Location: Pakistan
Closing date: 25 Apr 2008
Job Description

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Research:
- Identify and/or refine questions which, if appropriately answered, will contribute to improved understanding and lead to improved project results.
- Design and manage implementation of appropriate selected research studies—and/or oversee research conducted by others—in support of project objectives.

Evaluation and Monitoring:
- Help to ensure that the project has well-defined results; can reasonably measure progress towards achieving those results for management purposes during the life of the project; and can measure outcomes for evaluation and program learning.
- Facilitate and provide leadership to ensure effective design, review and implementation of the project’s Performance Management Plan (PMP) including the following steps taken in close consultation with project management and technical advisors:
- Define suitable indicators that reliably measure project outcomes and results.
- Design and oversee implementation of strategies and methodologies for accurately collecting, recording, compiling and analyzing data so as to report progress towards project objectives.
- Ensure that data are recorded and stored effectively so as to be usefully retrievable and reportable on a regular and frequent basis.
- Support program implementation staff to design and implement essential process indicators and the means to track progress against these indicators, including:
- User-friendly tracking formats and systems for recording, compiling, storing processing and reporting information.
- As needed and appropriate, inform and support external monitoring and/or evaluation activities by making available appropriate documentation and sharing personal expertise.

Reporting:
- Support program staff in compiling relevant and concise information for routine project reports (quarterly); and occasional special reports as required.
- Prepare consolidated reports including concise narratives and relevant tables and/or graphs that capture progress against indicators and provide both management and donors with accurate and user-friendly information.
- Help to prepare key project reports for targeted publication/dissemination.
- Ensure maintenance of a “library” of reports, both electronic and hard copy, with ready access to copies as needed.
- Ensure that research is accurately and meaningfully reported.
- Help to identify opportunities, and provide support to staff, to prepare and submit research reports for journal publication.

Program Learning:
- Help to ensure that routine monitoring data are regularly reviewed, in a timely manner, by project staff and management in order to improve program implementation.
- Support project management in contributing to organizational, donor, national and global learning based on measurable project successes.
- Contribute to capacity building of project staff in terms of being results-oriented and better equipped to achieve, measure and report meaningful results.

REQUIREMENTS:

- Post-graduate degree in public health, social science or other relevant subject—including relevant courses in research; data management and analysis; and reporting/presenting skills.
- Minimum of 6 years of experience in REL, with demonstrated results managing research, evaluation and evidence-based program development.
- Experience in developing country setting, preferably in South Asia
- Research skills including the capacity to clearly and concisely articulate a question; state a hypothesis; design/adapt appropriate data-gathering tools; manage accurate data collection; organize and manage data recording and analysis; and report meaningful results in ways that answer the question and are appropriate to the target audience.
- Technical skills in monitoring and evaluation including being able to:
- Conceptualize, design and appropriately describe a system to guide project management in achieving intended results and to evaluate the project’s success in achieving results;
- Design appropriate data collection instruments and manage data flow from collection to recording to storing to analysis to reporting.
- Excellent English writing skills, including use of the active voice in a clear and concise manner, backed up by meaningful graphic displays to make information accessible and useful to managers, donors and other stakeholders.
- Strong skills with computer software programs that enable efficient and effective data collection, storage, analysis and graphic representation of results.
- Planning and organizational skills that ensure efficient and effective implementation of research, evaluation and project learning.
- Excellent teamwork including abilities to coordinate well with diverse individuals and teams and to negotiate effectively with colleagues and stakeholders to achieve results.
- Ability to think and act strategically to achieve project objectives; and to lead others in the same way.
- Commitment to learning and enabling others to learn.
- Initiative-taker, but also team player.
- Analytical approach with emphasis on evidence-based thinking and action.
- Action-oriented and results-orientated.

This is a long term accompanied position.
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