Job Description 

Position: Colombia Analysis Hub, Senior Analyst – Capacity Building

Contract: National contract

Reports to: Analysis Hub Team Leader                

Supervision of: None                           

Budget responsibility: None                  

Duty Station: Colombia

Travel: Possible travels inside Colombia                                            

Duration & contract type: Fixed term, through 30 April 2024, 100%

Eligibility: Candidates with the right to live and work in Colombia

Starting date: ASAP / 2023

About ACAPS

ACAPS provides high quality, independent and multi-sectoral humanitarian analysis. This enables crisis responders to better understand and consequently to better address the needs of the affected population, as well as strengthening the assessment ecosystem. ACAPS achieves this through:

• Independent evidence for humanitarian decision-making – Providing a complementary perspective to donors and operational agencies needs assessments, driving more robust decision-making processes.
• An outlet for sensitive analysis – Assessment and analysis are increasingly becoming politicized, and it is risky for operational actors to publish sensitive analysis. As a non-operational agency and independent service provider ACAPS is less constrained by the sensitivity related to mandates.
• Outsourcing efficiency – Providing donors and others, who often do not have their own independent analytical capability, with a reliable rigorous analysis in support of decision making.
• Driving effectiveness and efficiency – Better decision-making should result in the effective use of resources resulting either in more people being assisted or better quality of response.
• Evolution, innovation and progress – Acting as an incubator for new ideas, and an advocate for methodological improvement and change.

Colombia Analysis Hub

In 2021, ACAPS joined the Mecanismo Intersectorial de Respuesta en Emergencias (MIRE – Intersector Emergency Response Mechanism), composed of NRC, AAH, ApS, and MdM and funded by ECHO. The ACAPS Analysis Hub provided analysis on the armed conflict in Colombia and its humanitarian impact, and an evidence base for humanitarian decision-making, enabling a more effective and more efficient humanitarian response. The analysis produced by ACAPS furthermore helped to provide visibility to the humanitarian impact of the conflict.

The analysis produced by ACAPS includes analysis of humanitarian needs and trends, thematic analysis, and forward-looking analysis, including risk analysis. ACAPS furthermore provides technical support and methodological advice to the consortium partners.

The project ended in March 2022. Following this first experience, ACAPS established a new consortium with IMMAP and REACH, focused on information management and analysis and led by IMMAP: the EVIDEM consortium (Evidence-based Decision-making). Through this new collaboration, ACAPS will provide independent analysis and technical support to contribute to a strengthened humanitarian response, creating a robust evidence base for strategic, program and operational decision making. ACAPS analysis products are multi-sectorial in scope, and integrate descriptive, contextual, in-depth anticipatory analysis, using human-centered approach to understand how diverse population groups in complex environments are affected by multiple risks, including a gender and protection approach. The association of those 3 partners will allow better coherence and efficiency in delivering information management and analysis products to the wider humanitarian sector in Colombia, including continued support to the MIRE mechanism, and will support better decision making.

Responsibilities

Capacity Building and Technical Assistance:

• Collaboratively work with the Protection Specialist to develop, coordinate, and deliver capacity-building sessions, including technical assistance trainings tailored for local processes and initiatives.
• Spearhead initiatives focused on community early warning, prevention, and risk mitigation, emphasizing areas like Child Protection, Gender-based Violence, and Mine Action.
• Organize, design, and facilitate workshops aimed at capacitating individuals of the MIRE consortium, ensuring that these interventions are in line with their specific needs and objectives.
• Ensure the integration of conflict sensitivity lenses across these initiatives.
• Evaluate, refine, and update internal research guidance, training materials, and methodologies related to data collection, ensuring full alignment with global standards and best practices.
• Mentor and provide direction to teams and partners, ensuring proficiency in research methodologies and practices tailored for capacity building.

Research and Analysis:

• In collaboration with the Team Leader, Senior Analyst, and Protection Specialist, ensure the highest methodological standards and quality of analysis.
• Engage in continual review of humanitarian scenarios and relevant documents to ascertain the prevailing information landscape, identifying existing informational gaps.
• Oversee and guide the evolution of analytical products within the team.
• Engage with protection partners at the national level to enrich research and analysis.

Methodology and Quality Assurance:

• In collaboration with the Team Leader and the Protection Specialist, stablish and maintain the team’s data management systems, ensuring efficient and standardized data processing.
• Contribute to the development of tools that support ongoing analysis, promoting data and information sharing to encourage evidence-driven decisions.
• Establish and monitor feedback mechanisms on the impact of produced analysis.
• Design and produce analysis in line with the organization’s methodologies and global standards.

Networking and Partnership Collaboration:

• Develop and maintain a robust network of key interlocutors, encompassing sectoral and agency-level stakeholders.
• Strengthen relationships with regional and local informants to bolster research and analytical efforts.
• In support of the Team Leader, collaborate with IMMAP to provide essential technical assistance, particularly in data interpretation for contextual analysis, advocacy, or interaction with state institutions and local authorities.
• Represent the organization in regional forums and discussions pertinent to capacity-building initiatives.

Any other tasks which may jointly be agreed on may be added to the job description, as per the project needs. 

Competencies

Knowledge and experience 

• Master’s degree in humanitarian action, social sciences, international relations, education, or a related field. A bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in related sectors will be accepted.
• Minimum of 5 years professional experience in the humanitarian or related sectors with a focus on capacity building, research, and analysis.
• Deep understanding of both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and conducting capacity-building initiatives in humanitarian contexts.
• Experience in aligning training materials with global standards and best practices.
• Strong networking skills with a proven track record in forging successful partnerships.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite; familiarity with tools like R, Python, Tableau, and PowerBI is a plus.
• Clarity in written communication, ability to process complex information, and make informed judgments.
• Proven experience working with civil society, local partners, and governmental entities.
• Ability to evaluate data reliability, identify biases, and make judgment calls with ambiguous data.
• Fluent in English (oral and written). Proficiency in additional languages is an advantage.
• Demonstrated initiative, time-management skills, and the ability to self-motivate.
• Effective cooperation and interpersonal skills, with a track record of successful teamwork.
• Flexibility, including adaptability to different working hours.

Behavioral Competencies

• Communicating with impact and respect
• Leading and supervising
• Deciding and Initiating action
• Planning and delivering results
• Adapting and responding to change

Operate in line with the ACAPS values.

ACAPS is a dynamic and independent organization. Our culture is enshrined in the ACAPS values (here). The post holder is expected to develop the position in line with these values. The ACAPS values live in the way we manage our teams, create our content and engage with stakeholders.

ACAPS is a humanitarian Project hosted by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

Please include your CV and cover letter (both in English) when submitting your application.