REACH FIELD MANAGER At Agency for Technical Cooperation and Developmen

Position: Field Manager

Department: REACH

Location: Mogadishu

Contract Duration: 6 Months

Direct Hierarchy: Country Coordinator/ (CC)

Starting date: December 2023

Background on ACTED

Created in 1993, ACTED is an international non-governmental organization pursuing a dual mandate of emergency response and development interventions in 40 of some of the world’s most vulnerable countries affected by conflicts, disasters, or socio-economic hardship. With a team of 7,000 national staff and 400 international staff, ACTED implements 500 projects a year to support more than 20 million beneficiaries, notably in hard-to-reach areas.

ACTED goes to the last mile through programs and approaches that look beyond the immediate emergency towards opportunities for longer term livelihood reconstruction and sustainable development. Guided by the motto “Think Local, Act Global” and its 3Zero –Zero Exclusion, Zero Carbon, and Zero Poverty – strategy, ACTED puts local territories at the centre and provides a tailored support to local needs.

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: (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.

COUNTRY PROFILE

REACH has been operating in Somalia since 2012 and has multiple research cycles including two large-scale national assessments (Joint Multi-Cluster Needs Assessment and Detailed Site Assessment) as well as several other smaller assessments all aimed at providing intersectoral analysis of the response. In addition, there is a cash and markets team, which provide third party monitoring to the largest cash consortium in Somalia and Joint Market monitoring for the Shelter, NFI and WASH clusters.

REACH is looking for professionally confident, self-motivated, experienced, and committed team player to fill the position Field Manager, Mogadishu, Somalia.

Position Profile:

The field Manager is responsible for overseeing and managing activities that take place in the field. He/she ensures that assessment data collection runs smoothly, efficiently, and according to plans and guidelines. Manages/supervises the work of senior field offices in different ACTED/REACH field offices. Ensures the proper approvals and permissions are granted at both national and local levels for relevant authority bodies. Liaises with SMT members for smooth coordination and planning of field research work.

As part of the country’s Senior Management team, she/he contributes to the development and implementation of IMPACT’s country strategy and promotes organizational vision and core values across the mission.

Data Collection in the field:

• Collect data independently in line with specified tools and methodology.
• Collect completed forms from field officers, check them and send them to the assessment officers for analysis.
• Ensure that data collection takes place according to plan and based on the work plan designed.
• Communicate any delay in data collection effectively to the field team, as well as counterparts in assessment and data/GIS teams.
• Assure the quality of the data collected based on REACH quality standards.

Staff management and trainings of (Senior) Field Officers:

• Train all field officers on data collection, sampling, and survey methods
• Liaise with each Senior Field Officer about weekly/biweekly work plans.
• Assure the attendance of Field Officers at trainings and other mandatory meetings, including external engagement in their relevant field bases and support/capacity building to effectively represent REACH.
• Enforce Field Officers’ compliance with ACTED code of conduct in country.
• Timely flag any issues with Field Officers, deadlines, or anything influencing the data collection at field.
• Report any misconduct from the field officers that affects the field work and safety of the assessment activities, as well as support in any incident reports and proper procedures to ensure safety of the field team
• Assure Field Officers attendance at their monitoring sites.
• Support the Senior Field Officers in their development and provide capacity building to the field team, as well as contribute to Lessons Learned after each research cycle

Budget management:

• Assist in the development of assessment estimated budget and manage expenses within budgetary manner for all field work, including at the proposal/design phase of activities/projects, as well as during the outset of implementation and ongoing field work

Problem solving:

• Identify and address any issues or challenges that arise during the field operations to the REACH Country Coordinator and SMT members, and where relevant the assessment team lead.
• Develop and implement solutions to overcome obstacles.

Coordination and collaboration:

• Provide timely updates to the REACH Country Coordinator and assessment Research Managers of any challenges and difficulties related to the field work.
• Coordinate assessment schedules with potential partners in the field, as well as arrange assessment dates, and communicate any challenges and blockages to the REACH Country Coordinator and assessment Research Managers, including regular review and updating on the Somalia Tracker for activities.
• Provide regular contextual updates to the SMT from information gathered from the field team
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including field team, assessment team, research managers, database, and GIS team to ensure data needs are met and data is effectively utilized to inform assessment strategies and improvements.

Safety and Security:

• Ensure that field officers/senior field officers understand and follow ACTED safety and security protocols and norms inside the country.
• Coordinate and liaise with REACH Country Coordinator and Assessment Officers as well as with ACTED Security Manager.
• Communicate any security incidents or circumstances that may have direct influence on the implementation of the programs to country Coordinator and research managerss.
• Ensure that data collected is removed from paper or smart phone platforms as soon as the data has been transferred to the assessment staff, and that all data protection policies are followed by the field team throughout the process.
• Ensure privacy and security of the information collected in the field.

Liaison between the local authority (Federal government and Federal member states) and REACH

• Build cooperative strong working relationships with the relevant government /local authority departments and ensuring effective communications
• Act as the primary point of contact between the government/local authority and REACH
• Disseminate REACH research/assessment products to the different relevant departments of the local authority/government
• Communicate assessment plans, timelines with the local authority
• Ensure obtaining assessment authorization letters/permit before any field activities engaged
• Any other tasks as directed by your line manager

Qualifications/Technical Skills Required:

• Excellent academic qualifications, including First Degree in relevant discipline.
• Analytical skills in qualitative, quantitative, and geo-spatial data
• 3 years of relevant working experience in humanitarian settings a benefit.
• Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting and engagement with authorities.
• Excellent team management skills.
• Familiarity with the aid system and understanding of donor and governmental requirements.
• Somali Language required; English required.
• Ability to operation Microsoft Word, Excel, and Project Management Software.
• Prior experience of mobile data collection tools
• Ability to operate qualitative data analysis an advantage.
• Ability to work independently.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with diverse team.
• Flexibility and willingness to travel to field locations as required.