Qualitative Researcher, Zambia
Apply
Overview
Social Solutions International, Inc. is a Small Disadvantaged Business. Hispanic and woman-owned, Social Solutions emphasizes quality research and evaluation, training and technical assistance, and institutional support services. We are a mission-driven organization that believes that superior science can improve the world. Social Solutions is dedicated to the creation of social and health solutions to improve the welfare of undeserved populations worldwide.
The Coordinating Implementation Research to Communicate Learning and Evidence (CIRCLE) project provides technical, logistical and administrative support to the USAID Health Research Program, to facilitate and support research-to-use processes to advance USAID’s global health priorities. CIRCLE supports the Health Research Program through stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, expert mobilization and consultation, knowledge management, implementation research, and research translation.
In 2015 USAID commissioned a landscape analysis to explore the evolution of child health, and to map leadership and stakeholder networks to inform future investments in child health. Based on recommendations from this initial study, CIRCLE will implement a follow-on study to deepen understanding of progress on child health by exploring the effects of leadership, governance, and networks on programs and outcomes over the past 10-15 years in four selected Sub-Saharan African countries. This activity will elucidate country perspectives on important drivers of change in child health, and assess how these drivers can be harnessed to advance outcome achievement. Findings are intended to help inform future USAID investments and support for child health at the global and country levels. The objectives of the country analysis are to:
- Distill and synthesize existing information about facilitators and barriers to progress in child health in selected countries since approximately 2002. (e.g. from PMNCH success factors studies, Countdown case studies, country evaluations, etc.)
- Describe how key strategies and tactics were employed, how leadership was exercised and decisions made, and how stakeholder groups acted to influence child health programs and outcomes in selected countries over this time period.
- Document the effects of recent global initiatives for child health on programs and results in selected countries.
Identify what might be done differently to enhance progress on child health over the next 5 to 10 years in selected countries, given local and global contextual changes.
Social Solutions International, Inc. (Social Solutions) seeks a locally basedQualitative Researcher for the Enhancing Outcomes for Child Health: Country Perspectives on Leadership, Networks, Governance, and Other Drivers of Change study. The position is based in Zambia and considered a contract opportunity. The duration of the project is March 5, 2018 until January 31, 2019
Responsibilities
The Qualitative Researcher will work with a study team to support data collection, analysis and knowledge management by performing the following duties:
- Provide technical support for data collection, analysis, and dissemination of findings;
- Review and provide feedback on the desk review report;
- Assist study team in completing research ethics approval process in country (including review and submission of documents and follow-up as required);
- Use existing networks and relationships to help identify and engage potential key informants;
- Support lead international consultant in planning and conducting 10-15 key informant interviews (participate in training on instruments, help identify key informants, lead or co-lead interviews, transcribe or produce interview notes);
- Assist with review and cleaning of interview notes in preparation for analysis and upload to analytic software tool;
- Support analysis of key informant interview data (e.g. preparation of notes, coding);
- Plan and co-facilitate in country data analysis workshop;
- Participate in cross-country data analysis workshop;
- Liaise with local logistics consultant (to be hired) to support planning for key informant interviews/field visit; and
- Participate in study team meetings with CIRCLE and USAID as required.
Qualifications
- Master’s degree in public health or related field.
- 10 -15 years’ experience in global health research/programming. Specific focus on child health preferred.
Knowledge, Abilities and Skills
- Knowledge of child health landscape and key issues in Zambia and globally;
- Relationships with key child health stakeholders (e.g. national government, coordinating mechanisms, donors, bilateral advisors, research institutions, implementing partners, etc.)
- Strong qualitative research skills including experience conducting in-depth interviews and analyzing data;
- Familiarity with local research ethics approval processes;
- Affiliation with an academic institution or entity with a research ethics/research review board;
- Willingness to travel internationally to participate in cross-country data analysis workshop;
- Proficiency with qualitative data analysis tools/software (e.g., Dedoose, NVivo, Atlas.ti); and
- Strong oral and written communication skills.