Qualitative Research Team Leader Job Opportunity at Innovations for Poverty Action in Nairobi Kenya 2013
About Innovations for Poverty Action: Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a non-profit research organization that creates and evaluates approaches to solving development problems and disseminates information about what works and what does not to policymakers, practitioners, investors and donors around the world.
Position: Qualitative Research Team Leader
Start Date: 15th October 2013
Location: Nairobi
Description of Work: The AHME Impact Evaluation is an external evaluation of the African Health Markets for Equity (AHME) initiative.
The goal of the impact evaluation is to rigorously evaluate the extent to which transforming the business model of franchised providers and expanding access to demand side financing through AHME generates effective and cost-effective coverage of priority technologies and interventions amongst the poor.
The research project will collect data from private health facilities in Nairobi, Central and Eastern regions to measure the health impacts of improving the delivery and quality of private healthcare services.
The intervention is two-fold, and aims to impact health outcomes through both the supply of services, and the demand for them.
This position is temporary and will be based in Nairobi but will require extensive travel within and across Nairobi, Central and Eastern regions.
Throughout their work, Team Leaders will oversee a team of Field Officers and supervise data collection.
They will work closely with the Project Manager to improve their own skills and those of their colleagues; will be responsible for daily logistics; and will represent the project in meetings with local administrators and facility heads.
Team Leaders will spend roughly half of the study in Nairobi and half in Central and Eastern provinces and will be required to travel within and between these regions.
Overnight stays in all the regions lasting several days of the study will be required.
Team Leaders will be expected to work on weekends and evenings if needed.
Tasks, Duties, and Responsibilities:
General
- Arrive to work promptly and reliably, always setting an example for one’s colleagues
- Interact with community members with the highest level of integrity and understanding
- Represent study to healthcare facilities and local administrators, explaining study and asking for the facility’s support
- Coordinate and oversee all field operations including study materials, scheduling, transport, incentives and compensation for respondents
- Provide documentation of field costs to Project Manager for reimbursement
- Manage distribution of field work and study supplies to Field Officers
- Supervise Field Officers conducting focus group discussions and in depth interviews and provide feedback to Field Officers and Project Manager
- Ensure that Field Officers adhere to research protocols, informed consent and confidentiality, and quality control in conducting focus group discussions and interviews
- Conduct focus group discussions and in-depth interviews as needed, setting a standard of excellence for the team to follow
- Lead debrief meetings with Field Officers on what worked and did not work, and communicate to Project Manager areas for improvement
- Scrutinize completed questionnaires daily for completeness and consistency
- Secure recorded tapes, questionnaires and consents and deliver to Project Manager
- Report to Project Manager immediately any misconduct or violations of protocols
Focus group discussions (FGD)
- Introduce the project to community leaders and recruit patients for the FGDs
- Visit potential sites and secure location to conduct FGDs
- Confirm participation of the patients/participants by phone
- Confirm availability of site to host the FGDs
- Lead FGD activities, and distribute participants gifts after the discussion
- Supervise activities of Field Officers during FGDs, working to improve own skills and those of teammates
- Explicitly follow FGD research procedures and ensure that other team members do the same
Qualifications:
Required
- Demonstrated ability to follow written directions perfectly
- Ability to persuade others to follow written directions perfectly
- Strong oral communication skills and ability to clearly describe a study and encourage participation
- History of supervising staff and providing feedback to teammates in order to improve performance
- Demonstrated ability of organizing multiple tasks simultaneously and managing time efficiently
- Ability to collect completed surveys and other filed materials and ensure their safe delivery
- Ability to work well with others and create a team environment where assisting teammates is encouraged
- Willingness to travel within Nairobi, Central and Eastern provinces
- Willingness to work on weekends and evenings
Desired
- Bachelors’ degree or college diploma in community development, health or social sciences (preferred)
- Experience supervising data collection activities
- Experience recruiting healthcare providers and patients for research
- Experience with conducting in-depth interviews and focus group discussion
- Interest in healthcare research in particular
To Apply:
Please send a cover letter and detailed CV, 3 references, daytime phone number(s), and email address.
Your CV should include your scores or grades and other measures of academic achievement, and details about any relevant work experience.
Applications can be submitted to any of our branch offices, or by email to jobs-kenya@poverty-action.org,or by post office using P.O Box 373, Busia area code 50400 Kenya.
If you submit by email, please ensure that the subject line reads: “Qualitative Research Team Leader.” REF NO AHME-2013-09-01.
Deadline to Apply: 30th September 2013
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by Qualitative Research Team Leader. The statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs as necessary. Please note that IPA will never request any form of payment from an applicant. Applicants are encouraged to confirm the information listed above with IPA prior to releasing any extensive personal information to the organization. Please direct questions to jobs-kenya@poverty-action.org.