REACH Field Senior Officer

I-Overview

The oPt currently faces complex, multi-faceted challenges, which are predicated on decades of political and humanitarian crises. These have stunted development and limited opportunities for lasting peace. According to the 2022 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), published in December 2021, 2.1 million Palestinians out of a total population of 5.3 million, were estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance, 39% of whom were classified as being in severe need. Fifty-five years of occupation and cyclical escalations in tensions have eroded the protection of human rights and cultivated an environment of persistent insecurity. Vulnerable Palestinian households (HHs) are at continual risk of violence, displacement, food insecurity, and poverty, requiring a robust humanitarian response during a time of record-low funding levels for the provision of critical assistance and services.

Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza are also experiencing the compounding effects of a diminishing economy, limited access to employment, and an overall decline in socioeconomic development opportunities. The COVID-19 pandemic and the May-2021 hostilities have caused further economic contraction and exacerbated ongoing humanitarian needs, whilst inhibiting opportunities for growth in the long term. Findings from the REACH led 2021 MSNA have in fact evidenced the negative impact of COVID-19 on HH economic well-being, as 36% of them reported that members of their HH lost their job (either permanently or temporarily) as a result of the pandemic. 53% of HHs

in the Gaza strip and 68% in the West Bank reported a decrease in their monthly income. The World Bank estimated that the May-2021 conflict further increased poverty in Gaza to 59.3% in 2021 – an increase of 2.3% from the COVID-19 induced peak observed in 2020 (Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment, World Bank 2021 – cited in HNO).

In response to these acute and protracted crises, the UNCT adopted a nexus approach in 2020, formalizing and building upon existing initiatives that intersect humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding programming. To achieve the ambitious objectives of addressing both immediate humanitarian needs in the oPt and working towards building more resilient communities by bolstering social justice, tackling climate change, and eradicating poverty, humanitarian and development actors will require a reliable and comprehensive evidence base to support strategic planning, inform the targeting of assistance based on identified needs and vulnerabilities, and monitor progress against global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicators.

Building on lessons learned from the 2021 MSNA, REACH will be conducting a new MSNA within the humanitarian-development nexus framework. The purpose of the MSNA will be to inform joint humanitarian-development response planning through the provision of comprehensive, multi-sectoral household data and inter-sectoral analysis. This support will assist in the planning for the 2023 HNO and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), ensuring that strategic response planning and prioritization decisions are evidence-based and target affected populations with the most acute needs and vulnerabilities.           

II-Background on IMPACT

REACH was born in 2010 as a joint initiative of two INGOs (IMPACT Initiatives and ACTED) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Operational Satellite Applications Programme (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 humanitarian 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.

III-Background on ACTED

ACTED is an international NGO registered in France. ACTED’s vocation is to support vulnerable populations affected by wars, natural disasters and/or economic and social crises, and to accompany them in building a better future. ACTED started its activities in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) in May 2007. ACTED is currently implementing projects covering multiple humanitarian / development sectors, funded by of a variety of international donors, which aim at protecting vulnerable households and strengthening civil society actors across the oPt. ACTED oPt offers a dynamic, rigorous and knowledge-oriented working environment.

Under the supervision of the ACTED Senior Office Manager in Gaza and REACH Senior Assessment Officer, the REACH Senior Field Officer (SFO) is responsible for supporting the REACH research team, and coordinating with the data collection teams, headed by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), to ensure the successful completion of data collection related to the cluster support project.

V-Responsibilites

The REACH SFO shall be responsible for:

1. Coordination with PCBS to manage data collection
2. Data cleaning, entry, and analysis
3. Coordinating with REACH assessment team
4. Any other tasks need to ensure the success of the REACH mission in the oPt

1. Coordination with PCBS to manage data collection

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) will be conducting data collection activities for the MSNA. The SFO will coordinate with PCBS field teams on relevant activities to support data collection, activities which include ensuring data quality and monitoring progress against sampling targets. The SFO will participate in the training conducted by PCBS staff to increase familiarity with the project and data collection operations.

2. Data cleaning, entry, and analysis

The REACH SFO will be responsible for performing data cleaning. This will include responsibility for performing daily data checks, follow-ups, and debriefing with PCBS field coordinators/team leaders. The REACH SFO will also flag data quality and data collection issues and resolve with members of the REACH assessment team and PCBS field teams, as relevant.

3. Coordination with REACH assessment team

The REACH SFO will be responsible for coordinating with the other members of the assessment team. This will include communicating regular updates over the course of data collection to the assessment officers and reflecting their feedback, updates, and directives in the work of the field teams.

4. 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 ACTED and REACH programme objectives, activities, beneficiary selection criteria, and methodologies.  This is the responsibility of every ACTED and REACH staff member.

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VI-Qualifications:

• 3 years of relevant working experience in coordinating fieldwork (e.g. managing teams of enumerators, developing workplans, overseeing data collection)
• Experience in overseeing and managing the conducting of household-level surveys, KIIs, and FGDs
• Experience in conducting training for quantitative and qualitative research assessments.
• Experience designing training manuals and related materials are desired
• Excellent management skills and experience overseeing the operations of data collection teams required
• Excellent planning and time management skills and experience are required
• Experience with ODK and mobile-based data collection apps (e.g. KoBoCollect)
• Experience dealing with logistics and procurement officers or departments desired
• Experience conducting interviews or facilitating focus groups are an asset
• Must be based in Gaza
• Excellent communication skills required
• Strong English language skills are an asset
• Ability to work independently is required.

Interested candidates are invited to send CV, Cover letter and three references (in English) no later than May 20th, 2022 to: ([email protected]), indicating the position (REACH Field Senior Officer) in the subject line.

The selection committee will review all applications as they are received.

All applicants must meet the minimum requirements described above, and those unable to meet these requirements will not be considered. 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview. No telephone inquiries will be received.