IMPACT ASSESSMENT OFFICER- Uganda 275 views1 applications

Department: IMPACT/REACH

Position: IMPACT Assessment Officer

Contract duration: Fixed

Duty Station: Kampala-Uganda- with up to 50% travel to the refugee settlements.

Proposed start Date: Feb 2020

BACKGROUND ON IMPACT

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 organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, enabling IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support on its fields of intervention.

POSITION PROFILE

IMPACT, as part of the “U-LEARN” consortium led by Save the Children International’s Response Innovation Lab (RIL) and in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (UK), will implement a three year cross-sectoral field-driven learning programme for the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development’s Building Resilience and an Effective Emergency Refugee Response (BRAER) business case. U-LEARN will focus on improving quality, accountability and innovation in the Uganda refugee response through the delivery of an integrated programme to enable continuous improvements to the response in Uganda whilst ensuring better accountability to refugee and host communities. The consortium will optimize existing financial resources, systems for Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) and knowledge assets to enhance learning with each partner responsible for the implementation of one component. Consortium partners will develop synergies amongst the findings and make results appropriately and easily accessible to various audiences through a Learning Hub, established as a key output of the programme.

IMPACT will provide oversight of aid delivery by DFID’s partners and mitigate risk through systematic and regular visits to DFID-funded project sites to independently verify (IV) the approach taken by partners in a mixed-methods and multi-pronged approach, centered on risk-reduction and clear Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP). IMPACT’s activities will seek to capture detailed information about aid delivery and experience of beneficiaries in close coordination with IRC. These experiences will be conveyed to both DFID and their partners, and other actors in the broader humanitarian response as necessary and will directly inform the AAP and learning components of U-LEARN. IMPACT will take a flexible approach to IV to allow for real time adaptations, and to ensure activities are useful and relevant. All activities will be tailored to provide quantitative and qualitative information across refugee settlements where BRAER partners operate.

IMPACT’s IV approach will include, but will not be limited to:

Desk reviews of DFID M&E documents and partnership frameworks, such as results frameworks, past project reports, relevant tools for documenting and monitoring project activities, to understand BRAER partners and their activities.

Household (HH) surveys and assessments through observations, interviews and focus group discussions.

Key informant interviews (KIIs) with community and village heads, local councils, settlement and district authorities, teachers etc.

Regular visits and on-site monitoring with visual documentation of implementation sites, such as warehouses, stores, health centers, among others to verify quality and results.

Inclusion of women and children as well as persons with disabilities in assessments and surveys

Triangulation of monitoring findings with partner data and through joint analysis workshops to ensure inclusion and comparison. **

Under the functional supervision of the Senior Assessment Officer in Uganda, the Assessment Officer is responsible for the management of all IMPACT research cycles relating to the project, including implementation, resource mobilization and management, partnership framework, dissemination and evaluation. He/she works closely with the senior field officers and field officers on the content of assessments, ensuring high quality data collection, and with the Senior Assessment Officer in development and implementation of IMPACT strategy in Uganda. The position will be based in Kampala, with up to 50% travel to the refugee settlements.

Duties and Responsibilities:

compile and analyse available data related to the project produce secondary data reviews, assessment reports, situation overviews, and factsheets.

Responsible for conducting all assessments related to the research cycle

Working in close collaboration with Senior Assessment Officer and project partners in the design, implementation, data cleaning and analysis survey.

Ensure that assessment strategies are implemented in a structured and coherent manner in line with project and strategic objectives

Coordinate logistical aspects of assessments with partner organisations; manage and direct data collection teams in the field

Provide oversight of data analysis and reporting from the collaborative assessments

Ensure the writing of timely and accurate assessment reports and factsheets from collaborative assessments

Support the development/revision of assessment / programme strategies, reports or new proposals;

In coordination with the Senior Assessment Officer, external representation of IMPACT with donors, partners and the wider aid community through coordination mechanisms and sectoral working groups (if necessary);

Coordinate timely and accurate reporting to IMPACT Headquarters.

1. Management of all Research Cycles

1.1 Assessment Preparation and Planning:

Ensure that all assessments are planned in line with relevant project and program objectives and with IMPACT’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 and review ToRs before 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;

Track 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 to the Field Manager, Senior Assessment Officer, and other relevant staff;

Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged in assessment design and planning.

1.2 Data collection and management

Ensure that required enumerators are identified and trained for primary data collection;

Monitor data collection, ensuring its correct implementation in line with agreed ToRs;

Ensure that the Senior Assessment Officer and IMPACT Country Focal Point are alerted to any issues that prevents full implementation of the methodology in line with the agreed ToRs; ensure that all changes to the methodology are documented throughout implementation;

Ensure logistics, financial, administration, security and HR processes directly related to IMPACT have been appropriately implemented and coordinated with the relevant ACTED departments.

Ensure regular situation updates on data collection have been produced and circulated to relevant IMPACT, ACTED, and external counterparts. Provide support and follow up on identified challenges during the data collection process;

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;

Oversee analysis on collected data as per ToRs;

Ensure that tested and accurate 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.

1.3 Product drafting

Maintain regular communication with IMPACT HQ on progress and deadlines for written products;

Ensure the drafting of timely and accurate assessment outputs (i.e. reports, factsheets, etc.), which comply with IMPACT’s guidelines and quality standards;

Review all products before they are sent to IMPACT HQ for validation;

Ensure that all written products are validated by IMPACT HQ before external release.

1.4 Product dissemination and evaluation

Under the direction of the IMPACT Country Coordinator and Country Focal Point, 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;

Under supervision of IMPACT HQ, ensure that research products are uploaded in relevant data portals, as specified in Research ToRs;

Ensure that lessons learned are gathered and documented at the end of each research cycle;

Support the IMPACT Country Focal Point to conduct monitoring and evaluation as specified in the research ToRs and in line with IMPACT Guidelines

2. External relations

In coordination with the Senior Assessment Officer, ensure that relevant partners are consulted and involved at all stages of research cycle as necessary: the preparation of the assessment; data collection; data analysis; review of research products; product dissemination; and lessons learnt; ensure that partner engagement is documented;

In coordination with the Senior Assessment Officer, 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;

In coordination with the Senior Assessment Officer, represent IMPACT in technical external engagements related to assessments

3. Confidentiality and Data Protection

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.

4. Accountability to Communities and Beneficiaries

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

5.Protection mainstreaming

Promoting of and adhering to Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse policy and guidelines (for site residents, ACTED staff, partner agencies, casual labours etc).

Qualifications and Experience

Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master degree in relevant discipline;

Excellent analytical skills;

At least 2 years of experience working in humanitarian settings required;

At least 1 year of experience leading monitoring and evaluation related assessment required;

Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting;

Excellent team management skills, including remote management of staff;

Ability to implement large-scale assessments, both qualitative and quantitative.

Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;

Familiarity with the aid system, and understanding of donor and governmental requirements;

Fluency in English required

Advanced Microsoft Excel skills required;

Ability to operate Microsoft Word and Project Management Software;

Ability to operate SPSS, Python, R, or related statistical programming required

Ability to operate GIS is an asset;

High level of autonomy and willingness to spend time in deep field locations during rapid assessments away from IMPACT/ ACTED support;

Ability to work independently.