Humanitarian Economic Analyst

We are currently looking for an Economic Analyst to join the REACH HQ team in Geneva, Switzerland.

Position:Economic Analyst

Department: REACH – Global Programmes – Services, Systems, and Infrastructure Unit

Supervisor: Senior Manager, Public services, markets and infrastructure

Contract duration:6 months – renewable

Starting date: January 2023

Location: Geneva, Switzerland

FUNCTIONS

Under the supervision of the Senior Manager of the public services, markets and infrastructure unit, the Economic Analyst will be responsible for supporting IMPACT’s headquarters and field missions with the mainstreaming of economic analysis in IMPACT wider humanitarian analysis, in coordination with relevant REACH’s technical specialists in other thematic areas (particularly cash and markets), and field missions. Through both remote and in-country support and coordination with other members of HQ, the Economic Analyst will develop and implement an organisation-wide strategy to better integrate economic analysis into REACH’s global and field-level work, identifying relevant primary and secondary data sources, using and training others on rigorous analytical techniques, and creating analysis and data management tools that can be used throughout REACH’s work.

Specific objectives

1. Develop and implement an organisation-wide strategy for the mainstreaming of economic analysis and perspectives throughout REACH humanitarian assessments, identifying methodologies and analytical techniques that can be systematically integrated into relevant work in HQ and in the field.
2. Develop frameworks and methodologies for analysing socioeconomic vulnerability in the countries where REACH works, integrating existing primary and secondary data and proposing additional relevant indicators that would contribute to more robust analysis.
3. Analyse measurements of poverty and their correlation with household-level humanitarian outcomes in other sectors and thematic areas.
4. Develop a system for monitoring macroeconomic trends across the countries where REACH works, identifying best-practice sources, indicators, indices, and analytical techniques and linking the system with larger efforts to strengthen REACH’s work on early warning systems and anticipatory action.
5. Review key REACH research cycles such as its Multi-Sector Needs Assessments (MSNAs), Joint Market Monitoring Initiatives (JMMIs), and others to ensure that they are producing the data necessary to gain strong insight into household economic well-being and its effects on humanitarian outcomes.
6. Develop a robust data infrastructure, coupled with an online interface for easy data processing, to ensure that existing and future primary market data from REACH’s JMMIs can be adequately integrated into global and cross-crisis economic analysis.
7. Ensure that common standards for cash and markets assessments are adopted by all country missions as part of all relevant research cycles.
8. Provide technical or surge support as needed, either remotely or in-country, to assist with the implementation of key methodologies and analytical techniques related to economic analysis in IMPACT’s field missions; this may include contributions to strategic planning, conceptualisation of assessments and indicator modules, research design, data analysis and interpretation, coding of key analysis tools, and/or participation in key meetings, among other potential tasks.
9. Maintain active links and partnerships with other departments and specialists throughout IMPACT that are involved with economic analysis in various capacities, in particular the Research Department, the REACH Programmes Department, and the Cluster Unit.
10. Remain fully up to date with the global discourse surrounding economic analysis in humanitarian contexts, researching key global methodologies and toolkits, reading key external papers and reports, and attending training sessions and webinars, and building relationships with key practitioners and academics as relevant.

REQUIREMENTS

• Excellent academic qualifications, including a master’s degree in macroeconomics or microeconomics or a relevant discipline;
• Demonstrated skills in quantitative economic analysis, in particular econometrics;
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously to innovate, develop, and implement new ideas;
• Ability to effectively consolidate and synthesise existing research and learning into standards, guidance, and toolkits;
• Ability to autonomously handle high-level external engagement;
• Substantive experience working in humanitarian or development contexts;
• Familiarity with the humanitarian aid system and understanding of donor requirements;
• Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Excellent team management skills;
• Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting;
• Professional proficiency in English required, with professional proficiency in French or Spanish an asset;
• Advanced skills in R required, with experience using Shiny a significant asset;
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel a significant asset;
• Skill with Adobe Creative Cloud, in particular Adobe InDesign, an asset;
• Ability to operate GIS software an asset.