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 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 currently looking for an Assessment Officer to support our IMPACT Third Party Monitoring in Nigeria.

Department: IMPACT

Position: Assessment Officer Contract

Duration: 6 months

Location: Abuja, Nigeria with frequent travel to Maiduguri, Nigeria

Starting Date: ASAP

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, the humanitarian situation in Northeast Nigeria remains one of the world’s most severe. Out of the Northeast’s Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) state’s total population of 13 million people, an estimated 7.9 million are in need of humanitarian assistance.[1] Borno state remains the epicentre of the crisis, containing over 80% of the region’s over 2 million internally displaced persons.[2] Major incidents throughout 2019 have led to continued mass displacements and severely affected the provision of humanitarian assistance in the region.

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.[3] 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 around 971,000 persons.[4] 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. REACH’s Humanitarian Situation Monitoring (HSM) assessments in the Hard-to-Reach areas of Borno state have found that people in these inaccessible areas lack of access to basic services including health facilities, access to livelihoods and have decreased access to foods, access to improved water sources and access to humanitarian services.[5]

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.

As an initiative deployed in many vulnerable and crisis-affected countries, REACH is deeply concerned by the devastating impact the COVID-19 pandemic may have on the millions of affected people we seek to serve. REACH is currently scaling up its programming in response to this pandemic, with the goal of identifying practical ways to inform humanitarian responses in the 20+ countries where we operate, including Nigeria.

PROJECT PROFILE

IMPACT Initiatives, under its Partner support portfolio and in a consortium with Ground Truth Solutions[6], was awarded a DFID third party monitoring contract in 2018 to monitor their North East Nigeria Transition into Development (NENTAD) programme. The DFID NENTAD portfolio includes programming in Education in Emergencies, Protection, Nutrition, General Distribution, Coordination and Security, however the latter two are not covered in IMPACT monitoring.

Monitoring of this portfolio has direct influence on DFIDs $300 million GBP portfolio in the BAY[7] states and engages over 30 international NGOs in implementation. DFID, and donors in general, face numerous challenges in obtaining accurate, reliable and unbiased information related to their investments in North East Nigeria due to the scale of the response and the complex and volatile context. There are clear and recent reports highlighting the prevalence of aid diversion – a phenomenon that lessens the impact of already limited donor funding. IMPACT conducts monthly light touch monitoring on the 4 previously stated programmes, deep dives focusing upon each of the programmes, thematic assessments and partner systems reviews of all DFID partners’, including monitoring and evaluation, accountability to affected populations and conflict sensitivity.

POSITION PROFILE

IMPACT is seeking an experienced candidate, who has previously designed and implemented mixed-methods assessments – ideally in a humanitarian setting. The candidate should be capable of synthesizing qualitative, quantitative, and geospatial information to write clear, engaging reports conveying the results of the monitoring assessments. The candidate should also be comfortable representing IMPACT and the consortium in multi-sector meetings and able to coordinate and liaise with external partners on technical issues.

FUNCTIONS

Under the supervision of the IMPACT Research Manager & Country Coordinator in Nigeria and of IMPACT’s HQ in Geneva, this IMPACT Assessment Officer will be responsible for the management and implementation of TPM assessments. S/he will be responsible for ongoing data analysis and coordination with IMPACT/Nigeria’s field teams, database officers, and GIS officers to produce to support with the production of outputs.

The IMPACT Assessment Officer’s responsibilities include:

  • Oversee implementation of the TPM assessment in North East Nigeria in coordination with the IMPACT Research Manager & the Country Coordinator;
  • Conduct integrated analysis using quantitative, qualitative, and geospatial data, in combination with awareness of regional variations and security developments in the areas of interest;
  • Identify and analyse secondary data collected from DFIDs implementing partners;
  • Oversee and validate the TPM data processing cycle in coordination with the Data team (including Geneva HQ);
  • Design and produce maps in coordination with the GIS team (including Geneva HQ);
  • Coordinate with the IMPACT field manager to monitor implementation of TPM field activities;
  • Ensure that TPM assessments are planned and implemented in line with project and program objectives, IMPACTs research cycle, and other relevant guidelines;
  • As needed, visit data collection sites to oversee routine data collection or pilot test potential changes;
  • Write timely and accurate assessment outputs in compliance with IMPACT’s guidelines, tracking progress and delays of all assigned assessments throughout the research cycle. Ensure that delays or identified challenges for specific assessments are reported in writing/orally in a timely manner;
  • Represent IMPACT externally with partners and the wider humanitarian community through sectoral working groups;
  • Support the revision of assessment strategies in response to feedback from field teams and lessons learned;
  • Ensure that project Terms of Reference are drafted and approved before each project cycle understood and used by assessment staff and stakeholders, and updated as required;
  • Keep track of the project schedule, and ensure that any identified problems are reported in a timely manner;
  • Other tasks falling within IMPACT’s functions as requested by supervisors.

In his/her mission, the IMPACT Assessment Officer will be hosted by ACTED and will fall under the responsibility of ACTED’s Country Director and his/her delegates. S/he and will fully abide to ACTED’s Security, HR, Administration and Logistics rules and regulations.

DATA COLLECTION, RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

The TPM Assessment Officer will be responsible for leading field data collection processes, through the management of an experienced Field Manager and Field Data Collection team. Data is collected and uploaded by field officers and field assistants, received and cleaned by a Database Officer, then analysed by the IMPACT Assessment Officer via statistical software. Data should be stored in line with IMPACT’s Data Management guidelines, and with the ToRs and must be validated by IMPACT HQ before being shared with external parties. The TPM Assessment Officer is then responsible for aggregating and analysing data based on the Area of Knowledge Methodology, and gathering key points to present in factsheets, situation overviews, reports, presentations and memos disseminated DFID and implementing partners.

IMPACT REPORTING

The TPM Assessment Officer will be responsible for consolidating all analyses and conclusions into products such as factsheets, presentations, and reports. S/he will liaise with Geneva and Regional GIS and Database Specialists to represent data in interactive or static maps, as relevant, and will ensure that assessment reports contribute to aid coordination, planning, and the general base of field knowledge in North East Nigeria.

S/he will write timely and accurate assessment reports and factsheets, ensuring the quality and accuracy of technical information as well as the confidentiality and protection of collected information. This includes responsibility for following the designated timelines of submissions to project partners and donors.

INTERNAL TEAM MANAGEMENT

The IMPACT Assessment Officer will engage in the day-to-day management of project and field staff both directly and remotely. S/he is expected to guide and direct IMPACT staff, prepare and follow up on collaborative project work plans, and to keep field teams updated on the broader results of their work. This will include regularly confirming that all field teams are comprehensively briefed regarding expected outputs, that the overall implementation strategy is clearly understood, and that project field staff complete all necessary documentation in line with program requirements set by IMPACT. S/he will also support capacity building initiatives within the broader IMPACT/Nigeria mission.

COORDINATION

The IMPACT Assessment Officer shall provide technical support to humanitarian sectors for implementation of project activities as they utilise data, potential operationalisation of IMPACT results, and any other potential value-add to sector projects. S/he is responsible for the timely and accurate preparation of internal coordination activities related to TPM activities in North East Nigeria, through close liaison with the Project Development and Finance departments. S/he is directly responsible for the implementation of proper ACTED financial, logistical, administrative, transparency, and security procedures as relevant to the project.

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT

Representation of IMPACT is most commonly required in external partners’ meetings and technical working groups in Maiduguri and/or Abuja. This will include liaising with external partners to provide key documents and discussing light touch monitoring data to be triangulated with partner datasets. More generally, the IMPACT Assessment Officer is expected to contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organization, notably through the application of IMPACT’s mandate, ethics, values and stand-point with regard to other actors.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The REACH Assessment Officer 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 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 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;
  • Excellent analytical skills, ideally with experience in mixed-methods research design and analysis;
  • At least 1.5 years of relevant working experience in humanitarian settings;
  • Excellent English-language communication and drafting skills for effective reporting and external coordination;
  • Advanced skills in SPSS, STATA, R or related statistical programming;
  • Prior experience with Adobe InDesign and/or GIS is helpful but not required;
  • Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
  • Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment;
  • Ability to work independently and autonomously;
  • Excellent team management skills;
  • Fluency in English, both written and oral, is 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 provided in country by IMPACT’s partner ACTED
  • Food and lodging provided at the organization’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

[1] OCHA, Humanitarian Needs Overview, 2020

[2] IOM, Displacement Tracking Matrix, November 2019

[3] OCHA, Humanitarian Needs Overview, 2020

[4] OCHA, Humanitarian Needs Overview, 2020

[5] REACH HSM Hard-to-Reach Factsheets, 2020

[6] Ground Truth Solutions is a London based NGO specializing in accountability and beneficiary feedback.

[7] Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

This vacancy is archived.

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