RESPONSIBILITIES

The Research Manager’s responsibilities will include:

STAFF MANAGEMENT

• Direct management of senior team members, including recruitment and staff career management. The Monitoring Unit currently consists of four 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 projects;

• Actively advocate for the improving of analysis within REACH products, and using common methodologies, tools and analysis frameworks across units where relevant;

• Provide SMT and other staff members with key findings from monitoring research cycles and from within the coordination structure.

CO-FACILITATION OF THE WORKING GROUP

• Lead the strategic development of the AAWG by working with key stakeholders to understand critical system-wide information gaps and identify how the AAWG can effectively fill these gaps;

• Develop, prepare and oversee the AAWG work plan;

• Co-chair meetings, including convening meetings of AAWG members, drafting and distributing the agenda and minutes, preparing materials for distribution and facilitating the flow of communication;

• Link the AAWG to other Coordination Structures (i.e., Data WG, Inter-Cluster Coordination Team), Task Teams (i.e., Population and Mobility Task Team), and processes in the response.

GRANTS MANAGEMENT

• Under the guidance of the (Deputy) Country Representative, manage grants in the MU, including initial discussions with donors, conceptualisation of new projects, drafting proposals, regular reporting, and M&E;

• Under the guidance of the (Deputy) Country Representative, oversee the financial management of all grants covering MU projects, including oversight of budget and expenditure;

• Ensure that contractual obligations are met in terms of programs deliverables.

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT

• In coordination with the (Deputy) Country Representative, represent IMPACT/REACH with donors, partners, and  the wider aid community in Afghanistan.

STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

• Under the guidance of the (Deputy) Country Representative, develop the MU strategy (in line with the country 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 Afghanistan and identify how the MU and fill these gaps;

• Contribute to the development and implementation of the REACH Afghanistan country strategy, including coordinating with the heads of other research and analysis units and teams;

• Develop and implement dissemination strategies to strengthen the impact of the MU programmes;

• Engagement with HQ on MU 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

• Work experience Demonstratable relevant working experience in a humanitarian setting, such as programme management, evaluation and assessments;

• Research skills Excellent quantitative and qualitative research design, data collection, and data analysis experience required;

• Familiarity with aid system Good understanding of the aid system and the research community. Prior experience with humanitarian coordination forums preferred;

• Management experience Demonstrated team management skills, including remote management;

• Experience in geographical region Past experience in the region/supporting is desirable;

• Communication/reporting skills Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting and reviewing;

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

• Academic qualifications A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline is preferred.  However, significant relevant work experience can be considered.

• 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

• Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment.

• Language skills Fluency in English required, competency in Dari or Pashto is an asset.

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COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• For this position, salary between 3’050€ and 3’100 monthly before income tax), etc as well as a monthly living allowance of 300 USD 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 the guesthouse.

• Enrolment in Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approx. 9.975% of staff gross salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance.

• Flight tickets every six months & visa fees covered (in-country travel costs and professional expenses are fully covered).

• R&R after eight weeks, flight ticket up to 500$ + 200$ of living allowance

• 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 - three 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 (depending on previous inductions and security trainings taken);

• IMPACT prioritises the psychological safety of its staff and the health insurance provided covers, among others, up to 1000 € per year of psychosocial counselling fees.