REACH Senior Research Officer

Job Description

Job Purpose

After more than a decade of conflict, conditions in regional contexts remain volatile and marked by protracted displacement, severe socioeconomic deterioration, lack of access to basic services, and increasing climate and environmental impacts. The resulting scale, complexity, and severity of humanitarian needs underlines the need for up-to-date, timely, accurate, and actionable information. Evidence-based humanitarian planning and programming remains essential to ensure that the humanitarian response adequately meets the needs of the most vulnerable people, begins addressing underlying causes of vulnerability, and is tailored to different realities across communities and over time. Since 2014, REACH has been conducting assessments on the humanitarian situation in regional contexts and has since grown significantly as an actor in the response, working closely with humanitarian coordination actors and partners to develop unique research to inform more effective humanitarian action.

As such, REACH is currently seeking qualified applicants with experience in research and/or data to serve as a Senior Assessment Officer in the REACH Regional Office, doing country-specific work.

With the support of in-country and HQ staff, the REACH Senior Assessment Officer (SAO) will be responsible for leading research on a number of topics related to humanitarian needs, including on livelihoods and markets, to inform local crisis recovery and resilience-building efforts. Ideally, the SAO will have experience working on livelihoods, markets, or a related theme.

The SAOs will be responsible for leading on research design, training of field staff, coordination of data collection and cleaning, analysis of key findings, development of information products (factsheets, dashboards, etc.), and dissemination of information to key response actors and partners.

More broadly, the SAO will support REACH’s goal to expand REACH’s research capacity and expertise in these topics and contribute to the development of high-quality research outputs to directly inform humanitarian actors working in the region.

About REACH and IMPACT:

REACH was created 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 facilitate the development of information products that enhance the humanitarian community’s decision making and planning capacity for emergency, recovery, and development contexts. REACH supports information management for aid actors through three complementary services: (a) needs and situation assessments by REACH teams; (b) situation analysis using satellite imagery; (c) provision of 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. 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.

Objectives

Objective 1: Research Design, Implementation, and Coordination

Under the supervision of the relevant Research Manager, the SAO will be responsible for designing or improving the methodologies and research tools of their research workstreams and projects. The SAO will then manage the planning, coordination, implementation, and follow-up of research activities in line with overall project objectives and deadlines.

This will include identification of key information gaps through engagement with external stakeholders; development of research objectives and questions, design of data collection tools (household and KI surveys, focus groups, etc.) including indicator development; training of field staff on research tools and methodologies; oversight of data collection and cleaning. The SAO will ensure regular reporting on research progress and participate in internal coordination meetings.

Objective 2: Analysis and Information Product Creation

With the support of mission and HQ-level staff, the SAO will be responsible for conducting analysis of key research findings and incorporating then into effective information products such as factsheets, briefings, reports, dashboards, etc. The SAO will work to ensure the quality and accuracy of information products and to ensure that products are delivered to key stakeholders in a timely and professional manner.

Objective 3: External Engagement

In collaboration with the relevant Research Manager, the SAO will be responsible for engagement with the relevant response stakeholders to identify research priorities and facilitate the use of key findings in planning and programming. The SAOs may also be requested to represent REACH in coordination meetings, donor presentations, or meetings with partner organisations as relevant.

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Research Activities

a. Research design and tool development

–         Definition of research objectives and questions to address key information gaps;

–         Identification of appropriate research methodologies;

–         Development of questionnaires and data collection tools and (household, key informant, FGD).

b. Monitor data collection and cleaning

–         Support the training of field data collection staff on research aims and tools;

–         Monitor field data collection in collaboration with REACH Field Managers and Research Manager;

–         Monitor the quality of data collected, undertake appropriate checks on data collected in the field and resolve discrepancies and quality issues.

c. Preparation and production of information products

–         Cary out data analysis in line with research questions and objectives, with support of REACH data teams where needed;

–         Produce factsheets and reports using InDesign and work closely with REACH GIS Officers to produce mapping outputs.

d. Dissemination of findings and external engagement

–         Present key findings to relevant response actors and facilitate use of data for evidence-based planning and advocacy;

–         Coordinate with relevant actors and partner organisations to ensure research is aligned with priority information needs.

Internal Communication Processes

The SAO will work directly with the relevant Research Manager in Amman and liaise with IMPACT HQ in Geneva to ensure the quality and effectiveness of products developed. She/he will ensure effective internal communication with mission and IMPACT HQ colleagues.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

The REACH SAO will maintain the strictest confidentiality of data and processes. She/he will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorised sharing of information and data.

Acted’s proposed monthly salary: 1405 JOD’s

Skills

QUALIFICATIONS:

Requirements

·        University undergraduate degree or 3+ years relevant experience;

·        Experience conducting research or working with data (academic research experience included);

·        Fluency in English;

·        Excellent writing and communication skills.

Desired

·        Technical skills in any of the following:

·        Strong Excel skills;

·        Previous experience with mobile data collection (ODK, ONA, KoBo);

·        Experience with cleaning and analysing datasets;

·        Knowledge of the Adobe Suite, particularly InDesign;

·        Good understanding of research methods (including sampling frameworks);

·        Strong analytical skills, including ability to identify and key trends and situate findings in wider context;

·        Experience working in/on humanitarian or development contexts, ideally in/on programmes or research related to livelihoods, markets, economics, or other related themes;

·        Experience with external engagement and/or partner coordination;

·        Prior knowledge of the regional context;

·        Ability to operate independently in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility.

·        Data visualization and report production skills (Tableau, InDesign)