BACKGROUND ON IMPACT AND REACH

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 Senior Assessment Officer to support our team in Pemba, Mozambique:

Position: Senior Assessment Officer

Contract duration: 5 months, with the possibility of extension subject to funding availability.

Starting Date: 26 January 2026

Location: Pemba, Mozambique

COUNTRY PROFILE

Mozambique has been experiencing a multifaceted and enduring crisis over the past several decades. This crisis is characterized by a convergence of climate-driven shocks, poverty, and insurgency in the northern region. In Cabo Delgado, the northernmost province, a conflict has been raging since 2017, instigated by the Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama (ASWJ) Islamist militia and fueled by pre-existing socio-economic marginalization, political and religious ideologies, as well as the exploitation of valuable natural resources. This protracted conflict has resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of families, straining the region's limited capacity to address their needs. In 2025, the situation deteriorated further, with the largest escalation of violence in years affecting 14 of the 17 districts of Cabo Delgado and intensifying pendular displacement across the region.

In addition to the conflict, Mozambique faces constant risks related to natural hazards, including cyclones, floods, and droughts. The country ranks 11th globally and 3rd in sub-Saharan Africa in vulnerability to natural disasters. Mozambique's geographical location, topography, weak socio-economic infrastructure, and reliance on rain-fed agriculture contribute to this vulnerability. The population, already burdened by high poverty rates and a low Human Development Index, is particularly susceptible to the impact of these natural disasters. Cyclones and flooding pose significant threats to the coastal population, while droughts disrupt subsistence agriculture, driving food insecurity and malnutrition. The cyclone season of 2024-2025 witnessed three cyclones, causing catastrophic damage to districts in Cabo Delgado and Nampula.

These vulnerabilities are further compounded by a significant reduction in humanitarian funding, forcing actors to make increasingly difficult prioritization decisions and concentrate assistance on the most vulnerable populations. At the same time, the humanitarian coordination architecture is undergoing major changes, with several clusters beginning a transition of leadership to government counterparts. This shift is occurring alongside a growing narrative that the humanitarian crisis has ended and that international support should pivot primarily toward development programming. While stronger linkages between humanitarian action, durable solutions, and longer-term development are essential, an acute humanitarian crisis persists, with more than one million people still facing life-threatening needs.

POSITION PROFILE

IMPACT Mozambique is recruiting a Senior Assessment Officer open to international candidates. The experience and capacity of selected candidates will determine whether staff are brought on board as Assessment Officer or Senior Assessment Officer.

Under the line management of the IMPACT Multi-country Representative or her delegates in Mozambique, the Senior Assessment Officer is responsible for the implementation of two (potentially three) IMPACT research cycles in Mozambique, including the preparation, data collection, analysis, drafting, dissemination and evaluation stages. Throughout research cycles, the Senior Assessment Officer engages with partners to promote their participation and maximize their impact. He/she also ensures an efficient and transparent use of resources required for project implementation. This can include the direct or functional supervision of assessment or data team members.

The primary research cycle focuses on Rapid Needs Assessments (RNAs) and broader information management support to the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), a consortium of NGOs that serve as the main emergency first-line responders in Northern Mozambique. IMPACT acts as the consortium’s information management partner, playing a central role in supporting coordination, analysis, and evidence-based decision-making among implementing partners. As RNA data collection is conducted by RRM partners, the Senior Assessment Officer is also responsible for close coordination with partner data collection teams to ensure assessments are implemented as designed, provide technical guidance where needed, and follow up on any data quality or implementation issues.

In parallel, IMPACT is harmonizing information management tools with OCHA and relevant clusters to help streamline and align the overall first-line response between the RRM and the UN’s Joint Response Plan (JRP). Within this context, the Senior Assessment Officer must combine strong technical expertise with excellent communication skills. The role requires the ability to design, adapt, and manage information management tools in line with evolving operational needs, while also clearly communicating technical concepts—such as alert severity scoring and vulnerability-based targeting—to support partner prioritization and decision-making.

In addition to RRM support, the Senior Assessment Officer will advance the Acute Needs Analysis research cycle by designing and leading public health–focused primary data collection in districts identified as areas of concern, generating evidence to inform national-level prioritization and strategic response planning.

As the mission is managed by a regional, multi-country representative, the Senior Assessment Officer will frequently serve as the primary in-country focal point and represent IMPACT in external engagements, including humanitarian coordination platforms, meetings with government counterparts, and discussions with donors. The Senior Assessment Officer will also support the multi-country representative in the design, planning, and implementation of country strategies and objectives, as well as in proposal development. As a result, the position requires a high degree of independence, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously. Analytical thinking, creativity, and a strong interest in the Mozambican context are also essential for success in this role.

Candidates should also have strong writing and presentation skills and be able to clearly think through and articulate implications of research findings. The position will regularly require looking at data, pulling out relevant findings, writing engaging briefs and factsheets, presenting findings to external audiences with varying amounts of data literacy, and guiding colleagues in how to think more analytically about their own research.

In his/her mission, the Senior Assessment Officer will be hosted by IMPACT’s global partner ACTED and will fall under the direct responsibility and management of ACTED’s Country Director and his/her delegates for all Administrative, Security, and relevant Logistics and Finance issues. S/he will therefore fully abide to ACTED’s Security, Administration, and relevant HR, Logistics and Finance rules and regulations. Nationally recruited staff will additionally be directly contracted by ACTED.