Associate Regional Researcher at Population Services International (PSI)

Your contribution

Provide strategic leadership for research planning

• Support research and M&E activities, including strategic research planning, study design, questionnaire development, data analysis, research dissemination, and logframe development;

• Work with country-level research teams to develop annual research portfolios and manage regional and local research subcontractors;

• Provide strategic advice on research budgeting and staffing decisions to country representatives to ensure country research teams can deliver on research portfolios;

• Review and provide research inputs to proposals for funding from supported countries to ensure proposed research activities are strategic, fit-for-purpose, and budgeted adequately.
• Interface with global technical and research teams to ensure alignment between global strategy, central research projects, and regional research activities.

Provide technical inputs and oversight for research activities

• Design qualitative, marketing, quantitative and mapping research studies in collaboration with country-level researchers and programmers;

• Ensure studies are in compliance with ethical and internal quality standards;

• Build capacity among country-level research teams and partners to design studies, oversee data collection, and analyze/interpret/disseminate results;

• Assist with piloting and expanding use of newer technologies including mobile data collection, telephone surveys, etc.;
• Interface with research agencies to improve the quality of services provided within the region;

Ensure research results are disseminated for programmatic use

• Support country research teams with dissemination of research results internally and externally;

• Provide technical assistance to country platforms to build skills in interpreting research results and using evidence to guide marketing and program decisions and activities;
• Work with the Regional Monitoring Advisor to develop data dashboards and promote use of routine data for programmatic decision-making;

What are we looking for? 

The basics 

• You have at least 3 years of experience in the design, management, analysis, and dissemination of research in marketing or public health, including experience in a developing country (experience in East Africa strongly preferred)

• You have an MA, MPH, MSc or other relevant degree in public health, behavioral sciences, population studies, psychology, communication, or a related field (PhD is a plus)

• You have designed health research with a wide range of methodologies, with a preference for qualitative health research design, implementation

• You have experience analyzing qualitative data (in Atlas TI, NVivo, or similar program)

• You have experience designing and implementing marketing research. Experience in 2 or more of the following methodologies or approaches is preferred: segmentation, consumer panels, human centered design, journey mapping, retail surveys, journey mapping, pre-testing, communication effectiveness studies, pricing research, and mystery shopper/client studies.

• You have demonstrated your ability to inform programmatic decisions using research results

• You are an excellent writer and presenter

• You are fluent in English

• References will be required

• A technical test of knowledge and skills in research design and analysis may be required

• Must have work authorization for Kenya. 

What would get us excited?

• French and KiSwahili language skills are a major plus

• You have strong quantitative analysis skills including multi-variate analysis of health survey data (Stata preferred)

• You have experience working with research or M&E systems for a wide variety of public health programming, including HIV, family planning, malaria, or child survival programs

• You have substantial programmatic or research experience in WASH programming

• You have worked on behavioral segmentation research, process evaluations, operational research, evaluations of communications effectiveness, mapping studies/GIS, and mobile health technologies

• You have substantial experience with electronic data collection

• You are familiar with MIS systems and processes (especially DHIS2)

• You have experience in capacity building or training, especially structured long-term capacity building activities