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 organisations have a strong complementarity formalised 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 Research Manager to support our team. This is a senior position, suitable for someone with research and management experience in the humanitarian sector.

Department:                 REACH

Position:                      Research Manager

Contract duration:        12 months

Location:                      Erbil (with regular travel to Baghdad)

Starting Date:               September 2021

Country profile

REACH Initiative has been present in Iraq since 2012, supporting humanitarian decision-making with assessments and information management activities focusing on the needs of displaced, returnees, and conflict-affected populations. Today, data collected and disseminated by REACH aims to provide a baseline for ongoing response planning efforts across Iraq.

REACH assessment activities in Iraq are currently split between three Units:

• HPC Unit: Providing support for decision-makers in the humanitarian planning cycle to encourage evidence based prioritisation
• Durable Solutions Unit: Information support and advocacy for durable solutions for IDPs and returnees
• Evaluations and Learning Unit: Third-party quality monitoring of humanitarian programmes

REACH has its main assessment office in Erbil, with data collection teams working across Iraq.

FUNCTIONS

Under the supervision of the REACH Country Coordinator in Iraq and of IMPACT’s HQ in Geneva, the REACH Research Manager will be responsible for managing one of the three REACH Units. The RM will manage the Unit to implement assessments identifying the most vulnerable populations in Iraq, liaising with external clusters and partners about information gaps for the most vulnerable populations and identifying opportunities to meet information needs. Current research cycles include data collection for the CCCM cluster, the implementation of a country-wide Multi-Cluster Needs Assessment to support the HNO/HRP, and needs assessments in Areas of Return. Other activities will be developed during the Research Manager’s tenure.

The Research Manager position is based in Erbil, Iraq, with travel required to other bases across Iraq, including Baghdad. This is a senior position within the organisation, which necessitates a high level of external engagement, as well as the ability to influence and drive processes, whilst also managing the internal running of operations. The Research Manager is expected to oversee teams, work-plans, donor relations, new proposals and projects, technical design of inputs and review and publication of assessment outputs.

The Research Manager will be responsible for supporting REACH strategy. S/he will be expected to proactively identify gaps in knowledge related to needs by engaging with a wide range of sectoral experts and partner organisations, and using his/her creativity to design new approaches to identifying needs in Iraq.

Beyond the technical aspects, the Research Manager is responsible for line-managing 10-15 staff within the Unit, with room for expansion over the coming year.

At a minimum, management experience, understanding of the humanitarian sector, and technical skills in assessments, monitoring and evaluations is required.

management of research cycles:

• Ensuring that all assessments are planned in line with relevant project and program objectives and with REACH research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
• Compose and construct, in close coordination with GIS and data management team, qualitative and quantitative data collection tools; ensure engagement with GIS teams on GIS requirements of research cycle/assessment;
• Keep track of progress and delays of all assigned assessment throughout the research cycle. Ensure that delays or identified challenges for specific assessments are reported in writing and orally in a timely manner;
• Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged in assessment design and planning.

external engagement

• Ensure that relevant partners are consulted and involved at all stages of research cycle: the preparation of the assessment; data collection; data analysis; review of research products; product dissemination; and lessons learnt; ensure that partner engagement is documented;
• Present research findings to relevant third parties, to enhance their use and impact;
• Ensure that external communications with partners and key stakeholders, including relevant UN agencies, local and national government, and NGOs has been conducted and documented as appropriate;
• Support the IMPACT Country Coordinator in external engagement in relation to REACH/IMPACT strategy or (when requested and with focal point) to fundraising and grants management.

strategy development and implementation

• Actively contribute to the development of REACH strategy in Iraq.

• Isolate information gaps and design assessments, in line with humanitarian and inter-sectoral priorities
• Build strategic partnerships with key humanitarian stakeholders and decision makers
• Support the mission with advocacy and dissemination strategies to strengthen the impact of REACH/IMPACT
• Support in the preparation and follow up of country level internal strategic workshops and plans
• Engage with IMPACT HQ on global level strategic priorities

Drafting of Research Products

• Maintain regular communication with IMPACT HQ on progress and deadlines for written products;
• Review all Unit products before they are sent to IMPACT HQ for validation
• Ensure that all written products are validated by IMPACT HQ before external release

management of unit

• Conduct regular meeting with all international and senior national Unit staff to assess progress in all research cycles and to review work plan;
• Bilateral management of international and senior national Unit staff, including (in consultation with Country Coordinator) appraisals, as well as participation in staff career management;
• Conduct induction for new staff members, including training in basic technical competencies for assessment design, implementation and analysis;
• Support to the Country Coordinator in the development and implementation of capacity training plans for REACH assessment and field team member;
• Be available to provide regular support and technical backstopping.

others

• Support the Country Coordinator in drafting of relevant project narrative and financial reports;
• Maintain an oversight of budget availability and expenditure for assessment activities for which the Unit is responsible;
• Other tasks as requested by supervisors.

• Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master degree in relevant discipline;
• At least 4 years of relevant, progressively senior, work experience in humanitarian settings;
• Strong quantitative and qualitative research skills, with work experience in research, monitoring and evaluation, or other relevant sectors;
• At least 1 years’ experience managing teams in a humanitarian setting;
• Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting;
• Familiarity with the aid system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements;
• Experience with stakeholder engagement;
• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles;
• Fluency in English required, Kurdish and Arabic highly desired;
• Ability to operate Microsoft Word and Excel;
• Skills in R or other statistical analysis software an advantage;

 Interested candidates can apply via the following link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZJ8MDdRnzzaJm-PPyKbdVz6lIFbDTy803z8W0UYNIfRiG4w/viewform 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Only CVs in PDF format will be accepted.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.