RESPONSIBILITIES

The Associate Research Manager’s responsibilities include:

STAFF MANAGEMENT

• Provide clear strategic and technical direction to MRAT staff, in line with HNMU and country-level strategies;

• Manage recruitment, onboarding, performance appraisals and professional development of team members;

• Oversee day-to-day team operations, including work planning, prioritisation and workload management across monitoring and rapid assessment streams;

• Foster a collaborative, supportive and high-performing team culture in a demanding operational environment.

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MANAGEMENT OF RESEARCH CYCLES

ASSESSMENT PREPARATION AND PLANNING

• Ensure research activities align with priority information needs identified by coordination bodies and operational partners;

• Guide the design of integrated research cycles combining regular monitoring outputs with rapid, issue-based or frontline assessments.

• Review and validate assessment ToRs, methodologies and tools in coordination with HQ and technical specialists;

• Ensure appropriate integration of qualitative methods, secondary data and geospatial analysis.

DATA COLLECTION

• Oversee data collection modalities implemented through IMPACT staff and partner organisations, ensuring quality, ethical compliance and feasibility;

• Monitor progress, risks and constraints during data collection and adapt approaches as required;

• Coordinate with support teams (FLATS, Data, GIS) on logistics, HR, finance and administrative processes.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

• Oversee the drafting of analytical outputs, ensuring clarity, accuracy and compliance with IMPACT quality standards;

• Ensure outputs clearly articulate implications for operations, coordination and prioritisation;

• Liaise with IMPACT HQ for validation of research products as required.

DISSEMINATION AND LEARNING

• Lead dissemination of findings through briefings, presentations, coordination meetings and bilateral exchanges;

• Ensure systematic documentation of lessons learned and contribute to continuous improvement of MRAT methodologies and workflows.

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIPS

• Represent IMPACT/REACH in relevant coordination fora, technical working groups and bilateral meetings related to monitoring and rapid analysis;

• Engage operational partners to ensure MRAT analysis responds to decision-making needs related to access, targeting, contingency planning and response design;

• Manage and develop partnerships with local organisations, including contractual oversight, capacity support and quality assurance;

• Promote partner involvement across the research cycle, from design to dissemination, to ensure contextual grounding and ownership.

CROSS-CUTTING FUNCTIONS

• Ensure strong information management practices and compliance with IMPACT standards across MRAT activities;

• Act as a liaison with other IMPACT units to ensure coherence, avoid duplication and promote analytical complementarity;

• Contribute to proposal development, donor reporting and strategic planning related to monitoring and rapid analysis;

• Support innovation and methodological adaptation in response to evolving operational and security conditions.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO COMMUNITIES AND BENEFICIARIES

• Ensure research activities are conducted in a respectful, ethical and consultative manner;

• Promote transparency with respondents and partners regarding objectives, methodologies and use of data.

DATA PROTECTION AND CONFIDENTIALITY

• Maintain strict confidentiality of all data collected and related processes;

• Actively prevent unauthorised sharing of information belonging to IMPACT, its partners or affected communities.

REQUIREMENTS

• At least 5 years of relevant working experience in a humanitarian setting, such as assessments, monitoring and evaluation, research design and analysis, etc.;

• Research skills Excellent quantitative and qualitative research data analysis experience required;

• Familiarity with aid system Good understanding of the aid system and the research community. Prior experience with humanitarian coordination forums preferred;

• Proven experience in team management in complex operational environments.

• Thematic experience Prior experience with humanitarian monitoring, rapid or frontline assessments, or applied research in conflict-affected settings is an asset.

• Communication/reporting skills Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with proven ability to draft concise analytical reports, briefs and presentations for diverse audiences.

• 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 Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint is required, with familiarity with Kobo and experience in qualitative analysis tools or GIS considered an asset.

• Security environment Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in complex, high risk and rapidly changing security environments under time pressure.

• Experience in geographical region Previous professional experience in Ukraine or comparable high intensity conflict contexts is strongly desirable.

• Language skills Fluency in English is required, with working knowledge of Ukrainian an asset.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• For this position, salary between 3’180 CHF and 3’240 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).

• R&R after 3 months (flight ticket up to 500$ + 200$ of living allowance)

• 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’ HQ in Geneva + one week pre-departure training in ACTED HQ 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.