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 Program (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 organization manages several initiatives, including the REACH Initiative. IMPACT was launched at the initiative of ACTED, an international NGO headquartered in Paris and present in more than thirty five countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, enabling IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support on its field intervention.

Country profile

Over the last two years, Ethiopia has witnessed a surge in violent conflict following major domestic political shifts. Large-scale displacement, killings, and destruction of property have further exacerbated the impact of pre-existing and cyclical climate-related crises across the country. Late 2019 and early 2020 have brought additional humanitarian crises in the form of a large-scale desert locust infestation, Ethiopia’s worst in 25 years, and the global COVID-19 pandemic, which counted 98,391 cases in Ethiopia as of 5 November and has led to lockdowns and transport bans in many regions that restrict access to markets. Furthermore, unrest in Tigray region during November 2020 has seen large-scale displacement, contributing millions more people needing urgent assistance northern regions. All of these events have severely disrupted livelihoods, affected the availability of staple market commodities, and threatened to sharply escalate humanitarian need for vulnerable populations across the country.

Given the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in particular and its global effects on supply chains, there is a need for a joint rapid market monitoring initiative with dedicated analytical capacity that produces regular, frequent market data, including robust data on changes in market functionality, to meet the demands of the Ethiopia COVID-19 response. While aid actors have conducted market monitoring through past efforts, no efforts have included nation-wide, ongoing monitoring that harmonizes strategies across cash actors.

In 2021 and beyond REACH is looking to expand information support to the humanitarian response in several key areas, including: 1) close collaboration with the Ethiopia Collaborative Cash Delivery (CCD) Network to launch a Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI) to develop an evidence base for the wider use of cash and voucher assistance (CVA), 2) facilitating discussions of changes in critical market dynamics, which are an integral part of cash feasibility considerations, 3) a Humanitarian Situation Monitoring to improve the understanding of hard-to-reach areas, and 4) a thematic monitoring activity focused on food security and nutrition conditions. 

We are currently looking for a Technical Head of REACH Operations to oversee REACH team in Ethiopia.

Position:                      Technical Head of REACH Operations

Contract duration:        12 months

Starting Date:               ASAP

Function

Under the management of ACTED Country Director, the Technical Head of REACH Operations is responsible for representing REACH and managing and developing REACH’s programs in Ethiopia. He/she leads the REACH team to achieve program excellence and ensure the highest level of REACH and accountability, while ensuring compliance to REACH guidelines, policies and standards across the mission. The TECHNICAL HEAD OF OPERATIONS is in regular contact with ACTED CD, ensuring that organizational risks are promptly and clearly communicated. She/he will promote organizational vision and core values across the mission and will actively to contribute to the implementation of REACH’s global strategies.

Responsibilities

The Technical Head of REACH Operations responsibilities include the following:

Strategy development & implementation

1. Context analysis: Ensure REACH has an up-to-date understanding of:
• The country’s socio-economic situation, the REACH of a crisis and the aid/humanitarian situation;
• The aid/humanitarian planning, coordination and response mechanisms, as well as key aid/humanitarian stakeholders.

2. Develop and oversee the implementation of a Country Strategy for the REACH programs, and take a lead role in identifying strategic opportunities for strengthening REACH’s work in the country; in particular:
• Consolidate and strengthen ongoing programming and operations;
• Ensure REACH activities are relevant and have a measurable REACH on the aid/humanitarian response;
• Identify new areas in which REACH can add value to the aid/humanitarian response;
• Follow up on opportunities for REACH’s program development and strengthening of interventions;
• Identify funding opportunities to consolidate, strengthen and/or expand country programs;
• Formalize a country strategy in alignment with global/regional strategies, priorities and programs.

3. Ensure each Unit within the mission develops and pursues a Unit Strategy that is aligned with the Country Strategy objectives

Fundraising

• In close coordination with ACTED CD, approach donors to identify funding to support REACH’s programs in country;
• Oversee project proposal conceptualization (problem statement, logframe) within the framework of the country, regional and global strategy, review with ACTED and/or other relevant country partners as relevant;
• Oversee budget design, in close consultation with ACTED

• Ensure application of REACH guidelines on proposal, budget and contract design;
• Advise Grant Department on specific donor approach/regulations;
• Negotiate proposal and/or contracts with donors, in close coordination ACTED CD

Programme planning and implementation

• Ensure that all REACH programs contribute to supporting better aid planning and are aligned with REACH global and country strategies;
• Ensure that all programs are planned in line with relevant project objectives and with REACH’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
• Supervise all stages of program implementation, receiving regular updates from team members providing inputs when required, and conducting field visits to program sites for monitoring, quality control and program staff mentoring and coaching;
• Ensure that all programs are conducted in coordination with and, when relevant, undergo the validation by ACTED; For all research, review TORs, data and draft deliverables, supporting assessment, data and GIS teams to ensure they meet expected standards before being sent to ACTED for validation; Ensure the quality and accuracy of technical information provided as well as the confidentiality and protection of collected information;
• Maintain regular link with ACTED (as relevant) to facilitate the provision of logistic, administrative and security support to facilitate program implementation, as well as ensuring that REACH teams comply to ACTED’s security and other relevant FLAT regulations during program implementation;
• Ensure the required level of coordination with partners in program planning and implementation;
• Ensure that synergies are established and implemented between various REACH program units in country, and link with other REACH countries when relevant;
• Keep track of progress and delays of all program implementation. Ensure that delays or identified problems for specific programs are reported to ACTED in writing and orally in a timely manner.

Knowledge Sharing and Learning Process

• Ensure the development and application of a M&E system/plan for each program, in line with REACH’s M&E guidelines;
• Ensure learning and knowledge is shared across Units
• 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 country program from relevant best practice 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.

Project Cycle Management

1.Grant and Project Management
• Ensure timely organization of project kick-off, review/update and end of project meetings;
• Monitor output achievement, cash burn rates and ensure a time 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 ACTED Grants Management

• Ensure contractual monitoring and evaluation indicators are identified and tracked in a timely manner;
• Provide ad-hoc support to project implementation through trouble shooting and eliminating blocking points;
• Ensure adequate contribution to project and proposal follow up tools through the timely submission of monthly updated Reporting Follow Up (RFU) tool.

2. Finance Management
• Anticipate financial risks and gaps in funding;
• Control project budgets to avoid under/over spending, in link with ACTED finance

• Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting, in link with ACTED finance
• Ensure accurate budget expenditure tracking and forecasting

• Ensure timely and accurate finance reporting to ACTED finance, including monthly submission to ACTED of updated Budget Follow Up tables (BFUs) for all projects, and staff allocation tables.

3. Assets and IT Management
• Ensure proper asset management;
• Ensure proper IT systems, data back-up and protection from malware;
• Ensure sufficient and reliable means of communication;

Team Management and Leadership

1. Leadership

• Provides leadership across the mission, as well as within the country Senior Management Team;

• Transmit REACH’s values and vision and their declination at country level, and supports managers and all staff to do the same.

2 Staff Management 
• Ensure that REACH staff, as well as national staff working in REACH understand and are able to perform their roles and responsibilities related to country operations and links with ACTED;

• Ensure that all staff 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 team to build capacities, and improve efficiency and performance, and follow career management of international and national staff working in REACH programs;
• Promote the growth and development of staff within the organisation, actively linking with ACTED to provide feedback and support retention and internal mobility. This includes the identification and capacity building of staff with potential for growth into senior management positions;

• Management of interpersonal conflicts (internal and external);
• Ensure regular update with ACTED HR about staff potential, career management, training opportunities, contractual issues, difficulties faced with or expressed by field-based staff;
• Ensure communication and linkage with ACTED is made immediately in case of HR problem;
• Ensure in country staff receives an appropriate introduction and training upon arrival/hiring;

• Ensure that in country staff receives regular training on REACH’s code of conduct and policies.

4 Administration and HR management

• Develop and update country organogram and staff recruitment plan, using templates provided by ACTED, in line with the needs of country strategy and existing budgetary and programme requirements;
• Ensure regular performance appraisal and career management;
• Ensure timely and accurate HR reporting to ACTED;

Internal Coordination and Communication

1. Internal communication
• Facilitate internal communication within the team and information sharing for a positive working environment;
• Ensure implementation of regular internal team meetings, as per REACH internal communication guidelines;
• Ensure regular reporting to ACTED through the Monthly Coordination Report, as well as direct reporting to ACTED grants management, finance, HR and program departments;
• Ensure that any risk to REACH programming, projects or staff is as soon as possible communicated to and understood by REACH director of country programmes and relevant ACTED head of departments, including, when relevant, the executive director.

2. Coordination with ACTED 
• Regularly coordinate with ACTED’s Country Director through weekly meetings and the submission of monthly updates;
• Ensure regular coordination with ACTED’s Project Development, Finance and other FLAT departments at all stages of project development and implementation, including consultations for donor discussions, participation in project kick off and lessons learnt meetings, joint drafting of monthly internal updates (BFU, RFUs, allocation tables, etc), and drafting of donor reports or amendment requests;
• Ensure compliance of all REACH staff to ACTED FLAT and security procedures. Facilitate coordination between REACH programs and ACTED Area Coordinators where relevant;
• Ensure that all REACH staff is aware and fully abide by ACTED’s regulations in terms of administration, logistics and security;
• Ensures that REACH 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 REACH staff, as well as staff working under REACH supervision, leave and welfare;
• Immediately inform and coordinates with ACTED HR and ACTED CD should any REACH staff, as well as staff working under REACH supervision, not respect ACTED regulations, especially in terms of security.

External Engagement

• Establish, maintain and improve active and regular working relationships with coordination platforms (clusters, sectors, working groups, NGO forum, HCT, etc), UN agencies, donors, NGOs, consortia, academia, etc;
• Promote a regular and pro-active contribution of REACH and its programs in key aid decision-making forums (including HCT, donor coordination meetings, inter/cluster meetings, etc) and for key decision making milestones (HNO/HRP, donor financial years, etc);
• Ensure that REACH and its programs are well understood by key aid stakeholders and that potential partnership options have been explored when relevant;
• Ensure REACH participation in key coordination fora, and maintain a collegiate, consistent and shared approach to external relations by REACH staff at country and sub-country levels;
• Identify potential opportunities and develop donor relationships, as relevant;
• Capitalize and strengthen relationships with key REACH global partners at country level; ensure any issues that may REACH on global partnerships are communicated to and understood by REACH directors
• Maintain positive perception of REACH by external partners, donors and coordination platforms.

Dissemination of Products and external communication

• In close coordination with ACTED, lead the dissemination of research/program products/outputs, including through in country presentations, website articles, journal articles, REACH social media contents, targeted e-mails, meetings, etc, in line with REACH Dissemination and External Communication guidelines;

• Support ACTED in global-level dissemination related to the country mission, including through provision of updated information for website and social media, organization/attendance to ACTED level events, briefings and panel discussions;

• Centralize all media contacts at country level; ensure that all media exchange is subject to prior written validation by the ACTED Director of Advocacy.

Accountability to Communities and Beneficiaries

The staff member is responsible for ensuring that all relations with the communities we work are conducted in a respectful and consultative manner. Due attention must be paid to ensuring that communities are adequately consulted and informed about REACH’s programme objectives, activities, beneficiary selection criteria, and methodologies. This is the responsibility of every REACH staff member.

Job 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 senior 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 5 years of relevant working experience or proven progression within REACH

·       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 [relevant] region is desirable;

·       Language skills Fluency in English and French is highly valued

How to Apply

Submit your Applications accompanied by detailed curriculum vitae and cover letter as a single document via email: ethiopia.jobs@acted.org

Note: Write " Technical Head of REACH Operations - Ethiopia” in the subject line of the email!