Data Collector at Malaria Consortium

Organisational background

• Malaria Consortium (MC) is one of the world's leading non-profit organizations dedicated to improving health and saving lives in communities affected by malaria and related inequities in Africa and Southeast Asia.
• With over 20 years of proven impact, the organization works with governments, academic institutions, local and international organizations to deliver scalable, locally led health solutions grounded in research and evidence to strengthen health systems, inform policy and derive sustainable impact through strategic partnerships and organizational excellence.
• Malaria Consortium, in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and state malaria elimination programmes (SMEPs), will support the 2026 insecticide-treated net (ITN) mass distribution campaigns in Borno, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kogi, and Abia, introducing pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr dual-active-ingredient ITNs for the first time in these states. To evaluate the implementation and impact of the campaigns, a series of cross-sectional household surveys.
• The surveys will verify ITN receipt immediately after distribution and assess household ITN ownership, utilisation, physical durability, and functional survival at baseline, one month, and 12, 24, and 36 months post-campaign.
• Findings from these surveys will generate evidence to inform malaria vector control policy and strengthen ITN programme implementation in Nigeria.

Purpose of the assignment

• The purpose of these terms of reference (TOR) is to engage research personnel who will carry out a baseline household survey before the campaign (survey F1), an immediate verification survey (survey F2) after the net distribution, and a one-month post-campaign evaluation survey (F3) in Federal Capital Territory (FCT)

Scope

• The survey will be used to gather baseline and post-campaign data on coverage, ITN ownership and use rates and associated factors, physical conditions of the ITNs, malaria prevention in pregnancy, treatment-seeking behaviour, and other relevant variables, and also validate the ITN campaign data using an immediate post-distribution verification survey.

Methods:

• During each of the surveys, (F1 and F3 surveys), a sample of 576 households will be selected in 48 wards across the state. For the ITN immediate verification (F2) survey, a sample of 2,160 households will be selected from 60 wards across the state within two weeks of the completion of the campaign. Each team will cover a ward per day.
• The wards will be selected based on population proportional to size (PPS) sampling strategy. The survey includes household enumeration to sample households in each ward (cluster) randomly and administering interviews involving household heads (and in the case of F1 and F3 surveys, also women 15–49 years old), using mobile devices with the SurveyCTO software.
• There will be back-checks in 50% of the wards selected randomly and 20% of the households in selected wards, in which a subset of the questionnaires will be administered for the purpose of data collection verification.
• After each survey in selected wards, new teams are assigned to conduct back checks to administer the additional interviews in a subset of the sampled households.

Personnel required:

• Coordinators
• Team leaders
• Field data collectors
• There will be one household mobiliser selected from each ward to assist the survey teams (48 household mobilisers for F1 and F3 surveys and 60 household mobilisers for F2 survey.

Specific Tasks
Coordinator:

• Will be in charge of four household interview teams.
• Will be required to attend training prior to survey.
• Visits assigned wards one day before the interviews according to the schedule to sensitise community leaders and select household mobilisers.
• Selects an appropriate settlement in each ward according to relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Coordinates household enumeration in each ward and submits a list of households for sampling to be carried out remotely by assigned study investigators.
• Resolves any issues reported by team leaders.
• Reports to the M&E Manager who will be the overall survey coordinator.
• Ensures that household mobilisers are paid.
• Ensures that all data are accurately collected and uploaded according to guidelines or SOPs.
• Writes reports related to activities of the teams, including achievements, challenges and recommendations.

Team leader:

• Will be responsible for a team of three data collectors (or interviewers).
• Will be required to attend training prior to survey.
• Leads the team to enumerate all households in a selected settlement in each of the sampled wards assigned to the team during F1 and F3 surveys, including GPS locations of both enumerated and skipped households in the case of absent occupants.
• Submits the list to the coordinator for sampling of 12 households during F1 and F3 surveys in each ward.
• Locates selected 36 households during F2 survey in each ward.
• Assigns each interviewer to administer interviews in four households per day during F1 and F3 surveys.
• Assigns each interviewer to administer interviews in six households per day during F2 survey.
• Leads a team to conduct back-check interviews in a subset of households in selected wards for verification of data collection quality, in addition to the wards assigned to the team for the original interviews.
• Makes sure that data collection is completed in one day in each ward.
• Supervises the interview process and resolves any issues, working with the household mobiliser.
• Ensures that the data is collected accurately and uploaded according to the relevant SOPs or guidelines.
• Ensures accurate review, validation and submission of electronic data.
• Supports team members to charge mobile phones.
• Collects mobile devices from data collectors at the end of each day for charging and safe keeping.
• Writes a short report on the team’s achievements, encountered challenges and recommendations.

Field data collector:

• Will be required to attend training prior to survey.
• Enumerates households in each selected settlement in each ward for F1 and F3 surveys.
• Carries out data collection in sampled households, including obtaining written consent, administering interviews with heads of households and women 15–49 years old, and collecting ITN physical integrity data by collecting data on each net owned by the household during F1 and F3 surveys.
• Carries out back-check interviews in assigned wards selected for data collection quality verification.
• Takes good care of the mobile device issued for data collection and ensures the device’s battery is kept charged.
• Uploads the data to the server at the required frequency according to relevant guidelines.
• Ensures confidentiality of respondents’ personal data during and after interviews.
• Reports to the team leader any issues and helps to solve problems.

Deliverables
Coordinator:

• Completed survey coordination and supervision reports for each survey round (F1, F2 and F3), covering all assigned wards and teams, submitted to the M&E Manager within five days of completing fieldwork in each round.
• Signed household enumeration lists per assigned ward submitted to the M&E Manager for remote household sampling during F1 and F3 surveys.
• Back-check oversight report confirming that back-check interviews were conducted in 50% of randomly selected wards and 20% of households in selected wards per survey round.
• Payment documentation for all household mobilisers in assigned wards.
• Final coordinator field report for each survey round covering team achievements, challenges encountered and recommendations.

Team leader

• Household enumeration lists with GPS coordinates for all enumerated and skipped households, submitted to the coordinator for remote household sampling per ward during F1 and F3 surveys.
• Complete, accurate and validated electronic interview data uploaded to the SurveyCTO server from all 12 sampled households per ward during F1 and F3 surveys, and from all 36 sampled households per ward during the F2 survey.
• Back-check interview data from assigned households in randomly selected wards, uploaded to the SurveyCTO server.
• Short field report for each survey round covering team achievements, challenges encountered and recommendations, submitted within two days of completing fieldwork.

Field data collector:

• Complete interview data from all assigned households collected and uploaded to the SurveyCTO server daily: four households per day during F1 and F3 surveys, and six households per day during the F2 survey.
• Written informed consent obtained and documented from all respondents prior to interview.
• Back-check interview data from assigned households in wards selected for data quality verification, uploaded to the SurveyCTO server.

Qualifications and experience
Coordinator:

• A post-graduate degree in health sciences.
• At least 5-7 years’ experience in coordinating household surveys.
• Demonstrated report writing skills for quantitative studies or surveys.
• Good knowledge of the Hausa and/or Gbagyi languages.

Team leader:

• A minimum of BSc or HND in health-related discipline and Social  Sciences.
• At least 3-5 years’ experience in coordinating or conducting household surveys.
• Experience in electronic data collection tools such as SurveyCTO or ODK.
• Demonstrated report writing skills in English.
• Excellent knowledge of the Hausa and/or Gbagyi languages.

Field data collectors:

• A minimum of BSc or HND in health-related discipline and social sciences.
• At least 1-2 years’ experience in conducting household surveys
• Experience in electronic data collection systems such as SurveyCTO or ODK.
• Good knowledge of the English language.
• Ability to give attention to detail.
• Excellent proficiency in both the Hausa and/or Gbagyi languages in the study communities.
• Activity timelines (Aug – Oct 2026).