic experience Prior experience with MSNA type of research and humanitarian assessments is an asset;
• Communication/reporting skills Excellent verbal and written communication and drafting skills for effective reporting required;
• Academic qualifications Excellent academic qualifications, including a master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline (e.g. international studies, development, humanitarian response, data science, political science, etc.);
• 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
• Security environment Experience in a high risk security zone required. Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment. Ability to prioritize self-care and wellbeing.
• Experience in geographical region Past experience in the region is desirable;
• Language skills Fluency in English required, competency in Somali is an asset.
• Flexibility Flexibility is required for this position in case of shifting priorities and responsibilities.

CONDITIONS

• For this position, salary between 3’060 CHF and 3’120 CHF gross monthly as well as a monthly living allowance of 300 USD NB – IMPACT salaries are strictly determined by our salary grid depending on the grade of the position and the level of education of staff. A location-dependent security and/or isolation adjustment is then applied as a recognition that some staff are required to work in difficult places where living and working conditions are much more difficult than elsewhere.
• Accommodation and food provided in the guesthouse.
• Enrolment in Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approx. 9.975% of staff gross salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance.
• Flight tickets every 6 months & visa fees covered (in-country travel costs and professional expenses are fully covered).
• R&R after 2-3 months (flight ticket up to 500$ + 200$ of living allowance) if duty station allows
• Contribution to the luggage transportation: between 20 and 100 kgs, depending on the length of the contract (+ luggage and personal property insurance)
• Annual leave of 36 days per year. Public holidays of the country of assignment. Family/compassionate leave when applicable.
• Predeparture induction – 3 days at IMPACT Initiatives’s HQ in Geneva + one week pre-departure training in ACTED HQ in Paris, including a 4-days in situ security training;
• IMPACT prioritizes the psychological safety of its staff and the health insurance provided covers, among others, up to 1000 € per year of psychosocial counselling fees.