Overview
Job Title: Senior Research Officer, Tanzania
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Special Requirements: Right to work in Tanzania
Reports to: Research Manager, Tanzania
Contract: 9 months, with the possibility of extension
Salary: Highly competitive within Tanzanian NGO market rates
Closing date: 24th June 2019
BBC Media Action in Tanzania
BBC Media Action, the BBC’s international development charity, uses the power of media and communication to support people to shape their own lives. Working with broadcasters, governments, other organisations and donors, BBC Media Action provides information and stimulates positive change in the areas of governance, health, and resilience and humanitarian response. This broad reach helps to inform, connect and empower people around the world.
We deliver a portfolio of media projects in Tanzania. We work to ensure that our projects are delivered on time to the highest possible standard in accordance with BBC editorial values and BBC Media Action best practice.
Overview of the role
The Senior Research Officer (SRO) will play a key role in leading research work for a range of projects delivered by BBC Media Action in Tanzania. You will work with the Research Manager to plan and implement research activities for projects focusing on the three thematic areas in which BBC Media Action works, namely governance, resilience and health.
As a member of a global team of research and communication practitioners, the SRO will have the opportunity to contribute to the organization’s work on the synthesis and analysis of best practice for Media Action’s projects throughout the world.
The successful candidate is likely to work on BBC Media Action’s new Unicef-funded project, focusing on responsible parenting and family care (RPFC). The project will form part of Unicef’s work to implement its new national RPFC strategy, aiming to address major social and behavioral issues relating to parenting.
Main duties & responsibilities
- Working on a range of research projects and employing different research methodologies (both quantitative and qualitative)
- Working closely with the project management and production teams locally, and with researchers based at headquarters, to ensure research continually informs our work
- Developing and refining research instruments, such as questionnaires and discussion guides, and managing the piloting and implementation of these instruments
- Selecting and commissioning research agencies to undertake quantitative reach and impact surveys, and sometimes, qualitative research
- Overseeing and monitoring data collection
- Processing and analysing both quantitative and qualitative data, and reporting in line with organisational and donor requirements
- Conducting and overseeing the collection of qualitative data using, for example, in-depth interviews and focus groups
- Recruiting and training local guides and research assistants, as required
- Forecasting and monitoring expenditure of the research budget
- Managing pre-testing of media content among target audiences and reporting results to production teams
- Ensuring research is conducted to a high standard within the specified time frame and budget
- Explaining complex ideas and findings in a way that can be easily understood by the project team as well as other stakeholders
- Keeping up to date with developments in policy and social issues, as well as innovations in qualitative and quantitative research methods
Skills, knowledge and experience requirements:
- Ability to operate effectively in a difficult environment
- University degree in Social Studies, Development or any other related field of Study
- Experience in development and research work, with demonstrable experience in research design and implementation (mixed methods)
- Experience delivering large quantitative surveys and qualitative studies in Tanzania
- Familiarity with standard software packages, preferably including SPSS
- Demonstrate administrative, problem-solving and decision-making abilities
- Excellent communications and people skills
- Ability to work with minimal supervision
- High degree of personal organization
- Strong attention to detail
- Ability to work under pressure
- Strong commitment to, and understanding of, development issues (governance in particular) in Tanzania
- Fluency in oral and written English and Swahili
- Knowledge of the BBC’s values and willingness to apply them
- Right to work in Tanzania
How to Apply
Candidates should send their CV and a cover letter (PDF or Microsoft Word format) which outlines their experience and suitability for the role in English by email to: recruitment@tz.bbcmediaaction.org with the title of the position applied for in the subject line before 5pm on Monday 24th June 2019. Please do not send certificates or other attachments. Applicants with no separate cover letter will not be considered. These are local posts applicable to people who have the legal right to live and work in Tanzania and national terms and conditions will apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.