Job Title: Nutrition Survey and Research Adviser

  • Reports to: Head of Technical Assistance, SAL
  • Liaises with: Senior Advisor Food and Nutrition Security, Nutrition Advisors, Programme Approaches and Learning Unit (PALU) and research partner Valid
  • Manages: No direct reports Job location: Dublin with substantial international travel.
  • Pay Band: Band 5 (€45,563 - €53,603))
  • Contract: Two Year fixed term contract
  • Job Purpose: Concern Worldwide is partnering with Valid International to test further their recently developed Rapid Assessment Method (RAM) designed to address a number of limitations with the existing approach to collecting nutrition data through SMART (Standardised Monitoring and Assessment for Relief and Transitions) Surveys. The research will be undertaken in three countries (Ethiopia, Chad and South Sudan) to examine the following:
    • 1. Does Valid’s innovative survey methods provide the same results as traditional (SMART) surveys on a selection of key indicators, specifically related to nutrition and infant and young child feeding?
    • 2. What are the cost savings, per round of data collection that can materialise from utilising the innovative survey method?
  • The role of the nutrition survey specialist will be to:
    • Working alongside Valid International team to build capacity of Concern’s nutritionists based in-country and at head office on quantitative survey methodologies (SMART, SQUEAC, SLEAC) using ENA software package and others as appropriate.
    • Ensures high quality of the nutrition survey research to be conducted in Ethiopia, South Sudan and Chad in partnership with Valid International.
  • Key Responsibilities:
    • Overall responsible for leading Concerns contribution to the three country research on survey methods.
    • Serve as focal point person on discussions relating to the research; liaise with Valid, Concern head office and the Concern country offices involved in the research.
    • Provide technical assistance during research design, implementation, data analysis and write up.
    • Serve as a resource person within the research project; share key information and updates with other technical staff; and coordinate with Valid, Concern technical advisors as appropriate.
    • Respond to requests from Concern Senior Management and donors for technical guidance and information.
    • Make research findings available to Concern and present externally.
    • More broadly provide support and backstopping responsibilities for Concern’s nutrition surveys carried out in the countries as part of routine interventions (baselines, mid-terms, end lines).
    • Working alongside Valid International team to build capacity of Concern’s nutritionists on nutrition survey methodologies through remote support, a regional workshop and country visits as per need.
    • Contribute to the technical reviews of nutrition survey tools for data collection, compilation and analysis and the write-up of findings.
    • Assist HR with the recruitment of nutrition survey consultants and enumerators required for data collection in country.
  • Skills and Experience Required:
  • Essential:
    • Minimum Master’s degree in either (A) Nutrition or Food Security with experience in statistics or (B) Statistics with a proven record working in nutrition, health or food security.
    • At least three years’ experience in a relevant overseas position.
    • Theoretical and practical experience in various survey methodologies such as SMART, LQAS, SLEAC, SQUEAC, S3M, and others.
    • Experience using statistical software packages such as SPSS, SAS, STATA, EPI Info and R.
    • Proven record of experience in capacity building of staff of various levels (enumerators, supervisors, survey managers).
    • Experience conducting nutrition surveys in development and humanitarian emergency context.
    • Understanding of the multi-sectoral causes and consequences of malnutrition; ability to analyze data from related sectors to understand impact on nutritional status of the study population.
    • Good communications skills, able to build strong relationships with the various actors involved in the research and routine M&E activities.
    • Working independent, good self-management and working towards tight deadlines.
    • Being pro-active.
    • Willingness to travel up to 40% of the time, with visits of up to one month duration.
    • Completed research ethics certification (or the willingness to obtain certification prior to employment)
  • Desirable:
    • French language skills
    • Experience as a principle investigator or study coordinator on a multi-country research study
    • Experience conducting nutrition surveys with special population groups such as pastoralists, or in urban context
    • Experience in working collaboratively with diverse actors such as research organizations, NGO head office and country teams, government representatives
    • Experience in looking into cost-effectiveness of various survey methodologies
    • Experience with project management and donor compliance (e.g. reporting, contract and procurement basics)
  • To apply: CVs should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by
  • Closing date: 15/07/2019
  • Candidates must be legally entitled to work in Ireland at the time of application.
  • Concern is an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all section of the community. Concern has a Programme Participant Protection Policy and an organisational Code of Conduct which have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisation, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the contents of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these two documents. Concern receives a substantial amount of funding from external donors each year.
  • Increasingly donors are introducing requirements whereby future funding is conditional on Concern ensuring that the names of any new employee or volunteer do not appear on terrorism lists generated by the European Union (List of person, groups and entities to which Regulation (EC No. 2580/2001 applies), the US Government (Office of Foreign Assets Control list of specially designated Nationals and Blocked Persons) and the United Nations (Consolidated List).
  • Any offer of employment (either paid or voluntary) with Concern Worldwide will only be made following a successful clearance check being conducted on the applicant. For additional information please consult our web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office. By submitting a formal application for paid or voluntary employment to Concern, you agree to Concern carrying out a clearance check as outlined above and that Concern will not proceed to recruit you should your name appear on any of the aforementioned lists
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