Research Manager for Sudan, based in Kampala, Uganda

BACKGROUND ON IMPACT AND REACH

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 and (web)-mapping facilities and expertise.

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 with headquarters based in Paris and presence in thirty countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, which allows IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support in its fields of intervention.

We are currently looking for a Research Manager to lead our Markets and Services Unit for the Sudan mission.

Department: Markets and Services Unit

Position: Research Manager

Contract duration: 12 months

Starting Date: 1 November 2024

Location: Kampala, Uganda

COUNTRY PROFILE

Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted in Khartoum on 15 April 2023 and spread quickly across the country. Civilians have fled areas affected by fighting in large numbers, including to Chad, Egypt and South Sudan. Prices of food, fuel and other basic goods have skyrocketed skyrocketing, making critical goods unaffordable for many people. Half of Sudan’s population are in need of humanitarian assistance, and the country is on the verge of a catastrophic hunger crisis. Humanitarian organizations are racing to respond to the most pressing needs wherever and whenever feasible, with access issues complicating the ability of actors to respond. In this fast-evolving context, IMPACT Initiatives is working to inform the emergency response to enable effective prioritization with scarce resources.

POSITION PROFILE

The Research Manager will be responsible for overseeing the development and strategy of the Markets and Services Unit, under the supervision of the IMPACT Country Representative, and IMPACT HQ in Geneva. The candidate should be comfortable representing IMPACT with donors and be able to coordinate and liaise with a range of senior external partners. This position requires a profile that can be both analytical and managerial, as the Research Manager’s job can range from coordinating with external partners (whether data actor, humanitarian cluster, or donor) to analytical oversight of research products to logistics.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Research Manager’s responsibilities will include:

STAFF MANAGEMENT

• Direct management of international and senior national team members in both Sudan and Uganda, including recruitment and staff career management. The Markets and Services currently consists of five contracted staff
• Development and implementation of capacity training plans for team members;
• Day-to-day management of team members, including the development of work plans and performance indicators.

PROJECT/RESEARCH CYCLE MANAGEMENT

• Ensure all assessments and analysis are planned and implemented in a structured and coherent manner, in line with relevant project and strategic objectives, and with global REACH guidelines;
• Oversee all research cycles, including reviewing ToRs, methodology notes, tools, products and dissemination strategies.
• Ensure the writing and production of timely, accurate and analytically rigorous reports, assessments, and factsheets;
• Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged in assessment design and planning;
• Monitor output achievement, project expenditure and ensure timely completion of the project.
• Actively advocate for the improving of analysis within REACH products, and using common methodologies, tools and analysis frameworks across units where relevant

GRANTS MANAGEMENT

• Under the guidance of the Country Representative, manage grants in the Markets and Services Unit, including initial discussions with donors, conceptualisation of new projects, drafting proposals, regular reporting, and M&E;
• Under the guidance of the Country Representative, oversee the financial management of all grants covering Markets and Services projects, including oversight of budget and expenditure;
• Ensure that contractual obligations are met in terms of programs deliverables.

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT

• In coordination with the Country Representative, represent REACH with donors, partners, and the wider development community working on Sudan.

STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

• Under the guidance of the Country Coordinator, develop the Markets and Services Unit strategy, engagement and involvement with various technical and coordination forums;
• Work with key clusters and partner organizations and working groups to understand the various relevant information gaps within Sudan and identify how the Markets and Services Unit can fill these gaps;
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the REACH Sudan country strategy;
• Develop and implement dissemination strategies to strengthen the impact of the Markets and Services Unit programmes;
• Engagement with HQ on Markets and Services Unit research and/or coordination and provide support to relevant IMPACT Global Community of Practices (CoPs).

The Research Manager will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes. They 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 a relevant discipline;

· At least 4 years of relevant working experience in a humanitarian setting, such as program management, evaluation and assessments;

· Excellent quantitative and qualitative research design, data collection, and data analysis experience required;

· Demonstrated team management skills, including remote management;

· Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting and reviewing;

· Prior experience with humanitarian coordination fora;

· Prior knowledge of the region an asset;

· Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility and work independently;

· Ability to operate Microsoft Word, Excel required;

· Ability to operate Adobe Suite preferred;

· Skills in SPSS, R or related statistical software are considered an asset;

· Fluency in English required, Arabic is an asset.

Compensation and Benefits

· For this position, salary between 3’000 CHF and 3’200 CHF monthly (before income tax), etc as well as a monthly living allowance of 300 USD

o 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

· This base is not a family duty station – 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