Research Assistant

Requisition ID: req51672

Job Title: Research Assistant

Sector: Monitoring & Evaluation

Employment Category: Fixed Term

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: Not Applicable

Location: Lodwar, Kenya

Work Arrangement:

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee
(IRC) is one of the world’s leading crisis response agencies, providing
life-saving assistance and supporting recovery and reconstruction for people
affected by war and natural disasters. Active in public health, education,
livelihoods, women’s empowerment, youth development, and protection and
promotion of rights, IRC assists people from harm to home.

The International Rescue Committee
(IRC) is one of the leading humanitarian relief and development organizations.
Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC responds to the
world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people survive, recover, and
rebuild their lives. In partnership with the GFFO, the IRC will be leading an
anticipatory action project in Lodwar targeting clients living along the
riverine areas of the River Turkwel with intervention in Economic Recovery,
Protection and Nutrition.

Scope of Work

The Research Assistant is
responsible for ensuring that data collection with the clients is well collected,
complete, accurate, and uploaded to the main server.

Under the supervision of the MEAL
Officers, the Research assistants will:

• Support the daily collection of
  data from all Anticipatory Action Clients included in the client survey.
• Conduct In-depth interviews with
  clients and transcribe the interviews verbatim.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Participate in the training on
  Anticipatory Action methodologies
• Client mobilization, registration,
  and recruitment.
• Client info sessions, onboarding,
  and monitoring.
• Maintain communication with
  clients including attending to their inquiries.
• Data collection, data analysis and
  drafting of reports and share for review before dissemination.
• Participate in onsite visits, spot
  checks, client’s registration, and validation in collaboration with ERD and
  other stakeholders
• Business verification and spot
  checks.
• Ensure compliance with
  organizational performance standards, code of conduct, and safeguarding policy.
• Adhere to confidentiality
  procedures and policies when collecting, storing, and sharing data.
• Report writing.
• Keep the supervisor appraised of
  all outputs, feedback and issues arising from the project activities conducted.
• Train the survey teams using
  standard materials and survey protocols, participate in field data collection,
  supervise the survey team to ensure quality of data collected.
• Interaction with the MEAL teams on
  Learning and accountability aspects of the project
• Translation and transcription of
  survey tools as required by the research team.
• To perform other duties as
  assigned and agreed upon with the supervisor particularly in Health.

Technical Oversight

• Collaborate with MEAL and non-MEAL
  staff to ensure that data is collected, compiled, checked for its quality and
  completeness in compliance with IRC and donors’ standards for data quality.
• Undertake regular analysis of
  monitoring data and work closely with program officers and managers to
  facilitate decision-making for real-time program adaptation.
• Produce quality reports and update
  dashboards with key findings that foster learning and decision-making and share
  in project cycle management meetings and team meetings.
• Identify, document, and share
  client feedback to improve services and results for our clients.
• Support deployment of surveys such
  as baseline, midline and end line, and the commission of evaluations in
  coordination with colleagues and partners.
• Support in Development of forms on
  Kobo or CommCare – Training of data collectors Conduct of data collection –
  Basic analysis and report writing.

Reporting.

• Compile activity, monthly and
  quarterly report with key results.
• Compile reports for all
  assessment, beneficiary targeting, verification and share with ERD and MEAL
  team.

Data Quality and Assurance

• Undertake data quality checks
  encompassing project data collected in target locations.
• Conduct data audits and onsite
  verification including post enumeration follow-up as needed.
• Review and pre-test data
  collection tools and provide feedback for improvement.

Human Resource and Logistics

• Coordinate regular field data
  collection logistics with operation team.
• Responsible for IRC and MEAL
  equipment including tablets, laptops, survey materials etc
• Recruitment and on boarding of
  research Assistants/ Enumerators for specified tasks
• Coordinate mentor the data
  collection/entry team to foster timely and high quality data.

Key working relationships

Position reports directly to
senior MEAL officer administratively and technically.
Position directly supervises
enumerators, data clerks and casuals
Position works directly with MEAL
officers, Program officers and ERD team.

Other internal and /or External contacts

Internally: MEAL officers, program
officers, ERD team and entire IRC team.
External: Clients, county
government, national government units (NDMA),local structures i.e chiefs and
village administrators.

Qualifications

• Degree or Diploma in statistics,
  Mathematics, International Development, Anthropology, Sociology, Community
  Development, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Business Administration, or a related
  field.
• Experience in data collection,
  analysis, or research dissemination desirable.
• Minimum 1-year research
  experience, specifically implementing research activities.
• Language skills: Strong preference
  to candidates who speaks Ngaturkana .
• Experience working with
  marginalized communities in Turkana and other ASAL counties
• Experience managing data
  collection through open-source tools such as ODK collect, KoBo Toolbox, Survey
  CTO or CommCare platforms.
• Excellent people skills. Approachable
  personality and patience to connect with clients and address their unique
  needs.
• Strong communication and
  report-writing skills.
• Flexible approach to the changing
  nature of work and ability to adapt to rapidly changing work demands and
  expectations.
• Ability to work effectively both
  independently and within a multicultural team.
• Computer skills, especially Ms.
  Word, Excel, outlook and PowerPoint.

Standards of Professional
Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined
in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service,
Accountability and Equity. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates
and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse,
Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity
Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons.

Gender Equality: IRC is
committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer
benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our
workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and
other encouraging benefits and allowances.

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC
considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex,
color, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or
disability. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided
reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview
process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and
privileges of employment.

Kenyan nationals are encouraged
to apply. International allowances are not available for this position. Salary
and employee benefits are compliant to the Kenyan NGO Sector.

Disclaimer:

Please take note that International Rescue Committee
(IRC) does not ask for any fees in connection with its recruitment processes.