Senior Evaluation Officer For Burkina Faso, Based In Ouagadougou At IMPACT Initiatives

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IMPACT AND REACH

REACH was established 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 objective is to promote and facilitate the development of information products that enhance the decision-making and planning capacity of the humanitarian community in emergency, reconstruction, and development contexts. REACH facilitates information management for aid actors through three complementary services: (a) needs and situation assessments facilitated by REACH teams; (b) situation analysis using satellite imagery; and (c) provision of databases, mapping (web-based) facilities, and related expertise.

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization manages several initiatives, including the REACH initiative. The IMPACT team is composed of specialists in data collection, management, and analysis, as well as GIS. IMPACT was launched at the initiative of ACTED, an international NGO headquartered in Paris and present in some thirty countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, allowing IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support in its areas of intervention.

We are currently seeking a Senior Assessment Officer to support our team in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Title: Senior Evaluation Officer

Contract duration : 9 months

Start date : 01.02.2026

Work location : Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

COUNTRY PROFILE

Burkina Faso is facing a multidimensional humanitarian crisis, marked by persistent armed violence, massive population displacements, and the effects of climate change. According to the Harmonized Framework analysis of November 2024, approximately 2.1 million people (nearly 9.4% of the total population) were experiencing acute food insecurity (phases 3 and 4) between October and December 2024. For the 2025 lean season (June-August), the Harmonized Framework projects that more than 2.9 million people could fall into acute food insecurity (phases 3+), representing approximately 13% of the national population.

Regional disparities are particularly pronounced in the Sahel, North-Central, Northern, and Eastern regions, where internal displacement, limited access to arable land, and fodder shortages exacerbate vulnerability. In some provinces, such as Soum, Sanmatenga, Loroum, and Komandjoari, households face livelihood losses and severely restricted humanitarian access. The CH also notes that nearly 40% of the projected population experiencing acute food insecurity during the lean season lives in areas that are difficult to access due to insecurity and movement restrictions.

Beyond the national figures, this situation reflects a structural challenge: the difficulty of delivering vital, multi-sectoral assistance to the most affected areas, where needs remain largely unmet in terms of food, nutrition, health, water, hygiene, sanitation and protection.

JOB PROFILE

The Senior Evaluation Officer (SEO) will lead a small research team and act as the focal point for the Burkina Faso chapter of a regional study funded by the FHRAOC, covering four countries. The SEO will report directly to the Research Manager based in Ouagadougou and will receive thematic supervision from the FHRAOC Associate Research Manager based in Niamey, Niger. This position requires both analytical and managerial skills, with responsibilities ranging from coordinating with external partners (FHRAOC-funded INGOs and NGOs) to the analytical supervision of research outputs, as well as contributing to logistics, reporting, and financial planning.

The position requires strong research and analytical skills, proven experience in challenging environments, creativity, autonomy, and the ability to work closely with partners in a collaborative setting. Candidates must demonstrate excellent writing and presentation skills and be able to clearly interpret and communicate the implications of research findings. The SAO will regularly work with data: identifying key findings, writing impactful notes and fact sheets, presenting results to external audiences with varying levels of data literacy, and mentoring colleagues to strengthen the analytical approach in their own research.

RESEARCH CONTEXT

Although the responsibilities of the Senior Evaluation Officer (SEO) may evolve as IMPACT’s research footprint in Burkina Faso expands, the initial focus will be on the FHRAOC-funded 12-month research project scheduled to start in October 2025. This project covers Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad.

The overall objective of the project is to assess the contribution of FHRAOC-funded interventions to affected populations. More specifically, the research will focus on (i) the evolution of multi-sectoral and sectoral needs, and (ii) the needs, priorities, and expectations of affected populations regarding Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP).

The project is structured around three research components:

A baseline and closing assessment of the evolution of needs;

A mixed-methods RPA assessment;

A synthesis of lessons learned from partners, community leaders and beneficiaries.

The study will take place between 2025 and 2026 in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad, and the results will be aggregated to provide an analysis across the central Sahel.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Evaluation Officer is responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation, and monitoring of the research cycles to which they are assigned, in close coordination with other team members and relevant external partners. In doing so, the Senior Evaluation Officer will ensure the effective management of projects and related resources, including (where applicable) national and international evaluation staff responsible for hierarchical management.

More specifically, the senior evaluation officer is responsible for the following tasks:

Research planning and implementation

  • To ensure the quality and smooth running of the entire FHROAC research cycle and to support links with other existing projects.
  • Analysis of the context and identification of existing information gaps;
  • Ensure that the research cycle is implemented in accordance with REACH standards;
  • Technical proposals on the choices and practices of research methodologies and their implementation (creation of questionnaires, participation in the creation of data collection monitoring tools, etc.);
  • Production of FHRAOC products (Terms of Reference, final products).
  • Ensure the coordination of the FHRAOC project, with all the Data, GIS, Operations, Security teams as well as the Country Coordinator.
  • Ensure follow-up on all data collection, including supporting the data team in cleaning certain data.
  • Work closely with FHRAOC-funded partners and liaise with them to harmonize tools and collect data from beneficiaries.

Participate in identifying logistical, HR and financial needs

  • Frequent participation in IMPACT’s internal meetings;
  • Identification of HR, logistical and financial needs for the FHRAOC project;
  • Monitoring deliverables and the timeline of colleagues under his/her responsibility.

External engagement and capacity building

  • Ensuring regular engagement with humanitarian coordination structures and capacity building
  • Provide training to external partners (technicians, government, NGOs, etc.) when necessary (e.g., on FHRAOC data);
  • Participation in meetings of the various clusters and identification of the potential needs of the clusters, as well as project opportunities;
  • Representing REACH to external partners: local and international NGOs, government actors;
  • Presentations of the results of IMPACT projects during relevant workshops.

Team management, capacity building and country strategy

  • Ensure the research strategy for IMPACT projects and the hierarchical management of an evaluation officer and a field officer:
  • Ensure the distribution of tasks within the evaluation team;
  • Develop skills, implement capacity building methods for all evaluation, GIS and data officers in research;
  • Preparation of training materials;
  • Identification of internal and external training opportunities for the team;
  • Ensure the development and monitoring of the country strategy for the research team.

REQUIREMENTS

  • University education: Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (international relations, political science, social research, sociology, economics, development studies, or similar).
  • Management experience: Prior experience in a management role within an NGO in the field. Proven experience managing international and national teams in humanitarian contexts.
  • Security environment : Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment or previous experience in high security challenge contexts is an asset;
  • Familiarity with the support system and with search methods;
  • Excellent communication and report writing skills, including proven experience contributing to high-level presentations/briefings.
  • Years of professional experience: At least 3 years of relevant professional experience or proven progression within IMPACT.
  • Research skills : Excellent research and analytical skills are an asset. Experience in evaluations, monitoring and evaluation, field research, and assessments is an asset.
  • Software skills: Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Advanced skills in R or other statistical analysis software are an advantage. Experience with InDesign, Tableau, or Power BI is a strong asset.
  • Skills in managing diverse tasks; Ability to perform multiple tasks under tight deadlines, across numerous research cycles in a complex environment;
  • Level of independence : An autonomous person with a proven ability to work independently;
  • Intercultural work environment; Ability to function in an intercultural environment requiring flexibility;
  • Language skills: Fluency in French required; knowledge of English would be an asset.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

  • For this position, the salary ranges from CHF 2,820 to CHF 2,880 per month (before income tax), plus a monthly living allowance of USD 300. Note: Salaries at IMPACT are strictly determined by the salary scale based on the position grade and the employee’s level of education. A security and/or isolation adjustment, depending on the duty station, is then applied in recognition of the fact that some staff members work in environments where living and working conditions are significantly more challenging than elsewhere.
  • Accommodation in a guest house.
  • Membership in a Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approx. 9.975% of gross salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance.
  • Airfare every 6 months and visa fees covered (internal travel expenses and business expenses are fully covered).
  • R&R leave after 2 to 3 months (airfare up to USD 500 + subsistence allowance of USD 200), if the duty station permits.
  • Contribution to baggage transport: between 20 and 100 kg depending on the duration of the contract (+ baggage and personal belongings insurance).
  • 36 days of annual leave per year. Public holidays of the country of assignment. Family/compassionate leave where applicable.
  • Pre-departure induction: 3 days at IMPACT Initiatives headquarters in Geneva + one week of pre-departure training at ACTED headquarters in Paris, including 4 days of on-site safety training.
  • IMPACT prioritizes the psychological well-being of its staff. The health insurance offered covers up to €1,000 per year for psychosocial support costs.

How to apply

Please apply directly on the website: Senior Evaluation Officer for Burkina Faso, based in Ouagadougou (Link For External Applicants) | Impact