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 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.

We are currently looking for a REACH FSL Assessment Officer to support our team in DRC.

Position: REACH Assessment Officer

Contract duration: 6 months

Location: Goma, DRC

Start Date: ASAP

Country profile

Since 2016, REACH - currently present in Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu and Kalemie - has been providing assessment, information management and mapping services to inform humanitarian planning in the DRC. REACH has considerably scaled up its multi-sectorial assessment portfolio in recent months, notably through the set-up of Humanitarian Situation Monitoring activities in Tanganyika and South Kivu province since mid-2020, providing response actors with regular monitoring of the evolution of the humanitarian situation in a highly fluid context. Ensuring data is available for displaced populations living in host community settings and those in camps alike, REACH has also rolled out multi-sectorial camp profiling in Ituri and other provinces. Linked with REACH’s HSM activities, REACH also maintains a rapid assessment capacity allowing on the ground verification assessment of alerts by partners or those flagged by HSM with results feeding into the rapid response mechanism (RRM). REACH has supported the RRM through the re-design of the new multi-sectorial rapid assessment toolbox, designed and validated in close collaboration with the inter-cluster at national level and OCHA. Under its sectorial portfolio, REACH is supporting the cluster system with information management activities through the secondment of two information management officers to the Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) and Shelter/NFI Clusters and provides stand-by analytical support to OCHA. Given the importance of cash as a response modality in the rapid response system in DRC, REACH and partners, and closely coordinated with the CWG, have also provided joint market analysis products in recent months. All REACH DRC information products can be accessed on the REACH Resource Centre.

The DRC continues to face an acute and complex humanitarian crisis. Recurrent conflicts in provinces in the eastern part of the country, health shocks and natural disasters, as well as chronic poverty suffered by a large part of the population are all reasons for the sustained high level of humanitarian needs. According to the 18th IPC analysis, between July and December 2019, 15.6 million people faced severe acute food insecurity (IPC phase 3 and more) including 11.7 million people in Crisis (Phase 3) and more than 3.9 million in Emergency (IPC Phase 4).

Position Profile

In a context where food security needs continue to drastically rise as evidenced by the 18th IPC analysis, the FSL Assessment Officer will be responsible for the roll-out of the dedicated FSL analysis support. Tasks will include support to coordination including close engagement with DRC FSC (Food Security Cluster) and global FSC, tool and methodology development, implementation of hotspot verification FSL assessments, rapid production of FSL information products and active analysis support to DRC IPC workshops. The position will be fully dedicated to the FSL project and work closely with the national staff FSL Senior Field Officer.

FUNCTION

Under the supervision of, and in close coordination with, the Senior Assessment Officer overseeing the sectoral team, the Country Coordinator in DRC and IMPACT HQ in Geneva, the REACH Assessment Officer will be responsible for the management and implementation of the research cycles related to dedicated FSL analysis support.

Summary

The REACH Assessment Officer shall be responsible for the following – but non-exhaustive- list of tasks:

• Implementing the global FSC Joint Monitoring Framework for DRC and adjust relevant indicators to the DRC context, in close coordination with the FSC and Global Food Security Assessment Specialist at IMPACT HQ;
• Providing rapid food security verification assessments in hotspots identified through the JMF or other alert mechanisms, ensuring additional data availability of hotspots for IPC analysis;
• Presenting findings to FSC and partners;
• Providing dedicated analytical support to upcoming IPC analysis workshops in DRC through active participation in IPC analysis workshops

RESPONSIBILITIES

Implementation of Research Cycles - Rapid food security verification assessments

Assessment Preparation and Planning:

• Ensuring that all of the assessment activities are planned in line with relevant project and program objectives and are in line with IMPACT’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
• Develop research TORs entailing research design, sampling, methodology and analysis plans for relevant assessments in line with REACH global standards, ensure TORs are reviewed and validated by FSC
• 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 a timely manner;
• Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged in assessment design and planning.

Data collection and analysis

• Ensuring correct implementation of all stages of relevant data collection exercises in line with agreed TORs, including tool design, coordination of data collection with partners and REACH field team, data cleaning and data analysis.
• Ensure logistics, financial, administration, and HR processes directly related to data collection activities have been appropriately implemented and coordinated with the relevant ACTED departments;
• Ensure regular situation updates on data collection have been produced and circulated to the IMPACT Country Coordinator. Provide support and follow up on identified challenges during the data collection process. Ensure that delays or identified challenges for specific assessments are reported in writing and orally in a timely manner.

Products drafting:

• Under the supervision of the Senior Assessment Officer overseeing the sectoral team and the Country Coordinator in DRC, and in collaboration with the IMPACT Data and Reporting Units and FSC, the Assessment Officer will be responsible for producing a joint monitoring framework methodology document for DRC context and relevant outputs related to the aforementioned data collection exercises. These outputs may include cleaned datasets, factsheets, situation overviews, bulletins, reports, and online dashboards;
• Ensure that products accurately reflect the information collected and that information is conveyed in a way that maximizes their impact in line with their intended use;
• Liaise with relevant GIS colleagues to ensure effective spatial representation of research findings in maps or interactive web-portals, as relevant;
• Follow the designated timeline of reports to be submitted to project partners and donors. Ensure that delays or identified challenges for specific assessments are reported in writing and orally in a timely manner;
• Ensure that all written products are validated by IMPACT HQ before external release.

Product dissemination and evaluation

• Under the supervision of the Senior Assessment Officer overseeing the sectoral team and the Country Coordinator in DRC, the Assessment Officer will be responsible for coordinating implementation of the various stages of the research cycle of above data collection exercises
• Ensure that lessons learned are gathered and documented throughout the life of the research cycle

External relations

• In coordination with the Senior Assessment Officer overseeing the sectoral team, the Country Coordinator in DRC and the FSC, ensure that relevant partners are consulted and involved at all stages of research cycle: assessment preparation; data collection; data analysis; review of research products; product dissemination; and lessons learnt;
• After validation by the line manager, represent IMPACT in relevant meetings/ working groups/IPC workshop;
• Follow up on issues identified by partners or during meetings / working groups;
• Promote an active use of datasets and research findings by partners and the broader humanitarian community for their decision making;
• After validation by line manager, present research findings to relevant third parties in order to enhance their use and impact;
• Ensure that all partner engagement and all external relations are clearly documented and communicated with the line manager and relevant colleagues.

Grants Management and Reporting

• Support the Senior Assessment Officer overseeing the sectoral team and the Country Coordinator in the production of timely and accurate project narrative and financial reports;
• Ensure that any issue in relation to project implementation is reported to the line manager, finance and grants colleagues, and HQ;
• Other tasks as requested by supervisors.

Accountability to Communities and Beneficiaries

The staff member is responsible for ensuring that all relations with the communities we work are conducted in a respectful and consultative manner. Due attention must be paid to ensuring that communities are adequately consulted and informed about IMPACT programme objectives, activities, beneficiary selection criteria, and methodologies. This is the responsibility of every IMPACT staff member.

REQUIREMENTS

• Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master degree in international development, development economics, or another relevant discipline;
• At least 1.5 years of relevant working experience in humanitarian, development or related settings Such as research, evaluation, assessments and programmes;
• Familiarity with IPC analysis and FSC Joint Monitoring Framework highly desirable;
• Experience coordinating interagency assessments or monitoring activities, including survey tool design and implementation
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting and coordination;
• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility and ability to work remotely with colleagues and partners;
• Past experience in the region is desirable;
• Fluency in French required; English desired,
• Ability to operate with Microsoft Word, Excel and Project Management Software, as well as Adobe Creative Suite Products such as Adobe InDesign and Illustrator;
• Skills in SPSS and/or R, STATA or other statistical analysis software an advantage;
• Ability to take ownership over assigned tasks, work independently and be a dynamic team player.

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 food and 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