Job Description
Position: Deputy Regional Analyst – Syria Location: Candidate will be based in Amman, but with travel to Beirut, Istanbul, Gaziantep and Erbil.
Background of INSO
The International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO) is an international non‐governmental, non‐profit organisation. Our mission is to support the humanitarian community with information, analysis and advice that enhances situational awareness, supports informed decision‐making, strengthens operational practice, and enables humanitarian access in conflict zones across the world. For general information about INSO, please consult: www.ngosafety.org
INSO Syria
INSO’s Syria programme supports over 180 NGOs, helping them better orientate their strategy formation and operational decision-making regarding safety and access for their staff and assets inside Syria. After being launched as an emergency response programme in 2014, INSO Syria has grown to become a fully realised regional programme, present in each of the regional hubs for the Syrian crisis.
Overview
The Deputy Regional Analyst role is an exploratory yet, potentially, a highly rewarding role. It offers the unique opportunity to work in a close-knit team of highly talented individuals, providing real-time analytical advice to both our operational teams inside Syria, but also more broadly to our partners – with a specific focus on key regional and broader cross-cutting trends. The Deputy Regional Analyst reports to, and is the responsibility of, the INSO Syria Regional Analyst (who reports to the INSO Syria Country Director).
Considering the complex and challenging operational environment in Syria, the Deputy Regional Analyst will be responsible for supporting the examination of the multi-faceted interplay and impact of local, national and regional dynamics across Syria and the wider Sahel region.
By contributing to senior management briefings, analytical reports and thematic research that utilise INSO’s unique information and resources to assess geo-political, security and socio-economic trends, the position aims to contribute to the implementation of INSO’s mission and mandate in providing its partners with comprehensive analysis and advice on humanitarian safety and access.
The successful candidate will be outgoing and resilient, with the ability to analyse the complex environment in Syria, at both the macro and micro levels, giving sound practical safety and security advice to INSO’s partners.
Major Responsibilities
As stipulated above, the role is designed to support the service delivery of the Regional Analyst. As such, the Deputy Regional Analyst will have their responsibilities split into the following key areas.
1.The Regional Monitoring Project
• Here, the DRA will take the lead and track information and data on a series of countries (and issues) in the region that will be agreed upon with the Regional Analyst.
• This will be done by monitoring, logging, collating, and verifying contextual developments from a diverse range of information, such as NGOs, the UN, civil society organisations, research institutes and media sources.
• This will take the form of a detailed summary of highlighted dynamics and trends (to be discussed and agreed upon with the Regional Analyst) that will be presented to – and discussed with – the Regional Analyst once per week.
• As part of this process, the DRA will help create and coordinate an information sharing pathway with relevant team-members about key emerging trends in countries in the Middle East, to help with INSO’s preparedness for new and emerging crises.
2. Monthly Trend Analysis and Regional Briefing
• Building from this more general regional monitoring, the DRA will be expected to support the Regional Analyst’s preparation and production of a Monthly Trend Analysis that assists NGO partners preparedness by monitoring and assessing prevalent Syria-orientated dynamics and their impact on humanitarian safety and access.
• In particular, the DRA is expected to flag abrupt changes to major geopolitical, regional and other similar trends that affect Syria to the Regional Analyst.
• The DRA may also be asked to draft parts of the Monthly Trend Analysis, under the direction and discretion of the Regional Analyst.
• Further, the DRA will be expected to identify, cultivate, and maintain an active network of contacts within the broader humanitarian community, as well as other relevant stakeholders for information sharing, analytical exchanges, relationship building and operational coordination.
3. Thematic Reports
• Working alongside INSO’s Deputy Safety Advisors, the DRA will be expected to understand key humanitarian safety and access challenges that cut across the different parts of the Syria response, and specify how these can be reported on in longer form, using INSO’s database and other contextual knowledge.
• Using INSO’s conflict incident database and other streams of qualitative information, and in conjunction with the Regional Analyst, the DRA will be expected to contribute to larger-scale thematic reporting on cross-cutting issues, which are designed to further inform humanitarian access and safety over the middle term.
4. Wider Analytical Services
• Support INSO’s contribution to NGO coordination meetings and forums with humanitarian counterparts to discuss strategic and operational solutions to issues pertaining to humanitarian safety and access. This could involve the DRA attending key regional humanitarian fora, at the discretion and direction of the Regional Analyst.
• Work with the Regional Analyst to field and respond to any wider analytical services that are requested from partners, this could include assisting in workshops or drafting reports.
• The DRA will also be the focal point for partner requests to the Regional Analyst, sorting them and gathering feedback upon those completed.
• Provide support to the Regional Analyst in the development and facilitation of dynamic and interesting analytical training courses for humanitarian personnel.
5. Other Responsibilities
• Strategy Development. Contribute to the definition and application of INSO’s country strategy, providing analysis and advice for programmatic plans, products and practice.
• Programme Support. Assist the programme teams in the delivery of products and services if required by the Country Director. Ensure and reinforce the continuity and consistency between INSO’s consolidated internal data and externally distributed analytical products. Effectively represent and protect INSO’s principles of independence, impartiality and neutrality as well as actively promoting INSO as an integral member of the humanitarian community. Further, the DRA will be expected to cover for the Regional Analyst and their baseline outputs when they are away or travelling.
• Crisis Management. Offer support to enhance the preparedness or response of INSO and its partners in the event of an emergency.
The position and duties of this post require a great degree of flexibility and adaptation. Hence, within reasonable limits, the Deputy Regional Analyst might be required to carry out tasks that may not be explicitly detailed in this job description but are aligned with INSO principles and mandate.
Mandatory Requirements:
• Very strong research background desired. Minimum expectation of a post-graduate level of education (MA degree) in conflict studies, politics, history, humanitarian/development issues (or similar degree) from a reputable university, or very strong experience on largescale research projects.
• Strong experience with qualitative research methods. Experience in quantitative research methods is not necessary but will be a significant bonus.
• Outstanding written and analytical skills (samples will be requested and a written test conducted).
• Impeccable fluency in English (ability to contribute to high-quality research papers and briefings).
• Demonstrable understanding of adaptability with several approaches and methods of analysis, clear and genuine desire to learn, use and apply new approaches.
• Excellent ability to think critically and creatively, strong predisposition of constructively challenging established orthodoxies.
• Proven capability of blending data and information from multiple sources quickly and efficiently.
• A deep and sustained interest in the region’s geopolitics, international relations and aspects of grand strategy, state decision-making, stakeholder analysis, and how these can affect the operating environment in Syria.
• Relevant experience working in NGOs, international organisations, field-programmes, think-tanks, research consultancies or journalism.
• Ability to adapt to multi-cultural and diverse social backgrounds.
• Ability to work independently to tight deadlines in difficult conditions.
• Demonstrable understanding of safety discourses and dynamics as they relate to NGO operations and humanitarian coordination mechanisms.
• Understanding and commitment to the humanitarian principles of independence, impartiality and neutrality.
Preferred Characteristics:
• Strategic commitment to innovatively incorporate and systematise analytical thinking into humanitarian projects, operations and programmes.
• Strong comprehension and training in conflict analysis, conflict sensitivity and/or do no harm.
• Pre-existing and recent professional experience, contextual knowledge, information networks and/or local languages in the region (Arabic, Kurdish or Turkish).
• Minimum of (1) year’s recent experience working on Syria, ideally with a strong focus on research.
• Experience or provable knowledge on analytical trending; what it is, why it is done, and how we can do it with conflict analysis.
• Experience with NGO security and/or project management.
• Existing information networks into other analytical environments working on Syria and the region.
• Proven presentation/facilitator skills using adult learning methodologies.
• Technical proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher and PowerPoint.
Key Personal Competencies:
• Very strong natural curiosity.
• Conceptual, critical, and creative thinker.
• Ability to manage and solve complex analytical problems.
• Ability to work on multiple projects at the same time.
• An effective communicator: strong ability to break down complex ideas into straight-forward messaging for non-specialist audiences.
• Organised and diligent work ethic
• Cultural and situational sensitivity
• Principled and consummate professional
Terms and Conditions:
12-month contract with expected start date on or before 1 June, 2022
INSO’s Safeguarding Policy:
INSO is fully committed to safe recruitment, selection and vetting of all potential new staff, trustees and volunteers and we will ensure rigorous compliance with our Code of Conduct and Safeguarding policy throughout the recruitment process. As such, the following safe recruitment practices will be applied:
• All offers of employment will be conditional on receiving at least two satisfactory professional references;
• INSO will ask candidates about significant gaps in employment history or frequent changes of employer and address;
• All essential qualifications and relevant professional accreditations and memberships will be verified;
• The successful candidate will be required to provide a valid proof of identity (passport, ID card);
• All new hires will receive an orientation in INSO’s safeguarding policy and procedures and associated documents (Code of Conduct, Whistleblowing etc.);
• All new hires will be required to sign and abide by the Code of Conduct as a condition of employment.
How to Apply:
Interested persons are requested to send the following to [email protected] no later than 01 June 2022 and ensure to reference “Deputy Regional Analyst” in the subject line of your email:
• Cover letter specifying how you meet the mandatory requirements, your motivation in applying and what you hope to bring to INSO (2 page maximum).
• Up to date CV (5-page maximum).
• One sample of analytical writing authored by you in English. This could be a university essay, a report you’ve written or any other piece of applied analysis. This should not be longer than 5 pages in length (you can submit the introduction, a few pages from the body of the text and the conclusion, for example).
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted after the closing date.
Please do not send any additional information (certificates, other writing samples, etc.) and keep the total size of your application under 2 MB if possible.
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