REACH ASSESSMENT OFFICER IN SOMALIA, BASED IN KENYA
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 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.
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.
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 is committed in to responding to emergencies worldwide, to supporting recovery and rehabilitation, towards sustainable development.
We are currently looking for a REACH Assessment Officer to support our REACH team in Somalia.
Department: REACH
Position: REACH Assessment Officer
Contract duration: 6 months
Location: Nairobi, Kenya; with regular travel to Mogadishu, Somalia and Hargeysa, Somalia
Starting Date: August 2016
COUNTRY PROFILE
REACH has been operational in Somalia since 2012, providing information management support to humanitarian actors in a complex environment through assessment capacity, GIS services and support to Cluster IM practices. Projects have included tri-cluster assessments in support of the WASH, Shelter and Education Clusters, support to Food Security response analysis, and development of a Shelter Cluster M&E Framework.
In 2016 and beyond REACH Somalia is looking to expand information support to the humanitarian response in several key areas, including IDP settlement profiling, multi-cluster needs assessment and improved remote data collection. Key strategic aims are to increase geographic and sectoral coverage and to enhance advocacy capacity through strengthened data collection and information targeting.
POSITION PROFILE
FUNCTIONS
Under the supervision of the REACH Country Coordinator, the REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for the management and implementation of all REACH assessments in Somalia, and if relevant Kenya, including their preparation, implementation and follow-up. He/she will also be responsible for related logistics, partner coordination, reporting and finance requirements and will be required to provide input to the strategic development of REACH in Somalia and region, if relevant. The REACH Assessment Officer will also be responsible for ensuring the development of capacity within an existing and expanding REACH team in Somalia and Kenya.
Summary
The REACH Assessment Officer shall be responsible for:
· In coordination with the REACH Country Coordinator, design and implement REACH assessment strategy and methodology within IDP settlements and non-camp settings;
· Assist in development of strategy for remote data collection in inaccessible areas of Somalia
· Management of REACH assessment field staff to ensure a smooth and timely implementation of activities;
· Ensuring that assessment strategies are implemented in a structured and coherent manner in line with project and strategic objectives;
· Coordinate and ensure timely data collection, analysis and, in partnership with GIS team, mapping of datasets, ensure that all collected data are geo-referenced;
· Ensure the writing of timely and accurate assessment reports and factsheets;
· Keep track of all projects and programmes assessment schedules and work with field staff to design and implement REACH assessment procedures;
· Supporting the development/revision of assessment / programme strategies, reports or new proposals;
· Development of assessment staff training matrices, and overseeing development of capacity in capital and field assessment staff
· Liaising with programme staff of ACTED departments to ensure close coordination and information sharing is maintained;
· In coordination with REACH Country Coordinator, external representation of REACH with Donors, Partners and the wider Aid Community through clusters and sectoral working groups;
· Overseeing development of training in mobile data collection for national authorities and development partners in Kenya
1. REACH Assessment Management and Coordination
· Objective 1.1: Management of assessments process
The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for designing the methodology and tools associated with each assessment, according to REACH requirements and principles. He/she will manage the planning, implementation, and follow-up of all REACH and projects specific assessment activities conducted in country. In operations in which REACH is a project component of a wider ACTED intervention, the REACH Assessment Officer is required to contribute to the preparation and follow up of the Project Management Framework and ensure that activities are properly coordinated and implemented as per the Project Cycle Management, in coordination with the REACH Country Coordinator.
The REACH Assessment Officer shall manage logistics, financial, administration and HR processes directly related to REACH and liaise accordingly with the relevant ACTED counterpart. He/she is directly responsible for the implementation of proper ACTED FLAT procedures in REACH interventions.
· Objective 1.2: Implementation
The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for contributing to the implementation of assessment projects, providing support to the development of assessment, database and GIS tools with the REACH team. This will specifically include, with the GIS/DB team, designing of data collection tools (household surveys, focus groups, and more); development or review of databases; contributing to GIS data collection procedures and mapping thereof through ARC GIS and other ESRI products in particular; and analysis of spatial and other information to contribute to reports and the like.
· Objective 1.3: Coordination
The REACH Assessment Officer shall provide technical support to the relevant ACTED department in terms of the preparation of new project proposals, development of programme strategies, implementation of project activities, and any other required REACH input to ACTED projects for added-value.
The REACH Assessment Officer will assist the Country Coordinator in the timely and accurate preparation of narrative and financial reports related to REACH activities in country through close liaison with the Project Development and Finance departments.
The REACH Assessment Officer shall liaise with other REACH Officers in the region and throughout IMPACT Initiatives’ and ACTED’s networks to provide and receive support in the expansion of REACH globally.
2. REACH Reporting
- Objective 2.1: Assessment Reporting
The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for consolidating all analyses and conclusions from each assessment into REACH products such as factsheets, reports and briefs using standard formats. He/she will liaise with Geneva and Regional GIS/DB Specialists in order to represent data in interactive web map or static map format, as relevant.
The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for following the designated timeline of reports to be submitted to project partners and donors. He/she must ensure the writing of timely and accurate assessment reports and factsheets, ensuring the quality and accuracy of technical information provided as well as the confidentiality and protection of collected information. He/she will ensure that assessment reports contribute to aid coordination and planning and add to the general base of field knowledge in the country for all organisations working in the areas.
- Objective 2.2: Programmatic Reporting
He/she will also manage the drafting of narrative reports and contribute to the development of financial reports through regular budgetary follow-up, in coordination with the REACH Country Coordinator.
The REACH Assessment Officer will also store, organize and disseminate assessments, project documents and best practices among ACTED and IPs.
3. REACH HR Management
· Objective 3.1: Staff Management
The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for day-to-day management of project and field staff both directly and remotely. He/she is expected to guide and direct REACH staff and prepare and follow up workplans with each staff member that directly reports to him/her. The REACH Assessment Officer will be required to take the lead in the recruitment of REACH assessment staff in coordination with the ACTED HR Officer and REACH Country Coordinator. This will include the preparation of ToRs, observation of recruitment procedures by planning recruitment needs in advance, and undertake interviews.
The REACH Assessment Officer will ensure that all field teams are comprehensively briefed on the objective, expected outputs and that the overall implementation strategy of any given activity is clearly understood. He/she will ensure that project/field staff are given training and complete all the necessary documentation in line with program requirements set by REACH.
- Objective 3.2: Internal Capacity Development
The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible, in coordination with the Country Coordinator, for the development and implementation of capacity training plans for REACH assessment and field team members. He/ she is responsible for setting clear and personalised development goals, and designing training and mentorship plans to assist team members in professional development.
4. Representation
- Objective 4.1: External Coordination
Representation of ACTED/REACH in cluster and multi-sector meetings/ technical working groups in country and follow up on technical issues identified in cluster meetings in other parts of the country. This specifically will include liaising with external partners to identify potential for data sets to be integrated into existing databases and mapped to support the coordination of the broader humanitarian community.
The REACH Assessment Officer will further represent REACH vis-a-vis current and potential donors and communicate relevant information to the REACH Country Coordinator, ACTED Project Development Manager and Country Director. He/she will participate in inter-NGO meetings and those of UN agencies and any other relevant inter-governmental institutions at the national or provincial level.
More generally, the REACH Assessment Officer is expected to contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organisation, notably through the application of REACH and ACTED’s mandate, ethics, values and stand-point with regard to other actors.
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 and ACTED programme objectives, activities, beneficiary selection criteria, and methodologies. This is the responsibility of every REACH and ACTED staff member.
REQUIREMENTS
· Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master degree in relevant discipline;
· Excellent analytical skills;
· At least 1.5 years of relevant working experience in humanitarian settings;
· Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting;
· Excellent team management skills;
· Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
· Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment
· Familiarity with the aid system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements;
· Prior knowledge of the region an asset
· Fluency in English required
· Ability to operation Microsoft Word, Excel and Project Management Software.
· Ability to operate SPSS or related statistical programming an asset
· Ability to work independently
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
HOW TO APPLY:
How to apply
Please send, in English, your cover letter, CV, three references and samples of previous researches to jobs@impact-initiatives.org
Ref: 16/SOMALIA/AO
Please indicate the reference in the subject line of your email.
Deadline: July 27th, 2016
