Senior Assessment Officer - Cash & Markets for Nigeria, based in Abuja

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 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. 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 organisation manages several initiatives, including the REACH Initiative. The IMPACT team comprises specialists in data collection, management and analysis and GIS.

We are currently looking for a Senior Assessment Officer to support our team in Nigeria. Department: PANDA/REACH

Position: Senior Assessment Officer – Cash and Markets

Contract duration: 12 months

Location: Abuja, Nigeria (with occasional stays in Dakar, Senegal)

Starting Date: 1st April 2026 (dependent on funding confirmation)

COUNTRY PROFILE

Nigeria is confronted by multiple security challenges. The Insurgency of The Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād (JAS) – more popularly known as Boko Haram – has entered its twelfth year and has spawned a humanitarian crisis rendering sections of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe state inaccessible, limiting affected population`s access to basic infrastructure and services, and displacing millions. In the Norhtwest, banditry has emerged as a key challenge, becoming more sanguinary with every year. The high levels of crime and increased use of violence and kidnappings have led parents and authorities to pull millions of students out of school. The spotlight remains on the Northeast yet needs – both humanitarian and developmental – are rising in the Northwest, long-running discontent and militancy prevails in the Niger Delta, discontent is increasing between herders and farming communities spreading from the central belt southwards, and separatist Biafra agitations in the Igbo Southeast simmer on.

Against this backdrop, IMPACT Initiatives has developed a wide range of research cycles to provide an evidence-base for the humanitarian community. Historically, IMPACT Initiatives has been present in both the Northeast and Northwest of Nigeria. Thematically, across 2021 – 2023 IMPACT Initiatives fielded Multi-Sectoral Needs Assessments (MSNAs), Hard to Reach (H2R) assessments, Area Based Assessments (ABA), Rapid Overviews of Areas of Return (ROAR), Thematic Assessments (TA), Rapid Assessments (RA), and WASH Infrastructure Mapping, while also playing a key role in Famine Monitoring, Nutrition and Food Security Surveillance, and the Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI).

IMPACT is currently hosted by a national NGO, FACT Foundation, and all staff are seconded to FACT during their mission in Nigeria. Both organisations are anticipating the confirmation of an upcoming ECHO-funded consortium in Nigeria, focused on emergency response mechanisms through cash as the primary response modality. The consortium will be DRC-led and IMPACT will provide the critical function as the independent MEAL body of the consortium, by evaluating the effectiveness of Cash, Protection, and WASH activities. In addition, IMPACT is planning to support the humanitarian community through its JIMMI and the roll out of cash-related thematic assessments.

POSITION PROFILE

Under the management of the Research Manager, the Senior Assessment Officer (SAO) oversees the research activities related to the aforementioned ECHO consortium. As such, the SAO will lead the research design and delivery of the MEAL activities, including baseline/endline and PDMs, of partners’ activities. Moreover, the SAO will support FACT Foundation in strengthening its current JIMMI in Nigeria, providing clear technical guidance from a cash-related perspective. The SAO will also provide occasional technical guidance and IM support to the ECHO consortium as well as other stakeholders such as the Cash and Market Working Group.

This position requires strong research skills, a willingness to work in a team, an analytical mind, creativity, and independence. Knowledge of the national or regional context in Nigeria is an advantage.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Assessment Officer’s responsibilities include:

RESEARCH CYCLE MANAGEMENT

• Ensure research methodology and tools reflect market functionality, supply chain dynamics in Nigeria, and align with partner capacities
• Managing relevant research cycles end-to-end, including oversight of research design, data collection, or analysis.
• Manage timelines and deliverables aligning outputs with partners programmatic objectives

CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING

• Develop an understanding of supply routes, cross-border flows and markets in the Nigerian context
• Ensure dynamics of cash and markets in conflict settings are well reflected

RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Oversee the development, contextualization and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
• Support field teams in implementing data collection
• Produce high quality research outputs in English.

STAFF MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING

• Promote capacity building across the IMPACT/FACT Nigeria mission related to deepening analytical capacities using existing research (capacity building portfolio will depend on level of experience).

COORDINATION

Internal Coordination

• Interact autonomously with HQ departments and possibly serving as a mission focal point for particular themes or technical areas;
• Coordinate with research units and teams to move forward or improve aspects of the research cycle;
• Supporting senior management with designing, planning, and implementing strategies, and objectives.
• External Coordination
• Continuous engagement with the partners adhering to the timelines and consultative process for the research cycle

The Senior Assessment Officer 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 their assignment with IMPACT

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).
• Familiarity aid system: Familiarity with the aid system, and the research community.
• Cash and Market experience: Relevant experience either from an implementation or from a research perspective to Cash and Market programming in the humanitarian sector is preferred. Particular preference is given to candidates with experience in designing MEAL systems related to Cash and/or conducting cash related thematic research
• 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 2-3 years of relevant working experience preferably in the humanitarian and research field or proven progression within IMPACT.
• Research skills: Excellent research and analytical skills. Excellent quantitative and qualitative research design, data collection, and data analysis experience required. 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 West Africa region is desirable.
• Language skills: Fluency in English required.
• Security environment: Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• For this position, salary between 2’580 CHF and 2’640 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 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.

How to apply

Please apply directly on the website via the following link : Senior Assessment Officer – Cash and Markets For Nigeria, based in Abuja (Link For External Applicants)