About Geneva Call

Geneva Call is a neutral, impartial humanitarian organization that engages armed groups and de facto authorities (AGDAs) to improve respect for international humanitarian law and human rights, particularly around the protection of civilians. What makes it unique is its direct, confidential dialogue with non-state armed actors—a niche that few humanitarian organizations occupy—and its evidence-driven approach to influencing behavior on the ground. Working here means shaping humanitarian policy at the intersection of law, security, and access, with real potential to reduce suffering in conflict zones.

About the role

This remote consultancy sits within the Policy, Research & Legal Department and runs from November 1 to January 31, for approximately 50–60 working days. You will lead a global mapping of AGDA policies and practices affecting food security, categorizing them from enabling to harmful, and analyzing variations by group type and territorial control. The output will directly inform Geneva Call’s programmatic decisions, making this a high-impact role that bridges field realities and strategic humanitarian response.

A typical day

A typical day might involve reviewing field reports and open-source data on AGDA practices in one or more conflict contexts, then refining data collection tools or coding frameworks for the mapping. You could spend time conducting remote interviews with Geneva Call staff or external experts, synthesizing findings into categories, and drafting sections of the final report. You’d also coordinate with the Policy, Research & Legal team to ensure the analysis meets programmatic needs and deadlines.

Who Geneva Call is looking for

Demonstrated experience researching or working with armed groups, de facto authorities, or in conflict-affected contexts—ideally with a focus on humanitarian access, food security, or protection.
Strong qualitative research skills, including designing data collection tools (interview guides, surveys, coding frameworks) and synthesizing findings from remote or insecure settings.
Familiarity with international humanitarian law, humanitarian principles, and the dynamics of territorial governance by non-state actors.
Excellent written English and the ability to produce clear, evidence-based policy products under tight deadlines; additional languages (French, Arabic, Spanish) are an asset.

Tips for this application

Tailor your CV and cover letter to explicitly reference Geneva Call’s AGDA engagement approach and its areas of operations—show you understand their unique mandate.
Provide concrete examples of past research or mapping projects on armed groups, food security, or humanitarian access, including the methods you used and the outputs produced.
Address the consultancy’s deliverables directly: mention how you would categorize AGDA practices along the enabling-to-harmful spectrum and how you’d integrate a gender and inclusion lens.
Highlight your ability to work remotely and independently across a 50–60 day sprint, including any experience coordinating with field teams or managing data collection in conflict settings.
If you have existing networks or knowledge of specific contexts where Geneva Call operates (e.g., Syria, Iraq, Myanmar, Colombia, Ukraine), mention them—this demonstrates practical relevance.

What to cover in your cover letter

Emphasize your direct experience researching or engaging with armed groups and de facto authorities, and how that translates into mapping food security practices. Show you understand the complexity of categorizing AGDA behavior—from taxation and market governance to sieges and blockades—and can design tools to capture that nuance. Highlight your ability to apply a gender and inclusion lens to assess differentiated impacts on vulnerable groups. Finally, connect your work to Geneva Call’s programmatic needs: explain how your findings would be actionable for humanitarian decision-makers.

Draft a cover letter

Research before applying

Study Geneva Call’s published reports and country pages to understand their areas of operations and past work on AGDA engagement, especially related to humanitarian access and protection.
Familiarize yourself with the humanitarian policy landscape on food security in conflict, including key frameworks like UN Security Council Resolution 2417 and relevant IHL provisions.
Research specific AGDA practices in contexts where Geneva Call works (e.g., Syria, Iraq, Myanmar, Colombia) to ground your application in concrete examples.
Look into Geneva Call’s organizational structure and the Policy, Research & Legal Department’s role to understand how this consultancy fits into their broader strategy.

Geneva Call website

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

How would you approach mapping AGDA policies on food security across different types of armed groups and territorial contexts (contested vs. consolidated)?
What indicators or categories would you use to distinguish between enabling, obstructionist, and harmful practices related to food access?
Can you describe a time you designed data collection tools for sensitive research in a conflict-affected or remote setting?
How would you ensure a gender and inclusion lens is integrated into the assessment, particularly regarding women, children, minorities, and returnees?
What do you see as the key challenges in obtaining reliable information on AGDA practices, and how would you mitigate them?

Practise interview questions

Common mistakes to avoid

Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn’t mention armed groups, food security, or Geneva Call’s specific mandate—this role requires demonstrated subject-matter expertise.
Failing to show understanding of the consultancy’s short-term, deliverable-focused nature; avoid framing it as a long-term research project without acknowledging the 50–60 day timeline.
Ignoring the gender and inclusion dimension or treating it as an afterthought—this is explicitly required and must be addressed in your application.

Deadline

Applications close on October 24, 2026. Apply a few days early in case the employer's form has problems.