TITLE: RESEARCH CAPACITY BULIDING ADVISOR, RWANDA
DEPARTMENT: RESEARCH
DATE: APRIL 2008 (open through August 24, 2008)
Population Services International (PSI) is the world’s leading non-profit social marketing organization, operating in more than 60 developing countries. PSI creates demand for essential health products and services by using private sector marketing techniques and innovative communications campaigns to motivate positive changes in health behavior. On the supply side, PSI works with the commercial sector to increase the availability of these products and services at prices which are affordable to at-risk populations. With a bottom-line orientation that is rare among non-profits, PSI social markets products and services for family planning, maternal and child health, and the prevention of AIDS, malaria and other diseases. For more information, please visit: www.psi.org.
PSI seeks a Research Capacity Building Advisor (RCBA) to be based in Kigali, Rwanda for two years as part of a new five year, $20 million USD, Behavior Change and Social Marketing project awarded from USAID. Working along side our key partners, Johns Hopkins University Center for Communications Programs and Community Habitat Finance International, the RCBA will be responsible for increasing the evidence base of social marketing research in Rwanda by providing technical support and increasing the capacity of the PSI/Rwanda’s research team to conduct qualitative, quantitative and mapping research, using the global PSI/Research team’s methodologies. Additionally the position will be responsible for increasing the capacity of national research institutions, such as KIST University, the National School of Public Health and various governmental organizations, using the existing standard tools and training materials of PSI/Research.
The RCBA will directly report to the PSI Country Representative in Rwanda. However the RCBA is responsible for following the standard tools and methodologies of the global PSI/Research team and will be expected to participate in relevant PSI/Research meetings and workshops.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Build the capacity of PSI/Rwanda research
- Strengthen the capacity of, and transfer skills to, PSI/Rwanda’s research team to independently implement, manage, and improve quantitative research activities by providing technical assistance in areas of research design, sampling strategy, data analysis, and dissemination of results to internal and external stakeholders;
- Provide technical assistance in the design of qualitative studies, including the development of communication concepts and pretest of communication strategies; and
- Provide technical assistance to PSI/Rwanda’s research team to use mapping activities to measure coverage and access to PSI products, as well as helping to enhance reporting of PSI field activities through mapping.
Build the capacity of PSI/Rwanda programs
- Increase the capacity of, and provide technical support to, PSI/Rwanda program staff to build their skills in interpreting research results and using a research-to-action approach to guide programmatic decisions and activities.
Build the capacity of PSI/Rwanda partner organizations
- Assess Rwandan partner institutions for gaps in behavioral research approaches; and
- Develop and implement a training curriculum to strengthen identified gaps, along with a benchmarked calendar of implementation.
Provide technical assistance to the PSI/Rwanda research manager, on an as needed basis, to
- Recruit and train PSI/Rwanda in-house research department;
- Develop annual research plans based on program requirements;
- Assist with study implementation, including study design, data analysis, report writing and dissemination (through publications, presentations and workshops); and
- Represent PSI/Rwanda to high-level partners, including donors and the Government of Rwanda.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- PhD degree with experience in public health, behavioral sciences, population studies, psychology communication or marketing;
- Experience in the design, management, analysis, and dissemination of behavioral research in public health;
- Experience in the implementation of a wide range of quantitative and qualitativemethods;
- Advanced statistical analysis of health survey data and strong multi-variate analysis skills preferred;
- Experience in capacity building project or teaching experience in foreign settings;
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent studies;
- Demonstrated ability to inform programmatic decisions using research results; and
- Experience working in developing countries and/or situations of political sensitivity.
The successful candidate will have extensive knowledge of SPSS and/or STATA programming; ability to train, manage and develop research staff in cross-cultural settings; strong monitoring and evaluation research experience with programmatic implementation; demonstrated experience of capacity building; written and spoken French, strong writing skills; the ability to work closely with program staff to deliver actionable and insightful research outputs; and excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated experience of positive governmental relations. Preference will be given to candidates with developing country experience, preferably in Francophone African countries, knowledge of public health issues, familiarity with the international donor community and experience of data collection with PDAs.
APPLY ONLINE at http://www.psi.org. No calls or emails, please.
PSI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.
