Position – Research and Learning Specialist

Duty Station:Addis Ababa

Grade 2A

CONTRACT LENGTH: 1 year

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 2: the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Learning and Research Specialist supports the overall coordination and management of the operational research studies and learning activities, aimed at providing rigorous data/ information to make the Growth through Nutrition program implementation more effective and provide the project with important program and policy information

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: MEAL Senior Advisor

Role Dimensions: The Learning and Research Specialist will have hist role in recruitment of data collectors and supervisos, preparation of study protocols, organizing trainings, monitoring of data collections and translations and the production of reports

A.KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 

Facilitate and organize learning events (20%)

• Work with MEAL team to organize and facilitate Operations Research and Learning dissemination event (both virtual and in-person as the context allows)
• Prepare summary report of the learning event dissemination for documentation
• Facilitates smooth transition and final handover of project’s research and learning platform to the regular government body responsible for coordinating nutrition researches and learning under the new F&N strategy

Research Protocol Development (10%)

• Work with MEAL team and other project advisors in addressing various essential components of research including develop study protocols, research tools, pre-test and modify questionnaires
• During the annual planning/reporting period, together with MEAL and thematic advisors, identifies and prioritizes research questions for rapid assessment and estimates inputs required accordingly
• Facilitate ethical approval from local ethical review committee/ EPHI board, need-based

Human Resource Recruitment and Training (10%)

• In collaboration with MEAL team, recruit research team: field data collectors/ enumerators, supervisors and field guides for operation research
• Develop training materials and train data collectors and supervisors on various survey tools, data collection tools including Open Data Kit (ODK) and smart phones (tablet)
• Provide training and supportive supervision to data collectors and supervisors
• If research firm is hired, serve as day-to-day contact and representative and oversee quality of services provide.
• If assessments is to be conducted or supervised by project team, internal project staff capacity development on research/learning – s/he facilitates short in-house training/orientation session (on data collection methods, analysis technics, use of tools etc.)

Coordinate and oversee field level data collection (10%)

·       Monitor progress toward study goals and provide frequent updates to Senior MEAL Advisor on the progress and challenges faced to address any issues that could arise during the conduct of the operation research and learning activities.

·       Work with the Senior MEAL Advisor to resolve any issues in conducting operation research and learning activities; submit detailed reporting regularly to program staff

·       Collects and analyzes monitoring data for program planning, management and implementation, convergence, and monitoring and evaluation purposes

·       Compile weekly, monthly, quarterly report about the overall study activities

·       Coordinate/support documentations of case studies, and make sure that these Growth through Nutrition activities are well documented and trackable

·       Performs other MEAL related tasks as required

Data Analysis and Reporting (40%)

• Lead in research data analysis (this includes analyzing existing project data to derive and document learning as well as additional rapid assessments / OR in Yr 6 with data collection); prepares tables, graphs and other statistical data for reports;
• Lead in interpreting the outcome of analysis and proposing corrective actions
• Lead in report writing including manuscripts, policy briefs preparation and based on latest OR findings, existing data analysis and implementation lessons, leads updating of technical briefs and project lesson documents
• Together with the Communication Specialist of the project, ensures that final versions of assessments, learning documents and event reports are uploaded on projects website

Administrative and Finance Support (10%)

• In collaboration with MEAL team, prepare study plans including budget, human resource and material/ supplies requirements
• Work with the MEAL team and operations manager to ensure all logistic are arranged and materials are readily available
• Monitor the allocation and utilization of study supplies
• Coordinate with Senior MEAL Advisor to determine funding requirements for each studies/ activities for purchase and distribution of supplies
• i.e. data collection tools

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values

Holds suppliers accountable to deliver on their responsibilities

Ambition:

Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and takes responsibility for their own personal development

Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others

Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale

Collaboration:

Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters

Values diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work cross-culturally.

Creativity:

Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions

Cuts away bureaucracy and encourages an entrepreneurial approach

Integrity:

Honest, encourages openness and transparency, builds trust and confidence

Displays consistent excellent judgement

Job Requirements

Skills and Experience:

• B.A/BSC in health science, public health, statistics or related fields

QUALIFICATION

• 8 or more years of experience in qualitative/quantitative research for Health, Nutrition, Agriculture and/or WASH including the experience of managing field research and data collection
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and statistical software (SPSS, STATA, EPI-Info)
• Strong familiarity with electronic data collection (ODK or other)
• Experience with data quality management, especially for primary data collection
• Extensive survey design experience
• Strong analytical skills; experience with analysis of statistical significance or survey results and proficient and skilled in report writing
• Extensive experience of working and managing effectively in a diverse team, maintaining good working relationships
• Experience in recruiting and training research team (data collectors, supervisors etc.) on various data collection tools

Desirable

• Strong leadership; communication and time management skills
• Experience with multi-sectoral nutrition projects such as USAID ENGINE or USAID Growth through Nutrition

KEY COMPETENCIES

Generic Competencies

·      Child Rights: Promotes an enabling environment for participation, and accountability to children

·      Be the Innovator: Promotes innovation to find new and better approaches to driving progress for children

Deliver Results at Scale: Promotes a clear focus on impact in a project and programme design, management, and oversight

Generic Competencies

• Being the Voice of Children: Promotes evidence-based policy and public engagement that includes the voices of children and their communities
• Advancing Equality & Inclusion: Displays a commitment to ensuring everything we do considers the most deprived and marginalised children and adolescent
• Building & Strengthening Partnerships: Promotes working with diverse partners as critical to delivery

Child Rights: Promotes the rights of children in own work and in work with colleagues and peerS,

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI’s global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Gender Equality Policies, supported by relevant procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff:

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SC Health and Safety policies and procedures.

We offer a competitive package in the context of the sector. The duty station of the position holder will be in Addis Ababa This role is offered on the basis of national terms and conditions only.

The Organization
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realize the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.