Jordan: Research Assistant, Conflict Sensitivity Platform

Sep 25, 2018 | Search for Common Ground
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Search for Common Ground (or SFCG) is an international non-profit organization operating in 36 countries whose mission is to transform the way the world deals with conflict away from adversarial approaches toward cooperative solutions

Position Summary

The Research Assistant will be responsible for providing research to support a new project in Yemen titled “The Yemen Conflict Sensitivity Platform” implemented in Aden, Sana’a (Yemen) and Amman (Jordan) and funded by the Government of the United Kingdom; the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). The program aims to promote peace and stability in Yemen through enhancing conflict sensitive approaches and practices for actors planning and delivering assistance. This will be achieved through ensuring that (i) actors (humanitarian, peacebuilding, stabilisation, recovery and development) providing assistance into Yemen agree on collective actions to ensure the conflict sensitivity of their programmes; (ii) sufficient capacity exists for actors to deliver assistance in a conflict sensitive manner; and (iii) national and organisational policies and overall engagement strategies are better placed to support peace and stability in Yemen.

The activities include monitoring of conflict dynamics, establishment and running of technical-level forums for collective planning, establishment of Conflict Sensitivity Resource Centres (online and in-person), ongoing support for institutional capacity development on conflict sensitivity, and mentoring to relevant agencies/assistance stakeholders.

Based in Amman, Jordan, the Research Assistant will report to the Project Manager and will provide research support for the project.is adapted to the specific local context and conflict, and all apply tools from SFCG’s toolbox. 

Key Responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities include:

Preparation

  • Conduct desk reviews to inform commencement of and ongoing field data collection.
  • Compile an initial literature review, guided by the center Director, and conduct updates at key intervals during the project’s lifetime.
  • Identify and contact key stakeholders required for field interviews.
  • Support the development of necessary field data collection tools alongside M&E staff.
  • Develop an interview and data collection schedule and data analysis matrix alongside M&E staff.

Data collection and analysis

  • Conduct the research as planned, taking and consolidating notes on an ongoing basis.
  • Enter data collected into data analysis matrix, with supervision from M&E staff.

Reporting

  • Summarise and analyse the key findings and learnings in regular reports. 

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

Qualifications

You meet the following qualifications:

Education

  • A university degree or equivalent certificate/diploma or similar qualification from a recognised establishment or equivalent experiences.

Experience

  • At least 1-3 years’ professional experience in a comparable position.

Skills and Competencies

  • Good working knowledge of ITC technologies (related software, phone, fax, email, the internet) and computer applications (e.g. MS Office and Excel)
  • Good command of English and Arabic.
  • Previous experience in NGO and/or CSO research tasks.
  • Very good written, oral, and interpersonal skills.
  • Very good organisational and file management skills.
  • Time management skills with the ability to multitask.
  • Fluent in Arabic and English 

Behavioral Competencies

  • Ability to work through stringent deadlines with acute attention to detail.
  • Maintains focus on priorities.
  • Self‐starter with the ability to manage time effectively.
  • Good working knowledge of ITC technologies (related software, phone, fax, email, the internet) and computer applications (e.g. MS Office and Excel)
  • Willingness to upskill as required by the tasks to be performed.