REACH Assessment Officer at ACTED

ACTED has been committed since 1993, to immediate humanitarian relief to support those in urgent need and protect people’s dignity, while co-creating longer term opportunities for sustainable growth and fulfilling people’s potential. ACTED, headquartered in Paris, France is present in four continents and our teams intervene in 37 countries towards 14 million people, responding to emergency situations, supporting rehabilitation projects and accompanying the dynamics of development. Over 5,000 staff are dedicated to implementing and developing our projects.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: REACH Assessment Officer

Location: Negotiable - Abuja, Nigeria with frequent travels to Maiduguri, Nigeria. Both locations may involve occasional field travel (security permitting).
Contract duration: 6 months
Supervisor: Senior Assessment Officer
Level: D1-3 (National contract)  
Start date: ASAP

Background
REACH was born in 2010 as a joint initiative of two INGOs (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:

• Need and situation assessments facilitated by REACH teams;
• Situation analysis using satellite imagery;
• Provision of related database and (web)-mapping facilities and expertise.

Context / Country
For the better part of the last decade, and particularly since 2014, the 7 states that comprise the North West region of Nigeria have experienced increasingly deadly intercommunal conflict and organized crime resulting in the displacement of more than 200,000 people, and the death and disappearance of thousands more.  This same region has the highest poverty rate in Nigeria - some states recording poverty levels as much as 40% higher than the national average. The North West has the highest rate of out of school children in the country, and millions are believed to lack access to health care, clean water, and childhood immunizations.

Underlying the region’s accelerating insecurity and extreme poverty is the desertification of land brought on by climate change, which has left millions of pastoralists and farmers without their principal source of livelihood. Compounding the displacement crisis is recent flooding which since August has destroyed tens of thousands of homes, and hundreds of thousands of hectares of crops.  The overwhelming focus on the humanitarian crisis in the North East, coupled by the widespread inaccessibility and volatility of the North West, and the likely underestimation of the scale of insecurity, has resulted in a shortage of critical information needed to respond to the quickly growing crisis. As partners prepare to respond to the region’s increasing needs, they will near a clearer picture of displaced household’s needs, intentions, and demographics.

In recognition of the urgent need for data in areas of Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara, REACH intends to conduct data collection in site where the affection people can be located across the three state. Through Rapid assessment approach, to provide regular, reliable indicative tracking of humanitarian needs over time, to support in prioritization and identification of “hot-spot” areas witnessing a deterioration of humanitarian needs. To ensure this data is directly informing humanitarian response planning in the region. This data will be shared through formal coordination structures, such as OCHA, the Inter-Sector Working Group (ISWG), and relevant sectors, with feedback from partners used for both triangulations of gathered data as well as to inform research design and geographical targeting.

About the Job

• IMPACT is seeking an experienced candidate, who has previously designed and implemented quantitative and qualitative assessments, to support REACH’s Cash and Markets portfolio on a Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI).
• The Assessment Officer will be responsible for directly liaising with the Cash Working Group (CWG) and stakeholders on matters related to the assessments, monitoring and general IM. Tasks will include supporting the full research cycle including consolidation of secondary data, selection of indicators, tool development, design of trainings, coordination of data collection, data analysis, and output production.

The REACH Assessment Officer will fulfill the following functions:

• Under the supervision of the REACH Sectoral Senior Assessment Officer and Deputy Country Coordinator in Nigeria and of IMPACT’s HQ in Geneva, the REACH Assessment Officer is responsible for the research design and implementation of REACH-specific assessments, including their preparation, implementation and follow-up.
• She/he is also responsible for related logistics, partner coordination, reporting, and finance requirements and will be required to provide input to the strategic development of REACH in-country.
• In his/her mission, the REACH 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.

Functions
The REACH Assessment Officer’s responsibilities include:

• In coordination with the REACH Sectoral Senior Assessment Officer and Deputy Country Coordinator, designing and implementing REACH assessment strategy and research cycle;
• For each assessment, create ToRs, ensure that they are approved by management (including Geneva HQ);
• Facilitate engagement and feedback on research design with external partners, including clusters, IM focal points and agency representatives;
• 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;
• In coordination with REACH Sectoral Senior Assessment Officer and Deputy Country Coordinator, external representation of REACH with Donors, Partners and the wider Aid Community through clusters and sectoral working groups;
• Coordinate external partners and internal teams during data collection;
• Support in organizing and facilitating joint analysis workshops, as applicable;
• Ensure the writing of timely and accurate assessment reports and factsheets, which comply with REACH’s guidelines;
• Other tasks falling within REACH’s functions as requested by supervisors.

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.
• 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 all 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 and 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) as well as the development, analysis and review of databases.

Objective 1.3: Grants Management:

• 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.

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 in-country GIS/DB Officers in order to represent data in interactive web map or static map format, as relevant.
• 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.
• 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.

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 Sectoral Senior Assessment Officer and Deputy Country Coordinator.
• The REACH Assessment Officer will also store, organize and disseminate assessments, project documents and best practices among ACTED and IPs. He/she will coordinate timely and accurate reporting to IMPACT Headquarter.

Team Coordination:
Objective 3.1: Staff Coordination:

• The REACH Assessment Officer will liaise on 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 related to the assessment.
• 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.
• 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.

Objective 3.2: Internal Capacity Development:

• The REACH Assessment Officer is responsible, in coordination with the REACH Sectoral Senior Assessment Officer and Deputy Country Coordinator, for the development and implementation of capacity training plans for REACH assessment and field team members and interested external stakeholders.
• He/ she is responsible for setting clear and personalised development goals, and designing training and mentorship plans to assist team members in professional development.

External Engagement:

• 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 ACTED/REACH vis-a-vis current and potential donors and communicate relevant information to the 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 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.

About You

• All employees should master ACTED's core Principles: Independence, Neutrality, Non-discrimination, free and direct access to victims, Ethics, Professionalism, anti-Corruption, Transparency and Accountability

Moreover, we also expect the following:  
Qualifications and Experience:

• Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master degree in a relevant discipline;
• Excellent quantitative and qualitative analytical skills;
• At least 2 years of relevant working experience in humanitarian settings;
• Fluency in English required;
• Advanced skills in Excel as well as SPSS, R or related statistical programming;
• Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work independently.
• Excellent communication and drafting skills for reporting and external coordination;
• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment;

Desirable:

• Previous work on Cash & Markets;
• Knowledge of the humanitarian coordination structure.

We Offer

• Number of positions: 1
• Supervisor: Senior Assessment Officer
• Location: Negotiable - Abuja, Nigeria with frequent travels to Maiduguri, Nigeria. Both locations may involve occasional field travel (security permitting).
• Level: D1-3 (National contract)  
• Start date: ASAP

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Application Process

• Interested candidates are invited to send a cover letter and an updated CV as a single document (3 page minimum) in English.
• Contact details (name, position, email address and telephone numnber) of 3 professional references must be provided, whereas 1 must be for the latest employer including that of the HR/Admin person. Please do not attach any written recommendations.
• Applications should be addressed to: The Recruitment Manager.

Note

• Only motivated applicants who are able to perform the stipulated duties and meet the required qualificationswill be considered. CV’s - only applications will not be considered. Please note: The position title and location must be written in the subject line of the e-mail; otherwise, it may not be considered
• CVs will be review on rolling bases
• Due to the large numbers of expected applicants,only short-listed candidates will be contacted and invited for an interview. We apologise for the inconvenience.
• ACTED considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, colour, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability.
• For general information about ACTED, please consult: www.acted.org

Application Deadline  5th November, 2020.