Analyst

Position Title: Analyst

Reference: 211201

Position Location: Remote

Timeframe: subject to funding availability

Coordinator: Chief Syria Analyst

Overview: This Scope of Work (SoW) outlines the Analyst consultancy with the Center for Operational Analysis and Research (COAR). The Analyst will produce deliverables (as outlined below) through an understanding of both the Syrian context/conflict and the donor-funded humanitarian and development responses. The analyst will be expected to support multiple tasks and projects through fast-paced, real-time collection of qualitative data and analytical writing and team work.

About COAR: COAR is an independent social enterprise that directly supports practitioners, policy-makers, and donors by facilitating humanitarian and development interventions in complex, fragile, and high-risk environments. COAR delivers neutral and objective research and analysis, which identifies - but does not influence - local stakeholders, relationships, interests, and analyses broader political, economic, social, and security dynamics and trends. COAR research leverages social media, personal networks, field research teams, and local experts in order to map and translate the local human context; COAR analysis synthesises and studies this data in order to inform both programmatic and strategic decision-making, reduce security and conflict-sensitivity risks, and increase the impact of humanitarian, development, stabilisation, peace-building, and peacekeeping initiatives.

Objectives

• To support/lead on short-form reporting on and monitoring of social media, as well as media discourse analysis. Activities also include longer-form, longitudinal, thematic papers that focus on key topics, to include: security/conflict, governance, regional interventions, economics, society, extremism and radicalisation, and humanitarian/development dynamics.
• To lead, support, and collaborate to ensure the timely submission of high-quality deliverables. 
• To provide well-researched, evidence-based insight and programmatically-relevant recommendations using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methodologies.  

Activities

• Follow social and local media with attention to key narratives, emergent trends, and themes. 
• Carry out ad-hoc discourse analysis on media content.
• Actively track trends with regards to military/security, political, economic, social, and humanitarian developments on the ground.
• Analyze local, national, and regional developments within the Syrian context in collaboration with the COAR’s field researchers and other Analysts.
• Build trust-based relationships with COAR Researchers and, in conjunction with the Research Coordinators/Leads, task COAR Researchers.
• Collect relevant data points and articulate specific topics, geographies, and entities within Syria.
• Be available to thoughtfully provide responses for requests for information (RFIs) on specific issues, topics, or projects. 
• Support with other research, writing, or short translation tasks as instructed by the coordinator. 
• Support COAR’s data visualization and analytics by collaborating  with COAR research team, information management, and analytic focal points to identify qualitative data collection opportunities.

Deliverables

The Analyst will: 

• Track social media trends related to Syria’s various information environments under the Coordinator’s guidance. 
• Monitor selected traditional media outlets and track any shifts in the narrative under the provided monitoring criteria. 
• Produce two short weekly social and traditional media monitoring reports;
• Under the Coordinator’s instructions, draft in-depth flash reports reporting key changes in monitored dynamics in the various information environments. 
• On a weekly basis, conduct primary and secondary research to contribute to written or verbal briefing deliverables;
• Lead on ad-hoc specific requests for information and research from donor; conduct rapid primary and secondary research; draft response within 48-72 hours;
• Support (research and composition) on the COAR Syria Update, Thematic/Situation Reports and Scenario plans;
• Present verbal updates and briefings on Syria, using research conducted for weekly Syria Updates and thematic reports;
• Independently conduct or support all COAR project streams, to include TPM, area assessments, or individual specific requests for information and research.
• Provide research or guidance on individual mapping and infographic products as needed.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate for COAR Analyst consultancy will have:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, International Affairs/Relations, Middle East Studies, Public Policy, Anthropology, Sociology, Journalism, or a related field. A postgraduate qualification in the mentioned fields is desirable. 
• Two to Three years of experience collecting and analyzing qualitative data for media outlets, think tanks, research organisations, or NGOs. Experience working on sensitive topics is desirable. 
• Journalistic experience would be considered an advantage, and may be considered in lieu of formal academic training.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Syrian context. 
• Demonstrated understanding of donor-funded humanitarian, early recovery, stabilisation, and/or development architecture.  
• Demonstrated ability and/or willingness to work under tight deadlines, provide real-time data points and analysis with accuracy under pressure, and off-work hours. 
• Commitment to discretion and confidentiality.