BACKGROUND ON IMPACT

Created in 2010, IMPACT is a Geneva-based NGO and the largest independent data provider in contexts of crisis. IMPACT aims to support a range of stakeholders in making better, more informed decisions in humanitarian, stabilization, and development settings. Through our team of assessment, data, geospatial, and thematic specialists, IMPACT promotes the design of people-centred research and set standards for collecting and analysing rigorous, high quality data in complex environments. Over the past 15 years, IMPACT has been growing in size and geographic reach to become one of the largest humanitarian research agencies in the humanitarian sector.

IMPACT’s teams implement assessment, monitoring, evaluation, and organisational capacity-building programmes in direct partnership with aid actors. IMPACT’s team is composed of over 200 full-time international experts as well as a roster of consultants, who are currently implementing over 50 programmes in over 30 countries across Africa, Middle East and North Africa, Central and South-east Asia, and Eastern Europe.

We are currently looking for an Operations Manager for the Sudan mission

Position:                                 Senior Operations Manager

Contract duration:                 6 months

Starting Date:                          ASAP

Location:                                   Sudan, Roving.

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 Senior Operations Manager will set up and position IMPACT’s field presence in Sudan, focusing on building strong relationships with partners on the ground and leading field operations, including hiring and training Field Officers to deliver technically sound, timely, and high-quality data collection. The role strengthens partnerships, in particular in support of the area-based-coordination (ABC) platform, operational systems, monitors context and identifies information gaps to guide assessments and operational planning.

Under the overall supervision of the Country Representative and with a strong technical link to the research units in Nairobi, the Senior Operations Manager will lead on the following:

Effective coordination and oversight of all IMPACT field activities within the base

Engagement with relevant national and international response actors to identify opportunities for collaboration aligned with objectives of the Country Strategy

Active participation in coordination platforms, including subnational cluster and ABC partner meetings

Setting up and managing a small field team as appropriate for IMPACT’s needs on the ground to provide IM support as well as conduct primary data collection where feasible

Ensure a timely, solid, and continuous communication and reporting flow with the other IMPACT units and department at all levels

Setting up context- specific and tailored operational systems and processes

Providing context updates to the wider team

This position requires a high degree of autonomy, entrepreneurial spirit, and experience working in a sensitive operational environment and hardship post. Candidates should have a strong operational background as well as strong presentation and communication skills.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Operations Manager’s responsibilities include:

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT

• Map out relevant national and international response actors and proactively engage with partners to identify potential areas of collaboration in close coordination with technical units.
• Work closely with partners on the ground to deliver against key research cycles including with the ABC coordinators and INGOs to define priorities for the ABC Information Management System.
• Receive and relay to technical teams relevant input in the form of reporting, assessments and other key information from partners.
• Represent IMPACT in relevant high-level external engagements (e.g., regional ICCG meetings) as related to the Sudan crisis.

OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP

• Plan and oversee all field activities to ensure feasibility, quality, and compliance.
• In coordination with the technical research units, support the proper design and implementation of field activities and streamlining field processes in line with research cycles’ objectives, by applying the most suitable practices, methods and approaches.
• Cultivate a suitable professional environment for IMPACT staff in the base where they feel comfortable to report any concerns, exchange information, and seek learning opportunities.
• Support problem-solving and define workflow optimization to address operational challenges.

STAFF RECRUITMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING

• Lead recruitment and onboarding of field officers in key field locations, in line with IMPACT’s regulations
• Supervise, mentor, and manage Field Officers
• Deliver training and mentorship to equip Field Officers to operate independently and in line with IMPACT standards.

CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING

• Support the Sudan mission’s strategic direction in closely following the humanitarian context changes with a focus on economic and political shifts in Sudan, as well as coordination developments that could impact response and overall implementation of IMPACT’s field activities.
• Maintain a regular update of the coverage plans that fits the several assessment methodologies and field approaches at the base coverage area in line with operational/contextual developments on the ground to actively advise technical teams.

STRATEGY

• Contribute to the refinement and focused implementation of the Sudan country strategy, e.g., by supporting with critical information on key operational processes, relationships and engagements to prioritize

INTERNAL COORDINATION

• Coordinate closely with the Units in Nairobi, and other research units as needed, to move forward the IMPACT’s workstreams and partner network.

The Senior Operations 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

• Years of work experience At least 7 years of relevant working experience in a humanitarian setting, ideally in an emergency / hardship post
• Work experience Previous successful experience as Operations Manager in more than one humanitarian context with a strong emphasis on information management, including monitoring and evaluation, research design etc.
• Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment.
• Level of independence. A self-starter with a proven ability to work independently.
• Familiarity with aid system Strong understanding of the multi-sectoral humanitarian architecture; familiarity with Sudan or similar context
• Communication/ reporting skills Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills for external engagement required.
• Academic qualifications Excellent academic qualifications, including a master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline (e.g. international studies, development, humanitarian response, data science, political science, etc.).
• 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
• Experience in geographical region Past experience in the region/supporting is desirable
• Language skills Fluency in English required, competency in Arabic is an asset.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• For this position, salary between 3’420 CHF and 3’480 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.
• Enrolment in Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approx. 9.975% of staff gross salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance.
• 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 Paris, including a 4-days in situ security training.
• 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.