AGORA Assessment Officer at IMPACT Initiatives

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization 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.

We are currently looking for a qualified candidate to support our IMPACT team in Nigeria:

Job Title: AGORA Assessment Officer

Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Department: AGORA
Contract duration: 6 months
Starting Date: ASAP

Project Overview
AGORA is a joint initiative of ACTED and IMPACT Initiatives, founded in 2016. AGORA promotes efficient, inclusive and integrated local planning, aid response and service delivery in contexts of crisis through applying settlement-based processes and tools. AGORA enables more efficient and tailored aid responses to support the recovery and stabilization of crisis-affected communities, contributing to meet their humanitarian needs, whilst promoting the re-establishment of local services and supporting local governance actors. AGORA promotes multi-sectoral, settlement-based aid planning and implementation, structured around partnerships between local, national, and international stakeholders. AGORA’s core activities include area-based needs and capacity assessments, evidence-based local planning, as well as support to area-based coordination mechanisms institutional cooperation and tailor-made capacity strengthening for local institutional actors.

Country Profile

• Since May 2013, the Boko Haram insurgency in Northern Nigeria has destroyed infrastructure, provoked dramatic livelihoods erosion and triggered the displacement of over 2 million people, out of which 1.4 million people are in Borno State. The humanitarian situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) is critical.
• Following years of conflict, the majority of the state’s rural areas are empty. Much of the population has fled to the relative safety of Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, or other Local Government Area (LGA) capitals.
• In the IDP camps of Maiduguri and other enclaved LGA capitals, large portions of the population are extremely vulnerable and in need of immediate humanitarian support. While some areas have recently experienced returns in the proximity of main roads, the population from many LGAs is likely to remain displaced for the medium term, lacking security, shelter, and livelihoods in their villages of origin. When returns are made possible, it will be essential to support returnees in rebuilding their homes, which are in many cases completely destroyed, and resume their productive lives and livelihoods.
• Since April 2017, IMPACT’s REACH Initiative has been deployed to Nigeria to help meet the information needs of humanitarian actors operating in the State and build a better understanding of the needs of conflict-affected populations.

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 design clear, engaging information products.
• Moreover, the candidate should be able to engage with consortium partners and all relevant external stakeholders involved in this project in order to successfully plan their activities on the evidence provided.
• The candidate should be flexible, self-organized and able to deal with deadlines.

Project Profile:

• The AGORA Project “From Response to Resilience in Maiduguri” is a joint consortium project of ACTED, IMPACT Initiatives, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC).
• The consortium members will adopt an area-based, multi-risk, and multi-stakeholder approach to system strengthening for disaster risk reduction, durable solutions for displacement, and urban resilience for communities in Maiduguri, Nigeria.
• The project will map urban risks, including risks related to human conflict and social dynamics, flooding, fire, and disease outbreaks, and local services and capacities, including humanitarian, public, and private inputs.
• With the resulting in-depth understanding of priority humanitarian and development needs, the consortium will support coordination and city planning efforts among relevant state and local authorities and civil society organizations.
• While benefiting all city residents, the project will focus on implementation through an area-based approach to urban resilience within three priority areas, whilst simultaneously promoting local civic engagement and social accountability.
• At a city level, state and local authorities will be supported to strengthen their capacity for more effective coordination, resource planning, and shock responsive decision making. At a neighborhood level, pilot Neighbourhood Resilience Plans will be developed through community engagement and implemented.

Functions:

• Under the functional supervision of the IMPACT Country Focal Point in Nigeria and of IMPACT’s HQ in Geneva, and in close collaboration with the ACTED Urban DRR Project Manager and IMPACT Field Manager, the AGORA Assessment Officer is responsible the supervision of AGORA / IMPACT assessments, including their preparation, implementation, the creation of information products and follow-up. Hence, she/he is expected to engage in the entire research cycle, including research design, data collection, analysis, dissemination, and monitoring & evaluation.
• He/she is also responsible for related logistics, partner coordination, reporting, and finance requirements and will be required to provide input to the strategic development of IMPACT in Nigeria.
• During his/her mission, the IMPACT Assessment Officer will be hosted by ACTED and will fall under the direct responsibility and management of ACTED’s Country Director and his/her delegates for all Administrative, Security, Logistics and Finance issues. S/he will therefore fully abide by ACTED’s Security, HR, Administration, and Logistics rules and regulations.

Responsibilities
The AGORA Assessment Officer’s responsibilities include:

• Under the supervision of the Country Focal Point, designing and implementing AGORA assessment strategy and research cycle;
• For each assessment, draft ToRs, ensure that they are approved by management (including Geneva HQ), understood and used by assessment staff and stakeholders, and updated as required, timely incorporate feedback from management, including HQ’ research department;
• Prepare mixed methods tools (quantitative, qualitative, mapping-based) and supervise their implementation during data collection Ensure the writing of timely and accurate assessment outputs, which comply with IMPACT’s guidelines;
• Keep track of all project and program assessment and research schedules;
• In partnership with the GIS team (including Geneva HQ), ensure that collected data is geo-referenced enabling the production of maps;
• Ensure regular reporting on assessment progress and participate in coordination meetings;
• Support the development/revision of assessment/program strategies, reports or new proposals;
• Under the supervision of the Country Focal Point, establish working relationships with relevant operational partners in Maiduguri (UN Agencies, NGOs, donors, local authorities and service providers)
• Other tasks falling within IMPACT’s functions as requested by supervisors.

AGORA Assessment Management and Coordination:
Objective: 1.1: Management of assessments process:

• The AGORA Assessment Officer is responsible for designing the methodology and tools associated with each assessment, according to IMPACT requirements and principles.
• He/she will manage the planning, implementation, and follow-up of all AGORA and projects specific assessment activities conducted in-country.
• The AGORA 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.
• The AGORA Assessment Officer shall manage logistics, financial, administration and HR processes directly related to AGORA and liaise accordingly with the relevant ACTED counterpart.
• He/she is directly responsible for the implementation of proper ACTED FLAT procedures in all AGORA interventions.

Objective 1.2 – Implementation

• The AGORA Assessment Officer is responsible for contributing to the implementation of assessment projects, providing support to the development of assessment and database tools with the AGORA team.
• This will specifically include, with the GIS/DB team, designing of data collection tools (household surveys, focus groups, participatory mapping and more) as well as the development, analysis, and review of databases.

Objective 1.3 – Informing the Consortium:

• The AGORA Assessment Officer is, in close cooperation with the Country Focal Point, responsible for the development of informative and planning workshops. Those workshops should aim at informing the consortiums partners activities and be one driver of success for the evidence-based implementation of the outlined consortium activities.

Objective 1.4 – Coordination:

• The AGORA 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 AGORA input to ACTED projects for added-value.
• The AGORA Assessment Officer shall liaise with other AGORA Officers in the region and throughout IMPACT Initiatives’ and ACTED’s networks to provide and receive support in the expansion of AGORA globally.

Objective 1.5 – Engagement with local stakeholders:

• The AGORA Assessment officer should engage with local stakeholders in order to ensure the successful implementation of the project cycle. Those stakeholders can include community members, traditional leaders, civil society groups, service providers, and government bodies.

AGORA Reporting:

• The AGORA Assessment Officer is responsible for consolidating all analyses and conclusions from each assessment into AGORA 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 an interactive web map or static map format, as relevant.
• The AGORA 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 organizations working in the areas.

Staff Management:

• The AGORA Assessment Officer is responsible for the day-to-day management of project and field staff both directly and remotely.
• He/she is expected to guide and direct AGORA staff and prepare and follow up work plans with each staff member that directly reports to him/her.
• The AGORA Assessment Officer will be required to take the lead in the recruitment of AGORA assessment staff in coordination with the ACTED HR Officer.

Confidentiality:

• The AGORA 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.

Requirements

• Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master degree in a relevant discipline;
• Established quantitative analytical skills;
• At least 1 year of relevant working experience in humanitarian settings;
• Excellent communication and drafting skills for reporting and external coordination;
• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Fluency in English required;
• Ability to work independently.
• Knowledge in Excel as well as SPSS, R or related statistical programming;
• Ability to operate Microsoft Word

Desirable:

• Experience using GIS mapping software (e.g. ArcGIS);
• Knowledge of qualitative analysis and related analytical software (e.g. NVivo);

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 allowance
• Shared flat in the ACTED Guesthouse
• Six weeks break in Abuja (Capital)
• Every three months partly paid Rest and Recreation break outside of Nigeria
• Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance
• Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement package

Application Closing Date
27th September, 2019.

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