Country: Switzerland
Closing date: 10 Jul 2019
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) is the world’s authoritative source of data and analysis on internal displacement. Since our establishment in 1998 as part of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), we offer a rigorous, transparent and independent service to the international community, and inform policy and operational decisions to improve the lives of people living in, or at risk of, internal displacement. With a team of approximately 30 people in Geneva and an annual budget of 5 million USD, we monitor more than 130 countries in the world for which we provide verified, consolidated and multi-sourced estimates of the number of people internally displaced or at risk of becoming displaced by conflict, violence, disasters and development projects. We complement this global data with interdisciplinary research into the drivers, patterns and impacts of internal displacement. Using this evidence, we provide tailor-made advice and support to inform global, regional and national policy-making. Our data and evidence are published on our website and via our Global Internal Displacement Database (http://www.internal-displacement.org/database/displacement-data). Our flagship report, the Global Report on Internal Displacement (http://www.internal-displacement.org/global-report/grid2019/) published every year in May, is the world reference on IDP statistics, featuring trends and thematic analyses, country and regional spotlights
Background
In 2018, IDMC started developing a number of key research areas to address existing knowledge gaps on internal displacement to inform development policy and humanitarian practice. This includes examining how internal displacement comes about in towns and cities across the globe, as well as understanding how the risk of displacement from, to, between and within urban areas can be addressed and reduced. Having successfully secured funding for a number of case studies in 2019, IDMC seeks to employ a new full-time Researcher to support this research activity.
Main Tasks
In close coordination with the Head of Policy and Research, the Researcher will lead IDMC’s research agenda on urban internal displacement. This includes developing a coherent programme of research, drafting concept notes, conducting desk research, developing methodologies for primary data collection, coordinating fieldwork logistics, training and supervising local enumerators, and conducting interviews and other data collection in selected fieldwork locations. Drawing upon quantitative and qualitative analysis of primary and secondary data, the Researcher will also be responsible for drafting and publishing briefing materials, presentations and publications on urban displacement.
In addition, the Researcher will contribute to the production of the Global Report on Internal Displacement and provide support to other research themes as appropriate. The Researcher will develop new and strengthen existing partnerships, will identify funding opportunities, and support the development of research proposals in line with the department’s identified research priorities.
Specific responsibilities:
- Lead research on the drivers, patterns and impacts of urban internal displacement and on urban solutions to preventing and addressing displacement and reducing displacement risk.
- Conduct research in case study countries and lead research assistants and local research teams in primary data collection and analysis.
- Draft and publish results from primary and secondary research in line with IDMC’s thematic priorities and policy agenda.
- Identification of opportunities for positioning IDMC’s analysis and drafting of blogs, news items and analytical pieces, in coordination with the Communications Department.
- Identify funding opportunities for the urban displacement research agenda and support the development of research proposals in line with IDMC’s identified priorities.
- Contribute to the production of the Global Report on Internal Displacement and to other research themes as appropriate.
- Perform other duties in the department as appropriate.
Qualifications
Generic professional competencies:
- Master’s degree related to urban planning and development, architecture, international development, displacement and migration, disaster risk and climate change adaptation, humanitarian affairs or a related field.
- Over 5 years of relevant work experience, including managing research projects.
- Experience of designing research programmes and developing methods for primary data collection using mixed methods from qualitative and quantitative research.
- Strong writing skills and ability to condense large amounts of data and analysis in an efficient manner.
- Strong initiative and collaborative working style.
- Excellent communication skills and good team worker.
- Fluency in English, both written and verbal – knowledge of another official UN language a plus.
Specific skills, knowledge and experience:
- Knowledge of urban planning and urban development.
- Knowledge of human mobility issues in the context of disasters and climate change, conflict, or development projects.
- Experience of conceptualising, planning and conducting primary research.
- Proven experience of conducting primary research in Africa, Asia or Latin America.
- Experience of processing and analysing large amounts of data and qualitative information into concise and communicable briefing papers and information pieces.
- Ability to question, understand and evaluate quantitative and qualitative research on internal displacement.
- Ability to convey complex problems in accessible concepts and terms, both verbally and in writing and to adapt language and messaging for different audiences.
- Ability to clearly communicate research findings and their global and regional policy relevance.
Miscellaneous
- This is a one year fixed-term contract.
- The position is full-time, 40 hours per week.
- Please note that for reasons related to the procedure for work permits in Switzerland, only candidates with an EU/EFTA nationality or a valid work permit for Switzerland can be considered for this role.
Applications will only be accepted through the NRC recruitment platform: https://www.nrc.no/vacancies/.
We look forward to receiving your application.
How to apply:
Candidates should complete an NRC WebCruiter application including their CV and personal details.
Applications will only be accepted through the NRC recruitment platform.
Please note that for reasons related to the procedure for work permits in Switzerland, only candidates with an EU/EFTA nationality or a valid work permit for Geneva, Switzerland can be considered for this role.
We look forward to receiving your application.