POSITION: Data Research Associate (1 position)
REPORTING TO: Data Specialist
START DATE: ASAP
LOCATION: Nairobi/Busia
DURATION: 1 Year
DEADLINE: Applications reviewed on a rolling basis
ELIGIBILITY: Position open to local Kenyan hires only
About Innovations for Poverty Action: Innovations for
Poverty Action (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to
discovering and promoting effective solutions to global poverty problems. In
close partnership with decision makers — the policymakers, practitioners,
investors, and donors working with the poor around the world — IPA designs
and evaluates potential solutions to poverty problems using randomized
evaluations, the most rigorous evaluation method available. We also
mobilize and support these decision makers to use these solutions to build
better programs and policies at scale.
About the Data Department: The Data Department
supports IPA Kenya projects to collect, process and manage survey data.
The Data Department does this directly by programming computer-assisted
interviews (CAI), computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI), preparing
data quality checks using IPA’s Data Management System (DMS) and cleaning
data. The department further supports in training project staff to complete
these tasks themselves. At all times, the Data Department ensures
compliance to the data protection law by adhering to high standards of data
security protocols and
management to ensure the proper handling of sensitive respondent information.
About the Position: This position is
intended to support the data team, as a Data Associate, while also acting as
a roving Research Associate. Therefore, duties are more data-focused than
a typical Research Associate at IPA-Kenya, but the position will also
require skills in research oversight. Below is a list of some of the general
duties and responsibilities of the Data Research Associate, to be carried
out as needed according to the determination of the Data Coordinator.
Duties and Responsibilities
Data management & survey programming
- Developing
data collection instruments for CAI using Survey CTO and Qualtrics for
surveys to be conducted in the field or over the phone (CATI),
including bench-testing
- In
collaboration with the project management teams, train teams on electronic
survey implementation observing the SurveyCTO best practices
- Design
and develop data quality assurance tools including back checks, high
frequency checks, and spot checks, using STATA and SurveyCTO
- Use
STATA to process and clean data, prepare summary statistics, and assist in
preliminary analysis on well documented .do/.ado files
- Develop
and set up projects on the use of IPA’s Data Management System (DMS),
automating the projects’ data flow
- Ensure all projects and staff
comply with all policies and procedures related to data protection • Ensure
appropriate computer security on devices handling data using password
protection and encryption
- Design
smooth, functioning and timely data flow between various project
activities according to Standard Operating Procedures
- For all areas of
responsibility, contribute to the development of policies, manuals and
other documentation Project
management (in addition to data tasks listed above)
- Ethical
review boards and approvals
- Assist with coordination of submissions for
ethical approval and research permits
- Keep up-to-date record of all
approval letter and submission materials
- Obtain any introduction and
permission letters required for fieldwork
- Design
and outreach
- Develop and maintain close
relationships with partners
- Help develop and revise study
materials for local context and edit survey instrument(s) with PI
feedback
HR and financial work
- o Manage day-to-day expenditures and maintain
timely communication with appropriate IPA staff on budget management
and in-country finances
- o Lead recruitment and hiring for project
fieldwork positions including shortlisting and interviewing top
candidates
- o Oversee the drafting of contracts and
payroll for field staff over their period of hire
- o Supervise and finalize all DSA payments
being requested for any field staff who are working away from their
workstation.
Field Management
- o Lead trainings for field staff on all
aspects of data collection
- o Manage field team, including development of
effective reporting channels
- o Supervise timely implementation of
developed field plan, ensuring it is within budget
- o Closely monitor team day-to-day in the field
and oversee problem-solving efforts
- o Develop and implement data quality measures
and manage arising issues in the quality of data, resolving any
data-related discrepancies
- o Ensure adherence to data quality protocols,
including overseeing field teams, monitoring data collection,
conducting data quality audits and ensuring data security
Reports and Meetings
- o Assist in consolidation of findings from
pilot and sharing information with PIs for protocol revisions prior
to launch
- o Assist in consolidation and cleaning of raw
data received from the field
- o Ensure timely exchange of data and
information between IPA and partners
- o Help write and prepare reports for
presentation to partners
- o Write IPA field reports
- o Attend all conference calls during
fieldwork preparation, implementation, and analysis/reporting o Create
financial tracking systems to ensure spending is as budgeted
- o Write and disseminate financial reports to
PIs and partners in a timely manner
Qualifications
- Preferably
Master’s degree in management, social sciences, public policy, economics,
or related fields. Bachelor’s degree (required).
- Proven minimum 3 years of field
and data management experience. Extensive experience supervising,
designing, and implementing data collection and/or field work activities,
and managing teams of field workers. • Experience in training staff to improve
data collection efforts and their accuracy (required) • Advanced
experience in programming long surveys that include randomization, repeat
groups and skips using surveyCTO (required).
- Experience implementing data
flow processes and setting up and running quality checks as required • Strong
ability of complex problem solving and good understanding of team
dynamics. • Proven experience in managing IRB for a
project.
- Ability
to manage and clean complex datasets, preferably, using STATA.
- Experience
using Power BI (added advantage).
- Proven
experience in coordinating and managing large datasets.
- Excellent
management and organizational skills.
- Ability to effectively manage
multiple data collection and data management tasks will be a requirement. • Excellent
financial management skills.
- Flexible,
self-motivating, able to manage multiple teams in different locations and
across different complex activities efficiently, and team player.
- Demonstrated
ability to manage high-level relationships with stakeholders including
multiple PI team(s), partner organizations and policy makers.
- Advanced
user of Microsoft Office suite especially MS Excel to generate summary
productivity reports (Required).
- Excellent supervisory and
management experience related to fieldwork and data collection • Excellent
oral and written communication skills in both English and Kiswahili and
proven ability to make presentations of field reports to the PIs.
How to Apply
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as applications will be
reviewed on a ROLLING BASIS.
DISCLAIMER: The above statements
are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being
performed by the Data Research Associate. The statements are not intended to be
an exhaustive list of all possible duties, tasks, and responsibilities.
Management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to
meet organizational needs as necessary. Please
note that IPA will never request any form of payment from an applicant. Applicants are encouraged to confirm the
information listed above with IPA.