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 a REACH Assessment Officer to support our REACH Yemen team.
Department: REACH
Position: Assessment Officer – Durable solutions
Contract duration: 6 months
Location: Amman, Jordan
Starting Date: 20th October 2024
Deadline to apply: 9th October 2024

COUNTRY PROFILE

Nine years since the escalation of the current conflict, high humanitarian needs are reported in Yemen with 18.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Severe deterioration of economic conditions, extensive damaged civilian infrastructure and the collapse of basic services are key drivers of large-scale vulnerabilities and needs countrywide. Approximately 17.6 million people in Yemen are likely to be severely food insecure in 2024. 15% of Yemen's population is displaced, most of whom have been displaced multiple times over a number of years, with about 1.5 Mil IDPs living across 2,400+ IDP sites.
Overall, 80% of the population lives below the poverty line. The loss of livelihoods, when combined with the depreciation and general volatility of the Yemeni currency, has made the purchase of basic everyday necessities difficult for most Yemenis.
REACH has supported the humanitarian response to the Yemen crisis since October 2016, working extensively with the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster, the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Cluster, the Cash and Markets Working Group (CMWG), as well as the Information Management and Assessment and Working Group (IMAWG) and Shelter Cluster.
The REACH team – based remotely in Amman – provides systemic assessment and IM support to the response through indicator review, tool design, coordination of national and localized data collection exercises, data analysis, output production, and IM platform design. Given the challenging context in Yemen, REACH is constantly working to find new and innovative ways to effectively inform the humanitarian response.

POSITION PROFILE

REACH Yemen team is seeking an Assessment Officer (AO) to support its work focused on displacement and durable solutions in Yemen.
Under the supervision of the Senior Assessment Officer (SAO), the AO will support one research cycle focused on durable solutions in collaboration with the UNHCR.
Planned work includes i) data analysis (data to be collected by UNHCR) and ii) the production of seven reports including one general report covering all six governorates assessed, and one standalone report for each of the six governorates targeted.
In addition, the AO will support representing REACH Yemen with relevant external stakeholders, especially UNHCR and the CCCM Cluster, participating in methodological and programmatic discussions, and liaising with UNHCR during the data collection phase.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research Planning
The AO will contribute to developing comprehensive research designs for the tasks assigned to REACH, including the design of research approaches, methodologies and To Rs, according to IMPACT’s requirements and principles, as well as partners’ information needs.
Research Implementation
The AO will be responsible for:

• Liaising with UNHCR during the data collection exercises.
  
• Coordinating the data cleaning work with the Data Specialist and Data Officer.
  
• In close liaison with UNHCR, ensure that data is revised, cleaned, analysed and stored according to IMPACT’s Data Management Guidelines.
  
• Preparing the data analysis framework in collaboration with UNHCR.
  
• Overseeing the data analysis conducted by the Data Specialist and Data Officer.
  
• Generating and documenting robust lessons learned and ensuring knowledge and learning processes are shared with other REACH and IMPACT teams as well as external partners
  

Drafting of Research Products
The AO will be responsible for producing and/or overseeing the production of all relevant outputs related to the research cycle.

• Ensure the drafting of timely, accurate and impactful outputs that consolidate the analyses of this research cycle into seven reports: one general report covering all six governorates assessed, and one standalone report for each of the six governorates targeted.
  

External engagement
The AO will support communication and coordination with external partners (especially UNHCR) throughout all stages of the Research Cycle.

• Represent REACH in relevant meetings/working groups and present research findings to relevant third parties in order to enhance their use and impact.
  
• Promote an active use of research findings by partners and the broader humanitarian community for their decision-making.
  
• More generally, 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 standpoint with regard to other actors.
  

Team Management & Capacity Building
The AO will be the line manager for one Assessment Assistant.

• He/she will liaise closely in his/her day-to-day tasks with the Senior Assessment Officer (Displacement SAO), the Research Manager (Early Recovery RM), the data team (Data Specialist and Data Officers), as well as the project and funding officer (PFO).
  

Internal Coordination
The AO will be responsible for enabling effective internal coordination within the REACH Yemen team, including:

• Actively participate in regular team meetings.
  
• Ensure regular coordination and exchange with relevant colleagues.
  
• Engage in the development and implementation of IMPACT’s strategy in (country).
  
• Provide inputs to proposal development and reporting where relevant.
  

REQUIREMENTS

Essential

• Academic experience: Excellent academic qualifications, including a degree in a relevant discipline (international studies, development, humanitarian response, monitoring and evaluation, etc.)
  
• Research & analytical skills: Proficiency and proven experience with research methods, including in research and tool design and implementation of data collection. Excellent analytical skills and ability to situate findings within a wider context.
  
• Years of work experience: At least 1-2 years of relevant working experience in humanitarian and/or research settings.
  
• Software skills: Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and Power Point. Strong knowledge of Excel functionality in relation to conducting data analysis.
  
• Language skills: Written and spoken fluency in English is required.
  
• Communication/reporting skills: Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting and coordination.
  
• Cross-cultural work environment: Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility.
  
• Multi-tasking & organisational skills: Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles. Excellent organisational skills and ability to prioritize.
  
• Level of independence: Proven ability to work independently.
  

Desired

• Familiarity with aid system: Knowledge of the humanitarian program cycle (HPC) and the humanitarian coordination structure.
  
• Thematic expertise: Expertise and knowledge on CCCM / Displacement / Refugee & Migrant programs and/or research is highly desirable.
  
• Management skills: Team management experience and skills are highly desirable.
  
• Software skills: Knowledge of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite (i.e., In Design) is an advantage. Knowledge and experience in R or other statistical analysis software, and GIS software is an asset.
  
• Language skills: Written and spoken fluency in Arabic.
  
• Experience in geographical region: Past work experience in Yemen or the Middle East is desired.
  

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• For this position, salary between 2’220 CHF and 2’280 CHF monthly (before income tax), etc 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 a 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)
  
• 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;
  
• Enrolment in IMPACT Initiatives Research Foundational Learning Programme within the first 3 months from the start of contract.
  
• 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