Senior Assessment Officer based in Chisinau, Moldova

BACKGROUND ON IMPACT AND REACH

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organisation manages several initiatives, including the REACH Initiative, AGORA, and PANDA. 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 relationship formalised in a global partnership, enabling IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support in its fields of intervention.

REACH was born in 2010 as a joint initiative of two International NGOs (IMPACT and ACTED) and the United Nations Operational Satellite Applications Program (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) needs 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

IMPACT has been active in Moldova since late February 2022, following the escalation of conflict in neighbouring Ukraine. IMPACT’s work has primarily been to facilitate the emergency response efforts in support of the more than 700,000 refugees that entered Moldova in the months following. Today, more than 100,000 refugees remain in the country. Alongside the pressures felt due to the Ukraine conflict, Moldovan society continues to grapple with several other interconnected challenges. These include economic uncertainty, energy insecurity, government reform and climate change. The humanitarian response is therefore shifting towards a medium to long term outlook that addresses the vulnerabilities of refugee population alongside those of the Moldovan host population in a holistic manner. IMPACT Moldova scope has likewise expanded to conduct research that covers the spectrum of humanitarian and development needs in the country, in order to provide timely data and analysis to a variety of partners and other relevant stakeholders.

The programming portfolio for IMPACT Moldova currently consists of two research teams: The Vulnerability & Inclusion RT which focuses on provision of protection and basic needs to vulnerable communities through continuing support to the refugee response in Moldova and by providing research insights that lead to enhanced support to Moldovan communities in need; and the Resilient Practices RT which aims to support partners in strengthening local governance, improving socio-economic outcomes and access to public services, and enhancing disaster risk awareness and preparedness. These research teams are supported by a cross-cutting Technical Support Team focused on data support, information management, and GIS/ remote sensing.

We are currently looking for a Senior Assessment Officer to support our team in Moldova.

Department:REACH / AGORA

Position: Senior Assessment Officer

Contract duration:12 months

Location: Chisinau, Moldova

Starting Date: June/July 2024

FUNCTIONS

IMPACT Moldova is looking for a Senior Assessment Officer to work with the Resilient Practices Research Team on critical assessments including Area-based Assessments in Causeni and Criuleni Raions, nation-wide housing sector and entrepreneurship landscape assessments, among others.

Under the line management of the Resilient Practices Associate Research Manger in Moldova, the Senior Assessment Officer is responsible for the implementation of IMPACT’s research cycles in Moldova, including the preparation, data collection, analysis, drafting, dissemination and evaluation stages. Throughout research cycles, the Senior Assessment Officer engages with partners to promote their participation and maximize their impact. He/she also ensures an efficient and transparent use of resources required for project implementation. This can include the direct supervision of assessment teams.

During his/her mission, the Senior Assessment Officer will be hosted by IMPACT’s global partner ACTED and will fall under the direct responsibility and management of ACTED’s Country Director and his/her delegates for all Administrative, Security, and relevant Logistics and Finance issues. S/he will therefore fully abide to ACTED’s Security, Administration, and relevant HR, Logistics and Finance rules and regulations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Assessment Officer is responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation and follow up of research cycles to which s/he is assigned, in close coordination with other team members and with relevant external partners. In doing so, the Senior Assessment Officer will ensure an effective management of related projects and resources, including (when relevant) line-management national and international assessment staff.

More specifically the Senior Assessment Officer is responsible for the following:

RESEARCH PLANNING:

• Anticipate knowledge gaps prior to the execution of a Research Cycle;

• Ensure that required secondary data review and/or analysis has been conducted in preparation of an assessment;
• Ensure that all research cycles are planned in line with the country strategy, relevant research and project objectives and with IMPACT’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
• Design research approaches and methodologies according to IMPACT’s requirements and principles as well as partners’ information needs;

• Compose and construct, in close coordination with GIS and data teams, qualitative and quantitative data collection tools;
• For each research cycle, prepare ToRs and ensure their validation by HQ before any data collection begins;
• Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged in research design and planning.

RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION

• In close liaison with field officer(s), ensure that required enumerators are identified and trained for primary data collection;
• In close liaison with field officer(s), Monitor data collection, ensuring its correct implementation in line with agreed TORs;
• In close liaison with field officer(s), Manage assessment logistics, including with partner organizations, identifying assessment areas, facilitating design workshops, managing joint data collection processes, and facilitating joint analysis workshops;

• In close liaison with field officer(s), Ensure regular situation updates on data collection are produced and circulated to line manager, relevant colleagues and external counterparts. Provide support and follow up on identified challenges during the data collection process;

• Ensure that the line manager and IMPACT HQ research department are alerted to any issues that prevents full implementation of the methodology agreed in the approved TORs. Ensure that all changes to the methodology are documented throughout implementation, and that any change is formally validated by IMPACT HQ;

• Keep track of progress and delays of all assigned assessments throughout the research cycle. Ensure that delays or identified challenges for specific assessments are reported in writing and orally in a timely manner;
• In close liaison with field officer (s), Ensure logistics, financial, administration, security and HR processes directly related to ongoing and upcoming assessments are appropriately planned, implemented and coordinated with the relevant ACTED departments;
• Ensure that all collected data is stored in line with IMPACT’s Data Management Guidelines and with the ToRs;
• In close liaison with field officer (s), Ensure that data is revised and cleaned, and that all revisions are recorded;

• In close liaison with data colleagues Provide data analysis on primary and/or secondary data as per ToRs, ensuring that meaningful techniques are used to analyze the data collected;
• Ensure that data and its analysis are validated by IMPACT HQ before product drafting stage;
• Ensure that data and its analysis do not contain personal information and are validated by IMPACT HQ before sharing to external parties.

DRAFTING OF RESEARCH PRODUCTS

• Ensure the drafting of timely and accurate outputs that consolidate the analyses from each research cycle into relevant products such as factsheets, reports, briefs, presentations, etc which comply with IMPACT’s guidelines and quality standards;

• Ensure that products accurately reflect the information collected and that information is conveyed in a way that maximizes their impact in line with their intended use;

• Liaise with relevant GIS colleagues to ensure effective spatial representation of research findings in maps or interactive web-portals, as relevant;
• Follow the designated timeline of reports to be submitted to project partners and donors. Ensure that delays or identified challenges for specific assessments are reported in writing and orally in a timely manner;

• Maintain regular communication with country Management and IMPACT HQ on progress and deadlines for written products;
• Ensure that all written products are validated by IMPACT HQ before external release.

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT

• Ensure that relevant partners are consulted and involved at all stages of research cycle: assessment preparation; data collection; data analysis; review of research products; product dissemination; and lessons learnt;

• After validation by the line manager, represent IMPACT in relevant meetings/ working groups;

• Follow up on issues identified by partners or during meetings / working groups;

• Promote an active use of datasets and research findings by partners and the broader humanitarian community for their decision making;

• After validation by line manager, present research findings to relevant third parties in order to enhance their use and impact;
• Ensure that all partner engagement and all external relations are clearly documented and communicated with the line manager and relevant colleagues;

• More generally, contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organization, notably through the application of IMPACT’s mandate, ethics, values and stand-point with regard to other actors.

KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND LEARNING PROCESSES

• In coordination with country management, support the conduct of monitoring and evaluation for each Research Cycle, as specified in the research ToRs and in line with IMPACT Guidelines;

• Generate and document robust lessons learned at the end of each Research Cycle;
• Ensure knowledge and learning processes are shared with other Units and teams within mission, and with HQ;
• When required, provide feedback to appropriate global organizational knowledge learning tools.

PROJECT CYCLE MANAGEMENT

For relevant projects, ensure compliance to project cycle management requirements and guidelines at all phases:

• Before project start, ensure the organization of a kick off meeting and the availability of key project management documentations to plan the efficient use of assets, financial and human resources;

• In close coordination with line management, finance and grants colleagues, monitor and regularly update the use of assets, financial and human resources, in full compliance with IMPACT’s guidelines; this includes maintaining an oversight of budget availability and expenditure for assessment activities;
• Ensure that project deliverables and requirements are tracked, met and complied to;

• Ensure that any issue in relation to project implementation is reported to the line manager, finance and grants colleagues, and HQ;

• Ensure that a project completion meeting is held and documented for all relevant projects;

• Support the line manager, finance and grants colleagues in drafting of relevant project narrative and financial reports;
• Other tasks as requested by supervisors.

TEAM MANAGEMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING

• As relevant, line management of national and international assessment team members;

• For staff under his/her responsibility, and in close consultation with line manager, conduct of appraisals, provision of regular feedback, and participation in career management;
• Prepare and follow up work plans with each staff member that directly reports to him/her;

• Conduct regular meetings with relevant national and international assessment staff members to assess progress in relevant research cycles and to review work plan;

• For all activities, ensure that all assessment and field teams are comprehensively briefed on objectives, expected outputs and that the overall implementation strategy is clearly understood;

• Ensure that project/field staff are given required training and resources to achieve their tasks in line with IMPACT and project requirements;

• Be available to provide regular support and technical backstopping; regularly debrief team members to receive feedback on the progress of an activity;

• In coordination with line manager, contribute to conduct induction for new staff members, including training in basic technical competencies for research design, implementation and analysis;

• Support to the line managers and specialists in the development and implementation of capacity training plans for team members.

INTERNAL COORDINATION

• Actively participate in regular team meetings;

• Ensure regular coordination and exchange with relevant colleagues;

• Engage in the development and implementation of IMPACT’s strategy in (country).

DATA CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROTECTION

The Senior Assessment Officer will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes, ensuring full compliance with IMPACT’s data protection policy and SOPs. He/she will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of any information and data belonging to IMPACT and its partners, or collected during his/her assignment with IMPACT.

REQUIREMENTS

• Academic Excellent academic qualifications, preferably including a Master degree in relevant discipline;
• Research skills Proficiencyand proven experience with research methods. Excellent analytical skills
• Software skills Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Advanced skills in R, SPSS and/or STATA or other statistical analysis software are an advantage; Experience with InDesign an asset.
• Years of work experience At least 3 years of relevant working experience. Experience in humanitarian settings highly desirable;
• Management skills Team management experience and skills highly desirable;
• Thematic experience Prior experience with Area-based Assessments is desirable
• Communication/reporting skills Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting;
• Multi-tasking skills Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles;
• Level of independence Proven ability to work independently;
• Cross-cultural work environment Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Experience in geographical region Past experience in the Eastern European region is desirable;
• Language skills Fluency in English required, competency in Rumanian and/or Russian an asset;

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• For this position, salary between 2’400 CHF and 2’520 CHF monthly (before income tax), etc as well as a monthly living allowance of 300 USD
  • NB - IMPACT salaries are strictly determined by our salary grid depending on the grade of the position and the level of education of staff. A location-dependent security and/or isolation adjustment is then applied as a recognition that some staff are required to work in difficult places where living and working conditions are much more difficult than elsewhere.
• Accommodation and food provided in a guesthouse. NB – IMPACT is hosted by ACTED in this country
• Enrolment in Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approx. 9.975% of staff gross salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance
• Accompanied status does not apply to this position
• Flight tickets every 6 months & visa fees covered (in-country travel costs and professional expenses are fully covered)
• Contribution to the luggage transportation: between 20 and 100 kgs, depending on the length of the contract (+ luggage and personal property insurance)
• Annual leave of 36 days per year. Public holidays of the country of assignment. Family/compassionate leave when applicable.
• Predeparture induction - 3 days at IMPACT Initiatives’s HQ in Geneva + one week pre-departure training in ACTED HQ in Paris, including a 4-days in situ security training;
• Enrolment in IMPACT Initiatives Research Foundational Learning Programme within the first 3 months from the start of contract.
• IMPACT prioritizes the psychological safety of its staff and the health insurance provided covers, among others, up to 1000 € per year of psychosocial counselling fees