Helen Keller International (HKI),Helen Keller International (HKI), an international NGO, has been working in Bangladesh since 1978. HKI implements different projects in partnership with national and international NGOs. The focus of HKI work is on nutrition, food security and eye health. Current program areas include Barisal, the northern Char areas and the CHT. HKI is looking to fill a Research Officer position in the Learning and Reflection Unit.

The Research Officer in the Learning and Reflection Unit plays a key role in designing and producing research learnings that assess the effectiveness of projects and designing special studies that enhance the rigor and depth of HKI programming. S/he has primarily responsibility for conducting baseline and endline surveys, analyzing data, organizing special surveys, providing training and supervisory support to data collection and data entry teams.

Required Qualification: The candidate should have Masters Degree in Development Studies, Social Sciences or related field with at least 5-7 years of program related experience in the area of participatory program planning, management, monitoring, and evaluation, within a development organization/NGO. Should have excellent interpersonal communication skills, fluency in spoken and written English, and be familiar with SPSS, MS Office and any other Statistical/Data Management Software.

Job responsibilities:

  • Planning and design:
    • Working with M&E Coordinator, Program Manager, and Country Director, create monthly work-plans to meet data collection and analysis needs of HKI projects;
    • Ensure that key indicators for food security and nutrition are standardized across projects;
    • Keep abreast of key research in HKI’s topical areas and incorporate new approaches as necessary;
    • Organize and store all of HKI’s research studies, and facilitate knowledge-sharing within the organization by making data accessible to field teams and on HKI website;
    • Seek out and follow up on opportunities for special surveys that enhance the visibility of HKI’s research expertise.
    • Provide brief monthly summaries of M&E activities to Program Manager or M&E Coordinator.
  • Data management and analysis:
    • Generate the sampling frame and select appropriate research methodology for baseline and endline surveys and special studies based on objectives of the survey and type of research project;
    • Design and document professional written protocols for research surveys;
    • Work closely with Project Managers to design and translate questionnaires, including questionnaire guidelines;
    • Prepare the syntax for data analysis;
    • Update of the SPSS syntax for naming variables after data conversion from dbf to SPSS format;
    • Merging the data set for analysis;
    • Update the database after detection of errors during data cleaning. Involve identify the ways to improve the data quality.
    • Finalize data files and copy to server.
    • Prepare abstracts for presentation to relevant conferences.
    • Maintain organized country-office file system of all research and surveys conducted across projects
  • Field coordination and training:
    • Help design and lead training and refresher sessions in quantitative and qualitative data collection with project staff and contract data collectors. Provide regular field supervision of monitoring projects.
    • Take lead on methodology design and field supervision of special surveys, as needed. Provide both technical assistance such as sampling layout, necessary support on questionnaire and the coding, and take the lead on field supervision and data analysis.
    • Recruit and manage contract teams of data collectors, supervisors, and data entry staff. Oversee data entry and quality control during data collection and analysis.
    • Based on analysis of monitoring data, propose ideas for cross-project, longitudinal, and special studies within project areas.
    • Maintain good working relationships with members of the LRU unit as well as with other HKI staff.
  • Technology and systems management support:
    • Supervise to develop computer programs for data entry and management for all special studies, update the existing systems. This will include data entry/editing screen design, developing check plans and check list generating programs (all range and consistency check).
    • Working with IT/Systems Admin, lead office-wise conversion from paper to PDA data collection system
    • Working with Regional IT Manager and other HKI personnel, give input into review and analysis of previously collected existing data, including areas for further analysis and reporting, and development of online data management system.
    • Maintain logistical supplies for data collection needs and requisition equipment and software as needed.
  • Accountability:
    • The Research Officer will be accountable to the Program Manager for performance. Timely projects activity implementation through effective planning, resource management, contribution to cross project activities.

Interested persons are requested to apply with a complete resume with contact telephone number and a copy of recent passport size photograph including a cover letter in English explaining the justification in support of his/her candidature. Applications should be sent to: HR Manager, HKI, House No. 10F (3rd Floor), Road No.82, Gulshan-2, Dhaka-1212 or at E-mail: ramin@hki.org by March 25, 2010. Only short listed candidates will be called for interview. A competitive salary package will be offered based on experience and qualifications.

“Helen Keller International is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from qualified women and minorities candidates. The organization has a smoke free working environment.”