MSNA Analysis Senior Assessment Officer (Global Inter-sector Unit) At IMPACT Initiatives

BACKGROUND ON IMPACT AND REACH

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.

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.

We are currently looking for a Senior Assessment Officer to join the Global Inter-Sector Unit in HQ.

Title: Senior Assessment Officer (SAO)**

Location: Geneva with travel (up to 20% field deployment)**

Contract duration: Open-ended

Start date: January 2022

POSITION PROFILE

Under the supervision of the Global MSNA Focal Point, the SAO will lead and support on various initiatives related to the Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (MSNA) work stream related to inter-sectoral analysis as well as global and cross-crisis analysis using MSNA data collected at national level. The individual fulfilling this role will play a critical function in providing technical, programmatic, and strategic support to a high profile and impactful work stream on the global REACH team.

Functions and responsibilities

Under the supervision of the global MSNA focal point based in Geneva HQ, the REACH SAO will support the below core areas of work under the global MSNA workstream:

1) Supporting global R&D on inter-sectoral analysis (50%)

a. MSNA cross-crisis analysis (piloting methods to produce robust comparative analysis of needs between humanitarian crises, using core indicators collected across 2021 country MSNAs): (1) technical oversight of the direction of this sub-workstream (2) implementation of key workflows, in collaboration with data officer(s) (with potential line management responsibility)

b. REACH inter-sectoral analysis framework development: (1) Finalizing the framework and guidance for sectoral composite indicators and the Multi-Sector Needs Index (MSNI); (2) adapting and developing technical guidance for applying MSNA inter-sectoral analysis in non-traditional humanitarian contexts, including piloting approaches in stabilisation, early recovery, and Nexus contexts

c. Technical contributions to the Joint Inter-Sectoral Analysis Framework (JIAF) 2.0 development process on behalf of REACH, under supervision of IMPACT Head of Research and ISU Manager

2) Informing global decision makers (30%)

a. Producing global MSNA analysis products – consolidating country datasets, performing quantitative analysis to identify key global trends and findings from the data, and producing short briefs, dashboards, and other similar products for global audiences

b. Supporting communications and dissemination activities at global level – including website articles, social media, webinars, and other similar activities

c. Direct external engagement with global stakeholders, donors, and other REACH partners

3) Country support and engagement (20%)

a. Technical support and guidance to REACH MSNA country teams at various stages of the research cycle, including research design and sampling methodologies; data collection planning; data processing, cleaning, and management; quantitative data analysis; and the reporting and dissemination of inter-sectoral findings

b. Ad hoc surge support including country deployment up to 20% – this support may be provided remotely and/or through a field deployment, depending on the extent of support required and the specific needs of the country team

Requirements

Excellent academic qualifications, including Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. development, humanitarian studies, international relations, research methods, social sciences)
At least 2 years of experience in the humanitarian sector and/or field-based roles in fragile or development contexts
Experience with designing and implementing primary research, in particular large-scale quantitative surveys and/or humanitarian needs assessments
Prior experience leading the design or implementation of MSNAs desired
Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting
Excellent interpersonal skills, include strong external engagement and coordination skills
Familiarity with the humanitarian system and global humanitarian policy frameworks, in particular the Grand Bargain and the JIAF
Willingness to engage in short term field deployments, including to complex and challenging security environments
Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility
A self-starter with proven ability to work independently
Fluency in English required; proficiency in French or a second relevant language an asset
Ability to operate Microsoft Word, Excel and Project Management Software
Ability to operate Stata, R, SPSS, or related statistical programming an asset