Research and Learning Advisor International NGO Jobs – AVSI Foundation
Job Title: Research and Learning Advisor
Organization: AVSI Foundation
Duty Station: Uganda
Reports to: Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor
About US:
AVSI is an international NGO with headquarters in Italy, which has been active in Uganda since 1984. Its current activities are focused in the areas of education, health, livelihoods, and protection, nutrition and refugee programs in Uganda.
Job Summary: The Research and Learning Advisor will contribute to the research and learning of the program’s interventions. Reporting to the Research and Learning Manager, the successful candidate will be based in Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement in Kamwenge District. In collaboration with the Monitoring and Evaluation team and the Research and Learning team, the Research and Learning Advisor will lead the design, implementation and technical quality of collaborating, learning, adapting, knowledge management efforts on the program.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with AVSI personnel, the lead agency, and the external evaluator to support the design of the program research activities; lead efforts to identify key research questions and support the design of studies, provide evidence on best practices and lessons learned, provide evidence to make programmatic decisions and/or adaptations, contribute to the larger body of evidence related to the graduation approach.
- Refine and implement the Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting Plan for continuous learning, collaborating, and adapting for Activity staff, partners, donors, host country government counterparts and other stakeholders.
- Facilitate internal stock-taking exercises such as pause-and-reflect sessions, before action reviews, after action reviews, and opportunities to give and receive stakeholder feedback.
- Oversee the compilation and dissemination of information from Monitoring and Evaluation data and stakeholder feedback on successful and promising approaches, lessons learned and other program results to local, national and regional-level intergovernmental bodies, donors, partners and other stakeholders. Promote forums which facilitate collaboration, learning and action as a result of this information among these actors.
- Build capacity of staff, implementing partners, government counterparts, and other stakeholders in program monitoring and evaluation, data collection and management, and Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting methods as necessary.
- Coordinate Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting activities with local and international partners, including annual surveys, case studies, stakeholder workshop to refine approaches
- Lead ongoing adaptation of Activity design and interventions using Monitoring and Evaluation data and stakeholder feedback.
- Lead qualitative data collection, transcription, analysis, and report writing.
- Oversee operational and formative research design, implementation, and data use.
- Participate in the development of project monitoring tools, data collection procedures, and train project staff on use of tools for data collection.
- Participate in tools for data quality assessments and conducting periodic data quality assessment, field monitoring activities and provide feedback to the program team.
- Support the Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor in defining and implementing the key program performance indicators as well as monitoring them throughout the duration of the program.
- Assist the Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor in proposing strategies to increase data use and demand amongst Activity staff.
- Assist program staff and the Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor in clarifying program information.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The applicant for the AVSI Foundation Research and Learning Advisor should preferably hold a Master’s Degree in international development, quantitative research, statistics or other area clearly relevant to data analysis and impact analysis is preferred.
- 5-7 years’ experience in international monitoring, evaluation, Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting, knowledge management, and research efforts for large USAID-funded programs.
- Prior experience with USAID Food For Peace activities and programs is a plus, including strong conceptual knowledge about theories of change, logic model, food and nutrition security indicators, Monitoring and Evaluation plan, data quality assurance, data utilization, and gender and youth integration into Monitoring and Evaluation, experience working in refugee populations.
- Proven track record of work monitoring and evaluation, data quality assessments, data validation, data audits, data collection, with particular focus on supervising and monitoring data collection activities.
- Demonstrated ability to create and maintain effective working relations with host country government personnel, stakeholders, NGO partners, and international donor agencies.
- Demonstrated expertise in qualitative data collection, in-depth knowledge about qualitative sampling, and experienced in using interviews, focus groups, and interactive tools to generate qualitative information and analysis.
- Excellent in written and spoken English (at least S/4 and R/4 levels).
- Hard Skills: Strong conceptual knowledge about theories of change, logic model, food and nutrition security indicators, Monitoring and Evaluation plan, data quality assurance, data utilization, and gender and youth integration into Monitoring and Evaluation, experience working in refugee populations.
- Soft Skills: Excellent organizational, administrative and presentation skills and ability to multitask under tight time constraints. Willingness to be based in a rural setting with frequent travel within the implementation area.
- Language Proficiency: English. Knowledge of Kiswahili/French and any of the local languages in the area (such as Runyankore, Rukiga, Rutooro)
How to Apply:
All candidates should send their application letters, accompanied with updated Curriculum Vitae indicating 3 work-related referees, plus copies of relevant certificates, should be addressed to: The AVSI Country Representative, AVSI Foundation, P.O. Box 6785, Kampala, Uganda and sent to hr.kampala@avsi.org
Please kindly indicate the e-mail subject as “Application for Research and Learning Advisor.”
Deadline: 19th March 2020 by 5.00 pm