Research Officer, Tanzania

Reports to: TBC

Contract duration: 12 months (with possible extension)

Salary: Competitive within Tanzanian NGO market rates

Job purpose

The Research Officer will support the Research Manager in the coordination and implementation of research on positive behaviour change in nutrition. As a member of a global team of research and communications practitioners, the officer will have the opportunity to contribute to the R&L Group’s work on the synthesis and analysis of best practice for Media Action’s projects throughout the world.

She/he will liaise with local partners and programme participants to design, coordinate and conduct research activities and will have primary responsibility for local research administration. Activities will include conducting interviews/audits of media organisations moderating focus groups, analysing qualitative and quantitative data, reporting and disseminating information, and evaluating the impact of the project. He/she will be expected to work flexibly across a range of genres and across all media, irrespective of their area of specialism, in line with business need and to positively develop their understanding of the wider media development environment. He/She will make sure that all activities are implemented in a timely and effective manner.

Main Duties

• To support in the design of research for training projects and mass media campaigns, comprising formative research, pre-testing of media materials, and impact evaluation.

• To support in the commissioning and monitoring of all research inputs (e.g., quantitative KAP studies, focus group sessions, case studies, etc.), working to budget and deadline requirements.

• To conduct focus group discussions, listening groups sessions and in-depth interviews in the field.

• Liaise with in-country field agencies monitoring quality control and the timely delivery of research projects.

• To support the Research Manager in overseeing quantitative and qualitative research activities conducted by the Trust.

• To support the analyses of qualitative and quantitative data research findings to senior managers of BBC Media Action, in-country Project Managers, donor organizations, government agencies, etc.

• To work closely with the Research Manager to liaise with project audience research teams and field agencies in-country in overseeing the implementation of studies, monitoring quality control, budget and timely delivery of research outputs.

• To support the implementation of ad hoc quantitative and qualitative research for the research project under the supervision of the Research Manager.

Required skills, knowledge and experience

• Fluent in English and Swahili with ability to write reports and scripts in these languages

• Experience in working for an international development organisation and/or in the field of research.

• Knowledge of and a willingness to learn about qualitative research (focus groups, interviews etc) and/or quantitative (surveys) research techniques

• Ability to communicate clearly and appropriately both to colleagues and interviewees

• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to work speedily and accurately under pressure

• Ability to select relevant data, identify key trends, issues and solutions.

• Ability to think logically, take an analytical approach, critically evaluate ideas and interpret information from different sources

• Ability to build and maintain relationships with partner organisations

• Ability to establish good working relationships with colleagues and work as a member of a team, demonstrating good interpersonal skills

• Good IT skills, including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and ideally statistical software such as SPSS

• Self-motivated and willing to learn using own initiative, demonstrating a proactive approach and ability to deliver on time and brief without close supervision

• Excellent organisational and administrative skills: responding flexibly to rapidly changing priorities, planning and prioritising activities and tailoring outputs effectively taking into account deadlines and resources

• Excellent diplomatic skills: ability to conduct business at high levels of government and media

• Ability to operate effectively in a difficult environment

Desirable

• In-depth working knowledge of nutrition issues in Tanzania, especially in the field of behaviour change communication.

• An understanding of, or enthusiasm to learn about, communication strategies, media formats and journalism

• Data analysis knowledge and experience - ideally including multivariate analysis and segmentation experience

• Strong and varied research background, with the ability to distil complex information into simple and actionable recommendations

• Experience of working closely with a production team in applying research findings to media formats and outputs

Key competencies

• Analytical Thinking – Able to simplify complex problems, processes or projects into component parts, explore and evaluate them systematically. Able to identify causal relationships, and construct frameworks, for problem-solving and/or development.

• Decision Making – Is ready and able to take the initiative, originate action and be responsible for the consequences of the decision made.

• Planning and Organisation – Is able to think ahead in order to establish an efficient and appropriate course of action for self and others. Prioritises and plans activities taking into account all the relevant issues and factors such as deadlines, staffing and resources requirements.

• Resilience – Can maintain personal effectiveness by managing own emotions in the face of pressure, set backs or when dealing with provocative situations. Can demonstrate an approach to work that is characterised by commitment, motivation and energy.

• Influencing and Persuading – Ability to present sound and well-reasoned arguments to convince others. Can draw from a range of strategies to persuade people in a way that results in agreement or behaviour change.

• Communication – The ability to get one’s message understood clearly by adopting a range of styles, tools and techniques appropriate to the audience and the nature of the information.

• Managing relationships – Able to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of people.

• Self-Development – Is able to identify and apply opportunities for learning and development.

Application instructions: Candidates should send their CV and a covering letter (PDF or Microsoft Word format) which outlines their experience and suitability for the role in English to tzrecruitment@tz.bbcmediaaction.org with the name of the position applied for in the subject line.

Please do not send certificates or other attachments. Applicants with no separate covering letter will not be considered. Please only apply if you meet the basic criteria under the person specification. This is a local post applicable to people who have the legal right to live and work in Tanzania. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and only if a donor application is successful.

Please note that the availability of this position is dependent on the success of an application to a donor.

Application deadline: Friday 14 June 2013