Background about ACTED/REACH
Since 1993, as an international non-governmental organization, ACTED has been committed to immediate humanitarian relief to support those in urgent need and protect people’s dignity, while co-creating longer term opportunities for sustainable growth and fulfilling people’s potential. ACTED endeavours to respond to humanitarian crises and build resilience; promote inclusive and sustainable growth; co-construct effective governance and support the building of civil society worldwide by investing in people and their potential. We go the last mile: ACTED’s mission is to save lives and support people in meeting their needs in hard-to-reach areas. With a team of 7000 staff, ACTED is active in 42 countries and implements more than 550 projects a year reaching over 20 million beneficiaries.
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, GIS and remote-sensing. 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, which allows particularly 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 Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) 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, supporting and working within the framework of the humanitarian reform process. 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 & (web)-mapping facilities & expertise.
Context of the position and key challenges
Country profile
In Kenya, Acted has been present since 2007 to meet the humanitarian and development needs of communities affected by natural calamities, population displacement and inadequate access to basic services. Acted has a capital office in Nairobi and operational bases in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) counties in RiftValley and Northern Kenya. The teams work with local governments and partners to support the most vulnerable households through Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), food assistance and disaster preparedness programmes.
REACH has been operational in Kenya since 2016, providing information management support to humanitarian actors on the needs and intentions of refugees and vulnerable populations as well as the needs and vulnerabilities of the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands counties of Kenya. REACH Kenya is looking to expand information support to the humanitarian response in several key areas, including IDP settlement profiling and monitoring, multi-sector needs assessments, durable solutions and improved remote data collection. Key strategic aims are to increase geographic and sectoral coverage and to enhance advocacy capacity through strengthened data collection and information targeting.
FUNCTIONS
Under the management of the Country Coordinator, the Research Manager oversees the programs and staff within the Kenya mission (Cash & Markets, and intersectoral work stream). The Research Manager leads the team to achieve program excellence and ensure the highest level of impact and accountability while ensuring compliance to IMPACT’s guidelines and standards. As part of the country’s Senior Management Team, s/he contributes to the development and implementation of IMPACT’s country strategy and promotes organizational vision and core values across the mission.
The Research Manager is responsible for the management and coordination of all REACH research cycles in Kenya including implementation, resource mobilisation and management, partnership framework, dissemination, and evaluation. S/he directly supervises all senior assessment and field staff in Kenya.
In his/her mission, the Research Manager will be employed by ACTED and will therefore fully abide by ACTED’s Security, HR, Administration, and Logistics rules and regulations, and, in coordination with ACTED, will ensure IMPACT staff in his/her unit abide by them.
Key roles and responsibilities
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Research Manager’s responsibilities include the following:
Strategy development & implementation
Context analysis: With specific attention to his/her Unit’s technical, programmatic, and institutional focus, and in coordination with the country coordinator, the Research Manager ensures that IMPACT has an up to date understanding of:
- The country’s socio-economic situation, the impact of a crisis, and the aid/humanitarian situation;
- The aid/humanitarian planning, coordination, and response mechanisms, as well as key aid/humanitarian stakeholders.
Develop and oversee the implementation of a Unit Strategy in alignment with country and global priorities, and fully integrated into country strategy; take a lead role in identifying strategic opportunities for strengthening IMPACT’s work in the country within the scope of his/her unit; in particular:
- Ensure the Unit’s activities are relevant and have a measurable impact on the aid/humanitarian response;
- Identify new programs and approaches in which the Unit can add value to the aid/humanitarian response;
- In coordination with the country coordinator, identify funding opportunities to consolidate, strengthen and/or expand the Unit’s programs;
Research Planning
Ensure that all research is planned in line with relevant project and program objectives and with the Unit/Country strategy
- Ensure that all research complies with IMPACT’s HQ Research Department and other relevant guidelines;
- Ensure that required secondary data analysis has been conducted in preparation of an assessment;
- Ensure that Research 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;
- 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 to the Country Coordinator and HQ research department in a timely manner.
- Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged in assessment design and planning.
Research Implementation
- Ensure that data collectors are identified and trained for primary data collection;
- Monitor data collection, ensuring its correct implementation in line with agreed TORs;
- Ensure that the Country Coordinator, the HQ IMPACT research department, and Deputy Country Coordinator are alerted to any issues that prevent 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 the Unit’s work and ongoing assessment 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;
- Ensure that data is revised and cleaned and that all revisions are recorded;
- Oversee analysis of 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 the product drafting stage;
- Ensure that data and its analysis do not contain personal information and are validated by IMPACT HQ before sharing with external parties;
- 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 the Country Coordinator or IMPACT HQ for validation;
- Ensure that all written products are validated by IMPACT HQ before external release.
Knowledge Sharing and Learning Process
- Ensure the development and application of an M&E system/plan for each program within the Unit, in line with IMPACT’s M&E guidelines.
- Lead on internal and external program evaluations as necessary and ensure the execution of baseline, periodic, and final evaluations as necessary.
- Ensure learning by the Unit from relevant best practices internally and externally both nationally and globally and make learning available for other programs; organize a program review workshop and document lessons learnt at the end of each program.
- Share and consolidate knowledge at the unit level, with country senior management team and (as relevant) with Global Units and Communities of Practice.
- Deliver and participates in inter-agency, multi-stakeholders’ knowledge sharing/lessons learned exercise.
Project Cycle Management
Project and Grants Management:
- Management of relevant all Project / Grant cycles within his/her Unit (in coordination with the Country Coordinator).
- Follow up on internal project cycle management processes (Kick-off/end meetings, Project Factsheets, etc), as well as external reporting requirements to donors.
- Monitor output achievement, cash burn rates and ensure timely completion of projects through review of BFUs, Project factsheet, and project reports.
- Ensure that contractual obligations are met in terms of deliverables as well as narrative and financial reporting requirements, in close coordination with the Country Coordinator, and (as relevant) with ACTED PD and finance departments;
- Ensure contractual monitoring and evaluation indicators are identified and tracked in a timely manner;
- Provide ad-hoc support to project implementation through troubleshooting and eliminating blocking points;
- Ensure adequate contribution to project and proposal follow-up tools through the timely submission of the monthly updated Reporting Follow Up (RFU) tool.
Finance Management:
- Anticipate financial risks and gaps in funding;
- Monitor project budgets within Units to avoid under/over spending, in link with the senior finance officer, Country Coordinator and (as relevant) IMPACT and ACTED finance;
- Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting, in link with Country Coordinator and (as relevant) IMPACT and ACTED finance
- Ensure accurate budget expenditure tracking and forecasting, in link with the senior finance officer, Country Coordinator and (as relevant) with IMPACT and ACTED finance;
Asset and IT Management:
- Ensure proper asset management;
- Ensure proper IT systems, data backup and protection from malware;
- Ensure sufficient and reliable means of communication;
- Regularly link with and report to IMPACT HQ hub and (as relevant) ACTED logistics and IT departments;
- Ensure use of the country server for secure storage and sharing of internal documentation.
Team Management and Leadership
Leadership
- Provide leadership within their unit as well as within the country Senior Management Team
- Transmit IMPACT’s values and vision, and their declination within his/her unit.
Staff Management
- Ensure that staff within his/her unit understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities;
- Ensure that all staff within Unit have clear and regularly updated TORs, workplans and Key performance Indicators against which their performance will be appraised;
- Promote team building, productivity and staff welfare;
- Mentor and support the Unit team to build capacities, and improve efficiency and performance;
- Management of interpersonal conflicts within Unit;
- Ensure regular update with Country Coordinator about staff potential, career management, training opportunities, contractual issues, difficulties faced with or expressed by field-based staff;
- Ensure communication and linkage with Country Coordinator and (when relevant) HQ HR is made immediately in case of HR problem by the Unit member;
- Ensure all staff in Unit receive an appropriate introduction and training upon arrival/hiring;
- Ensure that all staff in unit receive regular training on IMPACT’s code of conduct and policies.
Administration and HR management
- In support of the Country Coordinator, contribute to transparent and timely identification and recruitment of staff working in the Unit;
- In coordination with the Country Coordinator and (for national staff, when relevant) ACTED country HR, proactively adapt the staffing structure for the Unit to needs and funding;
- Develop and update country Unit organogram and staff recruitment plan, in line with the needs of unit strategy and existing budgetary and programme requirements;
- Ensure regular performance appraisal and career management of all staff in the Unit;
- Ensure timely and accurate HR reporting;
- Ensure timely attendance sheets, leave plans, as well as exit forms for departing staff.
Internal Coordination and Communication
Internal communication
- Facilitate internal communication within the unit team and information sharing for a positive working environment;
- Ensure implementation of regular unit team meetings;
- Ensure regular reporting to the Country Coordinator;
- Ensure that any risk to IMPACT programming, projects or staff is as soon as possible communicated to and understood by Country Coordinator and (when relevant) IMPACT director of country programmes and relevant HQ head of departments.
Coordination with ACTED
- Ensure regular coordination with ACTED’s Project Development, Finance and other FLAT departments at all stages of development and implementation of the Unit’s projects, including participation in project kick off and lessons learnt meetings, support to drafting of monthly internal updates (BFU, RFUs, allocation tables, etc), and support to drafting of donor reports or amendment requests;
- Ensure compliance of all IMPACT unit staff to ACTED FLAT and security procedures;
- Ensure that all Unit staff are aware and fully abide by ACTED’s regulations in terms of administration, logistics and security;
- Ensures that the Units movements are coordinated with and validated by ACTED’s Security department, in the frequency and modality requested by the latter;
- Regularly links with ACTED administration and finance to plan movement, travel and in relation to the Unit’s staff;
- Immediately inform and coordinates with CC and ACTED CD should any IMPACT staff, as well as staff working under IMPACT supervision, not respect ACTED regulations, especially in terms of security.
INFLUENCING – External Engagement
- Research-related external engagement, product dissemination and evaluation
- In coordination with the Country Coordinator, 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;
- 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 for each Research Cycle;
- Under the direction of the Country Coordinator, 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 Country Coordinator to conduct monitoring and evaluation as specified in the research TORs and in line with IMPACT Guidelines.
- Senior external engagement and output dissemination with key stakeholders, as well as coordination of external engagement by all Unit staff
- Under the guidance of the Country Coordinator, leads the development of content and information for country level advocacy
- Development strategic partnerships with key humanitarian stakeholders and decision makers
- Communications and consultation with Country Coordinator and other SMT members, including sharing relevant information and ensuring efficient and productive links with SMT
- Ensure coordinated and positive interactions between Unit and ACTED staff
- Support the IMPACT Country Coordinator in external engagement in relation to IMPACT strategy or (when requested and with focal point) to fundraising and grants management.
- Develop proposals, concept notes, and budget in close coordination with the IMPACT Country Coordinator, in line with the Unit and Country Strategies.
Required qualifications and technical expertise
REQUIREMENTS
- Academic Excellent academic qualifications, including a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Research, Statistics, Economics, Development Studies, or similar)
- Management experience Previous experience in a management role in a INGO at field level. Proven track record in successful management of international and national teams in humanitarian contexts
- Familiarity aid system Familiarity with the aid system, and the research community;
- Communication/reporting skills Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting, including proven experience in contributing to high level presentations/briefings.
- Years of work experience At least 3 years of relevant working experience or proven progression within IMPACT
- Research skills: Excellent research and analytical skills an asset. Experience in assessments. M&E, field research, evaluations an asset.
- Software skills: Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Familiarity with R, SPSS and/or STATA or other statistical analysis software an asset
- Multi-tasking skills Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles in complex environment;
- Level of independence A self-starter with a 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 Horn of Africa or Eastern Africa is desirable;
- Language skills Fluency in English required, competency in Somali or Swahili an asset;
- Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment
Qualified national persons with the required skills are invited to submit their applications accompanied by detailed curriculum vitae and cover letter as a single document i.e. with the cover letter being on the first page and the CV starting on the second page, detailing three work related referees and contacts to [email protected] and received on or before 5.00PM on 8 04 2024 with the subject line “Research Manager, Nairobi”
Please do not attach any other documents while sending your applications, if required they will be requested at a later stage.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
ACTED will at no stage of recruitment process request candidate to make payments of any kind. Further, ACTED has not retained any agent in connection with recruitments.
ACTED is committed to protecting beneficiaries within our programmes from exploitation and abuse and any kind of misconduct. ACTED has specific policies, including PSEA and Child Protection, which outlines the expected behaviour and the responsibility of all staff, beneficiaries, consultants, and other stakeholders and has zero tolerance towards misconducts. Any candidate offered a job with ACTED will be expected to sign ACTED’s organizational Policies and Code of Conduct as an annex to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.
ACTED is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
