Senior Evaluation Officer for Mali, based in Bamako 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 Bamako, Mali

Title: Senior Evaluation Officer

Contract duration: 4 months

Start date: 01.03.2026

Work location: Bamako, Mali.

COUNTRY PROFILE

Mali faces a protracted humanitarian crisis, marked by persistent insecurity, climate shocks, and inadequate basic social services. However, beyond its chronic nature, the crisis is currently undergoing rapid and significant developments.

Initially concentrated in the north and center of the country, insecurity is gradually spreading southwest, as illustrated by recent trends in security incidents reported by ACLED. This dynamic has been exacerbated by major events, notably the fuel blockade in Bamako at the end of last year, which disrupted livelihoods, access to services, and population movements.

In this context of degradation and multiple pressures on communities, humanitarian needs are reaching particularly high levels. According to the MSNA 2025, 83% of households in Mali are in need of humanitarian assistance, an increase of 9% compared to the previous year, driven primarily by the deterioration of shelter conditions and non-food items.

PROFILE POSITION

The Senior Assessment Officer (SAO) will lead the 2026 Multisectoral Needs Assessment (MSNA) in Mali and act as the principal technical lead for the exercise. The SAO will work closely with the Multi-Country Representative and the Research Lead to support resource mobilization efforts and develop a coalition of operational partners, including international and national NGOs, for data collection.

While contributing to fundraising efforts and providing leadership on partner engagement, the SAO will be responsible for all technical aspects of the MSNA, from methodological design and the development of data collection tools to sampling, data collection supervision, and quality assurance. They will ensure scientific rigor, analytical consistency, and compliance with REACH/IMPACT standards throughout the research cycle.

The SAO will also play a central role in coordinating and engaging stakeholders. The MSNA in Mali takes place within a particularly rich coordination environment, involving national authorities through the DNDS, as well as close collaboration with OCHA and cluster colleagues, humanitarian partners responsible for data collection, and UN agencies contributing to technical guidance and the use of results. The SAO will ensure a seamless interface between these actors to guarantee ownership, quality, and operational utility of the assessment.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Evaluation Officer is responsible for the planning, implementation, and monitoring of the entire Multisectoral Needs Assessment (MSNA) cycle in Mali, in close coordination with IMPACT teams and external partners. In this capacity, they ensure the effective management of the project and associated resources, including the hierarchical supervision of national and international evaluation staff involved in the exercise.

More specifically, the Senior Evaluation Officer will be responsible for the following tasks:

1) Understanding the context and strategic positioning of the MSNA

The Senior Assessment Officer is responsible for the in-depth analysis of the humanitarian context in Mali and the strategic positioning of the MSNA within the complex ecosystem of humanitarian, institutional, and coordination actors. They must understand the priorities, information needs, and decision-making mechanisms of the various stakeholders (national authorities, OCHA, clusters, UN agencies, international and national NGOs), as well as how the MSNA informs humanitarian planning, prioritization, and response.

On this basis, he/she will adapt the methodological design of the MSNA in order to maximize its operational relevance, its appropriation by actors and its alignment with the needs of the humanitarian response, while ensuring compliance with REACH/IMPACT standards.

2) Support for resource mobilization (fundraising)

The Senior Evaluation Officer will support the Multi-Country Representative and the Research Manager in their efforts to mobilize funding for the MSNA, particularly through:

  • The contribution to the technical and narrative proposals of projects;
  • Participation in discussions with donors and institutional partners;
  • Defining methodologies and evaluation scopes adapted to budgetary constraints.

3) Methodological design and management of the research

The Senior Assessment Officer is responsible for the complete design of the MSNA, including:

  • The development of the analytical and methodological framework;
  • The development of sampling strategies;
  • The design of multi-sectoral data collection tools;
  • Alignment of indicators with humanitarian frameworks (JIAF, HNRP, clusters);
  • Technical validation of tools and approaches.

4) Engagement and coordination with stakeholders

The Senior Assessment Officer will maintain close and ongoing engagement with all key MSNA stakeholders, including:

  • OCHA and sectoral clusters;
  • The DNDS and national authorities;
  • United Nations agencies;
  • The partner NGOs involved in data collection.

He/she will facilitate methodological consultation spaces, the appropriation of tools and the operational use of results.

5) Coordination and supervision of data collection

The Senior Assessment Officer will coordinate the implementation of large-scale MSNA data collection, in conjunction with operational partners, including:

  • Planning of field operations;
  • The training of collection teams;
  • Real-time progress tracking;
  • Resolving operational and security constraints.

6) Data quality assurance and support for humanitarian use

The Senior Assessment Officer will oversee data quality assurance throughout the process, including:

  • Database control and cleaning;
  • Verification of the consistency and reliability of the information;
  • Rapid sharing of data and preliminary analyses with humanitarian actors.

He/she will also support humanitarian planning processes, including the HNRP, ensuring that MSNA results effectively inform operational prioritizations and decisions.

7) Analysis, report production and dissemination of results

The Senior Evaluation Officer will lead the multi-sectoral analyses and the production of MSNA deliverables,

including:

  • National and sub-national analytical reports;
  • Sector-specific fact sheets and summary products;
  • Presentations to donors, clusters and authorities;
  • Clear communication of results to both technical and non-technical audiences.

8) Cross-cutting support to the Research Manager and other research cycles

The Senior Evaluation Officer will provide support to the Research Manager on all other tasks and research cycles of IMPACT in Mali, as needed, particularly in the areas of methodological design, operational coordination, analysis, reporting, and partner engagement.

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 via the following link: Senior Evaluation Officer for Mali, based in Bamako (Link For External Applicants Only) | Impact