Impact Assessment Officer - Nigeria at IMPACT Initiatives

Country Profile

 

Since May 2013, the Boko Haram insurgency in Northern Nigeria has destroyed infrastructure, provoked dramatic livelihoods erosion and triggered the displacement of over 2 million people, out of which 1.4 million people are in Borno State. The humanitarian situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) is critical. Following years of conflict, the majority of the state’s rural areas are empty. Much of the population has fled to the relative safety of Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, or other Local Government Area (LGA) capitals. In the IDP camps of Maiduguri and other enclaved LGA capitals, large portions of the population are extremely vulnerable and in need of immediate humanitarian support. While some areas have recently experienced returns in proximity of main roads, the population from many LGAs is likely to remain displaced for the medium term, lacking security, shelter and livelihoods in their villages of origin. When returns are made possible, it will be essential to support returnees in rebuilding their homes, which are in many cases completely destroyed, and resuming their productive lives and livelihoods.

 

Since April 2017, IMPACT’s REACH Initiative has been deployed to Nigeria to help meeting the information needs of humanitarian actors operating in the State and build a better understanding of the needs of conflict affected populations. Supported by EU humanitarian aid and in coordination with different humanitarian actors, REACH is carrying out the following activities:

 

• Assessing IDPs’ movement intentions: IMPACT’s REACH Initiative is assessing IDP intentions to return to their area of origin, move to a new location, or settle permanently in their current location in Borno State, while also looking into factors that are likely to influence IDPs’ decision to move, such as their current living conditions, separation from family members and access to information on their preferred future location. The assessment will help anticipate internal displacement flows and understand IDPs’ current needs, vulnerabilities, coping mechanisms, as well as future challenges.
• Camp infrastructure mapping: IMPACT’s REACH Initiative is collecting information on formal IDP camps in Borno State to support site planning and the effective distribution of humanitarian assistance.
• Rapid assessments of informal IDP camps: IMPACT’s REACH Initiative is profiling informal IDP camps in Maiduguri, Borno State, to better understand displacement dynamics of these IDP populations, while in parallel identifying common community services used by IDPs and barriers in accessing critical services.
• Cash Working Group support: IMPACT’s REACH Initiative has conducted research to support the implementation of cash programming across Borno State in close coordination with the CWG Coordinator.

 

Functions

 

Under the functional supervision of the IMPACT Country Focal Point in Nigeria and of IMPACT’s HQ in Geneva, and in close collaboration with the IMPACT Consortium Assessment Manager and IMPACT Field Manager, the IMPACT Assessment Officer is responsible for the creation of information products and the supervision of IMPACT assessments, including their preparation, implementation and follow-up. He/she is also responsible for related logistics, partner coordination, reporting and finance requirements and will be required to provide input to the strategic development of IMPACT in Nigeria

 

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

 

Responsibilities

 

In coordination with the IMPACT Country Focal Point, the IMPACT Assessment Officer is responsible for designing and implementing IMPACT research cycles for UNHCR. This includes:

 

1. Assessment Planning and Preparation

 

• Ensuring that assessments are planned in line with relevant project and program objectives and with IMPACT’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
• Identify and analyse secondary data;
• For each assessment, draft ToRs and ensure that they are approved by management (including Geneva HQ) before data collection begins, and understood and used by assessment staff and stakeholders;
• 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.

 

2. Data Collection

 

The following activities will be conducted as necessary to support the Field Manager, who will be the functional lead on all data collection activities:

 

• Identification and training of enumerators for primary data collection;
• Overseeing data collection, in line with agreed TORs;
• Management of enumerators, including regular briefings and debriefings, problem solving, technical support, performance assessment, etc;
• Manage logistics, financial, administration and HR processes related to research cycles and liaise accordingly with the relevant ACTED counterpart. He/she is directly responsible for the compliance to ACTED FLAT procedures of all activities and teams that s/he supervises.
• In partnership with the GIS team, when relevant, ensure that collected data is geo-referenced enabling the production of maps and related products;
• Immediately alerting IMPACT Country Focal Point and IMPACT HQ to any issues that prevents full implementation of the methodology in line with the agreed TORs; document any agreed changes to the methodology throughout implementation;
• Drafting of situation updates on data collection progress for submission to IMPACT Country Focal Point, and, where relevant, external partners and stakeholders.

 

3. Data Management

 

• Ensure that all collected data is stored in line with IMPACT’s Data Management Guidelines, and with the ToRs (data management plan Annex);
• Ensure that data is revised and cleaned, and that all revisions are recorded;
• Conduct analysis on collected data as per ToRs;
• Ensure 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;
• Ensure the quality and accuracy of technical information provided as well as the confidentiality and protection of collected information.

 

4. Product Drafting

 

• Ensure that all collected data is stored in line with IMPACT’s Data Management Guidelines, and with the ToRs (data management plan Annex);
• Ensure that data is revised and cleaned, and that all revisions are recorded;
• Conduct analysis on collected data as per ToRs;
• Ensure 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;
• Ensure the quality and accuracy of technical information provided as well as the confidentiality and protection of collected information.

 

5. External Relations

 

• Under the coordination of the IMPACT Country Focal Point, ensure that relevant partners are consulted and involved in: the preparation of the assessment; data collection; data analysis; review of research products; product dissemination; and lessons learnt;
• Document and file all external engagement during each research cycle;
• When requested by the IMPACT Country Focal Point, participate in inter-NGO meetings and those of UN agencies and any other relevant, while maintaining the positive image and overall credibility of the organization;
• Represent, in close coordination with the IMPACT Field Manager, IMPACT during regular Consortium Technical Analysis Unit.

 

6. Others

 

• Support the IMPACT Country Focal Point and ACTED support team in drafting of relevant project narrative and financial reports;
• Maintain an oversight, in close coordination with the IMPACT Country Focal Point and the Consortium Finance Manager, of budget availability and burn-rates for all data collection activities.

 

Key performance indicators

 

Institutional engagement in research process:

 

• # and type of actors participating in various steps of research cycles
• Reported level of satisfaction by actors involved in the research

 

Use of research findings to inform aid response:

 

• # of actors accessing and using drafted research products
• # of actors using research findings to inform their activities and planning
• Reported level of satisfaction by actors using research findings

 

Management of research process:

 

• Average number of days between end of data collection and internal product validation, by type of product
• % of research cycles with complete documentation folder (validated TOR(s)/Methodology note(s) for assessment(s) including all annexes; validated data set(s) and cleaning log(s); validated output(s).

 

The IMPACT Assessment Officer will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes. 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

 

• Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in relevant discipline;
• Excellent quantitative and qualitative analysis skills;
• At least 1 year of relevant working experience in humanitarian settings, preferably in monitoring and evaluation of programme implementation
• Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting;
• Excellent team management skills;
• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Familiarity with the aid system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements;
• Prior knowledge of the region an asset
• Fluency in English required, proficiency in Hausa or Kanuri as asset
• Ability to operate Microsoft Word and Project Management Software
• Advanced skills in Excel, SPSS, R or related statistical programming
• Ability to work independently

 

Conditions

 

• Salary defined by the IMPACT salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus
• Additional monthly living allowance
• Free food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse/or housing allowance (depending on contract length and country of assignment)
• Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance
• Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement package