PANDA is IMPACT’s lever on humanitarian aid responses which focusing on improving outcomes for beneficiaries through direct engagement with partners and their activities. Where REACH works through soft power and partnerships to affect systemic change, PANDA is direct action that allows us to ensure that system and its participants are trustworthy and delivering the most effective, efficient and equitable response possible. PANDA is praxis – it is how IMPACT manifests our vision of acting as a catalyst of change within the aid community to work through focused or multidimensional analysis of projects, programmes and policies to identify their results, strengths and weaknesses, and how they can be improved, then proposes or implements a concrete plan for improvement.

We are currently looking for a Research Manager to support our team in Sudan. Department: PANDA
Position: Research Manager

Contract duration: 9 months

Location: Kampala, Uganda with up to 50% travel

Starting Date: ASAP

COUNTRY PROFILE
Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out on 15 April 2023. Fighting has been concentrated in densely populated urban centres, starting in Khartoum but quickly spreading across the country. These clashes have triggered waves of forced displacement, both internally as well as to neighbouring countries, including Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, and South Sudan. The operating environment for humanitarian actors has also been constrained due to insecurity.

This latest crisis comes amidst a complex and protracted humanitarian context in Sudan, with 15.8 million people estimated to be in need – the highest in a decade – prior to these events. The country faces persistent environmental risks, including recurrent flooding events, droughts, and locust invasions, in addition to widespread food insecurity and economic challenges. Prolonged internal displacement, high refugee caseloads, and continual pockets of inter-communal conflict further exacerbate needs and vulnerabilities.

Through its REACH initiative, IMPACT has been present in Sudan since 2020, providing humanitarian actors with up-to-date data and analysis on existing needs through a first country-wide Multi-sectoral Needs Assessment. Following the recent outbreak in violence between the SAF and RSF, IMPACT is mobilising an emergency response in Sudan and neighbouring countries, to provide decision makers with rapid analysis of conditions on the ground.

PROJECT PROFILE
The position is recruited for the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) Project covering GAC’s funding to the Sudan crisis emergency response. For this programme, IMPACT will trial innovative methods for monitoring and evaluation in emergency responses by working with partners to provide technical guidance and expertise on addressing gaps in existing systems. The work will cover programmes on the Sudan response in Sudan, South Sudan and Chad and will require coordination and engagement with a wide range of actors.

FUNCTIONS

Under the management of the Country Coordinator, the Research Manager oversees the research activities and staff within the purview of the GAC-funded MEAL Project. The Research Manager shall oversee and execute all research activities within the above-mentioned Project, meeting quarterly deliverables in a timely fashion while ensuring that the quality of research remains high. S/he will moreover liaise extensively with counterparts from in GAC’s Implementing Partners.

RESPONSIBILITIES
The Research Manager responsibilities include the following:

STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION
With specific attention to the GAC-funded MEAL Project’s, and while supervised by the CC, the RM is to ensure 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, as well as the humanitarian planning, coordination, response mechanism developments, and key humanitarian stakeholders.
For the MEAL Project, develop and oversee the implementation of the project’s strategy. Specifically, during the inception period, in conjunction with the CC, set out the project’s overall strategy, develop concomitant workplans for each staff member, and put in place the requisite structures for the staff members such that each individual has clarity as to how to work towards the common goal of completing deliverables in a timely manner and at a high standard, and ultimately supplying impact to GAC and Implementing Partners at the outcome level.
RESEARCH PLANNING:
For the MEAL Project, ensure that all the research is planned in line with the relevant project and programme objectives, as well as the Project and Country Strategy. This is to include:
Ensure that all research complies with IMPACT’s HQ Research Department guidelines and standards.
Ensure that all necessary Secondary Data Reviews are conducted and integrated into the research.
Ensure that research ToRs are validated by HQ prior to the commencement of data collection.
Ensure that research ToRs are understood by the team and updated accordingly.
Keep track of progress and delays of all assigned assessments throughout the research cycle.
Where necessary, proactively support the team by conducting research (research design. ToRs, tool building, data management, data analysis, product drafting).
While supported by the CC, conduct dissemination and stakeholder meetings with GAC and Implementing Partners.
RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION

Ensure that all collected data is stored in line with IMPACT’s Data Management Guidelines, as well as with the data management plan Annex in the Research ToR.
Ensure that data is revised and cleaned, with all revisions recorded as per IMPACT data management guidelines.
Oversee all the analyses of the collected data, as stipulated in the Research ToRs.
Ensure that data and its analysis do not contain personal information and are validated by IMPACT HQ, before sharing to external parties.
Supervise and where necessary support the team with the analysis and drafting of the information products.
Review all products before they are sent to the CC or IMPACT HQ for validation.
Ensure that all written products are validated by IMPACT HQ before release to GAC and Implementing Partners.
TEAM MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP

Ensure that all staff members understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities, as well as their reporting and validation duties to HQ.
Ensure that all staff members have clear and regularly updated ToRs, Workplans, and Key performance Indicators (KPIs) against which their performance will be appraised.
Promote team building, productivity, and staff welfare.
Mentor and support the team to build capacities, improve efficiency and performance.
Promote the growth and development of staff within the organisation, actively linking with HQ to provide feedback and support retention and internal mobility. Identify capacity building opportunities for growth, proactively provide high-performing staff with opportunities to surge (a short-term deployment to another mission) and develop pathways for junior staff to grow and move into management or specialist positions.
Ensure communication and linkages with HQ are made immediately in case of the occurrence of an HR-related problem.
INTERNAL COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION

Facilitate clear and seamless communication within the IMPACT MEAL team across Senegal and Nigeria, as well as the FACT Foundation and Clear Global teams in Nigeria.
Ensure regular reporting to the CC.
INFLUENCING - EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT

With the support from the CC, on a quarterly basis, engage with GAC and the Implementing Partners to share findings and hold analysis and lessons learned workshops.
Under the supervision of the CC, and where necessary, engage with the humanitarian response beyond the remit of the MEAL Project.
In conjunction with GAC and Implementing Partners, support the CC in the dissemination of selected research with key stakeholders and coordination forums.
REQUIREMENTS

Academic Excellent academic qualifications, including a master’s degree in a relevant discipline (International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Research, Economics, Development Studies, or similar)
Management experience Previous experience in a management role in an 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
Research skills: Excellent research and analytical skills an asset. Experience in assessments. M&E, field research, evaluations is 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 [relevant] region is desirable.
Language skills Fluency in English required. Fluency in French is an asset.
Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment.
CONDITIONS

For this position, salary between 2’940 CHF and 3’120 CHF 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.