Evidence and Impact Officer at Translators without Borders (TWB)

Translators without Borders is a unique non-profit organization that helps humanitarian organizations communicate more effectively with vulnerable populations in the right languages. TWB created the first translation and language program specifically for crisis response and is now deploying that program in northeast Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Evidence and Impact Officer

Location: Maiduguri, Borno State
Hours: Full-time
Contract period: November 1, 2018 - March 31, 2019
Reporting to: Nigeria Country Director
Department: Crisis Response
Employment Type: Consultancy

Background
TWB conducted an initial assessment of language support needs in the humanitarian response in north-east Nigeria in July 2017. This found very significant levels of need: in a context where people affected by the conflict and food crisis speak dozens of first languages, humanitarian communication is overwhelmingly in English and Hausa. Organizations lack basic information about the languages spoken and understood by affected people, and struggle to hire either language professionals or national staff and volunteers with the right language skills. Humanitarian staff voiced fears for the impact this could have on the accuracy of needs assessments, the effectiveness of program design, accountability, and conflict sensitivity. So far TWB has developed a protection glossary app, conducted comprehension testing with IDPs, enumerators, and field staff, worked with partners on collecting and mapping language data, and carried out training on the basics of interpreting.

There is still much to do to fully understand how language barriers affect data collection, two way communication between crisis affected people and humanitarian agencies, and access to services. The research planned over the coming months includes better understanding the impact of language on service accessibility, the effectiveness and limitations of multi-lingual audio messaging, and the relevance of language in enabling crisis affected people to express their needs.

The Role

• The Evidence and Impact Officer will be responsible for contributing to the evidence gathering and research needs of the project. Working closely with the TWB team in Nigeria and the TWB global MEAL Manager, the Evidence and Impact Officer will be tasked with investigating key language barriers contributing to communication challenges in the humanitarian response in northeast Nigeria. This role will involve the collection of data, analysis and contributing to the packaging findings into a variety of formats for programmatic and advocacy uses.

Main Duties and Responsibilities
Research:

• Support the design and facilitation of research workshops,  focus group discussions, key informant interviews and household surveys relating to language, comprehension, and project monitoring and evaluation
• Work with the global Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Manager to document and disseminate best practices, case studies, innovations, lessons learned and proven methodologies

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E):

• Collect, verify, and report on different data points (e.g. training, translation, resources, advocacy) with particular attention to indicator progress and reporting according to project and donor requirements.
• Organize and maintain files for all data, sources of verification and supporting documents as required by project and donors including attendance records, training surveys, photos, presentation files, handouts, etc.
• Collect and manage the training and advocacy tracker database including workshops, presentations, shadowing, etc.; confirm receipt of all staff submissions and data reports.
• Work closely with colleagues to make sure all files are saved and properly filed in TWB Google Drive.
• Work with TWB staff to ensure all monitoring data is accurate, complete, and sent on time.
• Support TWB staff in basic M&E techniques and tools to ensure compliance.

Data analysis and visualization:

• Respond to requests from TWB staff for data analysis, visualization, and monitoring data.
• Work closely with the Country Director to identify and produce data points, data analysis, and data visualization for donor reporting, special reports and other projects as needed.

Communications:

• Keep project photo archive up to date by regularly uploading and labelling photos on Google Drive, and responding to internal requests for TWB photos.
• Keep project database of impact quotes for TWB up to date, and respond to organizational requests for quotes.
• Support the TWB Communications department by providing Nigeria related inputs to highlight project achievements.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience and demonstrated skills in qualitative and quantitative research, data management, data entry, data quality control, data analysis and interpretation, and/or data visualization
• Bachelor's degree in Humanities, Social Sciences, or related field or equivalent standard of education. Master’s degree preferred.
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills in English and Hausa.
• Knowledge of Kanuri or another language used in northeast Nigeria a plus.
• Experience or knowledge of non-profit organizations, especially development or humanitarian related, a plus
• Familiarity with the translation, language or content industries a plus
• Willingness to continually develop own professional capacity
• Ability to work independently, efficiently and reliably, to a high standard and to deadline
• Sensitivity to cross-cultural dynamics in the workplace and ability to work collaboratively with a diverse staff
• Psychological resilience, flexibility, and a good sense of humor
• A citizen or existing visa status that entitles the candidate to live and work in Nigeria 

Core Values
Translators without Borders employees and volunteers are made of people who believe passionately about the value of this work and take personal responsibility for achieving the mission. Translators without Borders’ mission and organizational spirit embody the core values established in its strategic framework:

• Excellence: As the leading voice for communicating humanitarian information in the right language, Translators without Borders is a leader in the translation industry and in the non-profit sector.
• Integrity: Translators without Borders believes that every person, whether it’s the people who we serve, our volunteers or our staff, has value, deserves respect and has inherent dignity.
• Empowerment: Translators without Borders believes in using language to empower people around the world to control their own development and destiny.
• Innovation: Translators without Borders recognizes and celebrates the power of innovation to address humanitarian and crisis issues around the world.
• Sustainability: Translators without Borders recognizes that meeting our mission necessitates establishment and maintenance of a solid financial and organizational infrastructure.
• Tolerance: Our staff and volunteers are highly knowledgeable and skilled; value each other, our partner and our recipients; create a supportive work environment; and, conduct themselves professionally at all times.

Application Closing Date
21st October, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: Due to the urgency of the vacancy, screening and interviews will commence immediately and the candidate can be selected at any stage before the closing date.