REACH Senior Assessment Officer- Cash and Markets at ACTED

MANAGEMENT OF ALL KENYA and SOMALIA CASH AND MARKET RESEARCH CYCLES:

• Ensuring that all assessments are planned in line with relevant project and program objectives and with REACH’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
• Ensure that required secondary data analysis has been conducted in preparation of an assessment;
• For each assessment, develop ToRs and ensure thorough review of ToRsbefore they are sent to Geneva for validation and ensure that ToRs are validated by HQ before any data collection begins;
• Ensure that ToRs are understood and used by assessment staff and stakeholders, and updated as required; 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.
• Ensuring wherever possible cash and markets research practices and tools are standardized between countries to ensure best practices and efficiencies. These opportunities should be detailed in a high-level cash and markets strategy.
• Ensuring the writing of timely and accurate assessment reports and factsheets with integration of cluster and/or partner feedback;
• Under the direction of the senior research manager, engage in the dissemination of research products, including through articles, IMPACT social media contents, targeted e-mails, presentations, meetings, etc, in line with IMPACT Dissemination and External Communication Guidelines and Research ToRs;
• Ensure that lessons learned are gathered and documented at the end of each research cycle;
• Support the senior research manager to conduct monitoring and evaluation as specified in the research ToRs and in line with IMPACT Guidelines.
• Support the Assessment officers and Field Officers of to implement all aspects of the cash and markets projects;
• Develop and maintain a work plan for cash and markets unit and conduct regular follow-up of the work plan, identify and address any delays in a timely and effective manner;

MANAGEMENT OF ASSESSMENT TEAM AND FIELD ASSESSMENT TEAM

• Conduct regular meeting with junior assessment team members and other team members of the cash and markets unit to assess progress in all research cycles and to review work plan;
• Bilateral management of junior assessment team members, including (in consultation with the senior research manager the conduct of appraisals, as well as participation in staff career management;
• In coordination with the senior research manager, conduct induction for new staff members, including training in basic technical competencies for assessment design, implementation and analysis;
• Support the country senior management 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;
• When relevant, support/ lead staff appraisal and recruitment process in collaboration with the senior management.

PROJECTS CYCLE MANAGEMENT FOR THE CASH AND MARKETS UNIT

• Support the REACH senior management in drafting of relevant funding proposals and budgets;
• Support the senior management in conducting budget follow-ups for the cash and markets unit projects including providing budget forecasts for upcoming assessments.
• Provide inputs in relevant donor and partner reports for the cash and markets unit in close coordination with the senior management.
• 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 REACH’s guidelines; this includes maintaining an oversight of budget availability and expenditure for assessment activities;
• Contribute to the strategy development of the cash and markets unit for Kenya and Somalia

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;
• Represent REACH in relevant meetings/ working groups including Cash working groups;
• Be the REACH focal point in the Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) Workstream of the Kenya Cash working group in close coordination with the co-chair of the Workstream.
• Present REACH assessment findings in relevant external meetings and forums.
• 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;
• Ensure that all partner engagement and all external relations are clearly documented and communicated with the line manager and relevant colleagues; and
• More generally, contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organization, notably through the application of REACH’s mandate, ethics, values and stand-point with regard to other actors.

DATA CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROTECTION

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

ACCOUNTABILITY TO COMMUNITIES AND BENEFICIARIES

The staff member is responsible for ensuring that all relations with the communities we work are conducted in a respectful and consultative manner. Due attention must be paid to ensuring that communities are adequately consulted and informed about REACH programme objectives, activities, beneficiary selection criteria, and methodologies. This is the responsibility of every REACH staff member.

Protection Mainstreaming- Promoting of and adhering to Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy and guidelines

REQUIREMENTS

• Excellent academic qualifications including a bachelor degree in relevant discipline (Social sciences, statistics, economics, research, development studies etc) required. Master’s degree an added advantage.
• At least 5 years of relevant working experience in humanitarian settings in the fields of data analysis, monitoring and evaluation, research or conducting assessments required.
• Experience with cash and voucher assistance projects in humanitarian settings required.
• Experience in cash monitoring and conducting markets assessments highly desirable
• Excellent analytical skills with quantitative and qualitative data, and a good understanding of sampling techniques.
• Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with InDesign an asset.
• Team management experience and skills required;
• Excellent team management, coordination, organizational and planning skills required, including ability to manage large workloads, oversee multiple teams and effectively meet deadlines;
• Experience with external engagement (donors, partners and other key stakeholders) required;
• Familiarity with the humanitarian coordination system required;
• Excellent communication and report drafting skills for effective reporting;
• Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles;
• Proven ability to work independently;
• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Past experience working for Somalia programs an asset but not required;
• Language skills Fluency in English required.