Field Research Program Officer at Taimaka

• We are seeking a Program Officer to join our field research team for twelve months to oversee the entire data collection process, including training enumerators and monitoring daily data collection activities in accordance with the standard operating procedures and study protocols. The Program Officer will coordinate the implementation and smooth running of the study until its completion, in collaboration with the Taimaka operational teams (medical, research, administrative) at field sites in Yamaltu/Deba and Funakaye LGAs of Gombe state, including some settlements in remote or hard-to-reach areas. The fieldwork is expected to begin in Gombe State around mid-May 2025.

Field Research Program Officer Terms of Reference:

Duties and responsibilities:

Prior to study data collection:

• Learn the survey protocols and make recommendations for contextualising survey activities.
• Support the revision, translation, and testing of a digital (ODK) household questionnaire.
• With the support of a survey consultant, train 10-15 enumerators on survey protocols and procedures, household data collection, and administration of the household questionnaire in a digital format (ODK).
• With the support of a survey consultant, manage the standardization test and pilot testing to assess enumerators’ measurement skills and allow them to practice the survey.
• Facilitate local regulatory processes, community mobilization, and general awareness of survey activities to sensitize health authorities and community members to facilitate high rates of participation.

During study data collection:

• Regularly visit field sites to supervise data collection teams.
• Conduct regular audits of field activities and digital data to ensure high-quality data collection.
• Develop and clearly communicate schedules, transportation plans, equipment distribution, survey protocols, assigned data collection tasks to enumerators.
• Conduct some light administrative tasks, assist in logistical procurement and organize daily transportation for data collection teams within a designated budget.
• Ensure strict adherence to the study protocol and data collection procedures, including designing and implementing 1-2 refresher trainings for data collectors, if needed.
• Be responsible for and check daily the anthropometric equipment to ensure it is properly calibrated.
• Identify and troubleshoot any issues faced by data collectors in the field, including troubleshooting issues with digital data collection in ODK.
• Digitally monitor daily progress and data submissions of the data collectors by extracting and cleaning data collected in ODK Collect.
• Complete monitoring reports to document adherence to the survey protocols.
• Meet regularly with the research management team to discuss progress and challenges

After study data collection:

• Review and offer input on the final analysis

Qualifications and skills:

• University degree
• Fluency in Hausa (written + spoken) and English (written + spoken) is required, including the ability to translate technical questionnaires and documents from English to local languages.
  • Proficiency in Fulfulɗe and other local languages is strongly preferred
• At least 3 years of experience managing house-to-house data collection for evaluation, surveys, or research in community health or a similar discipline, is required.
  • Experience in managing anthropometric data collection (e.g., height and weight) and qualitative data collection is strongly preferred.
• Experience conducting and supervising house-to-house data collection, performing field-based checks of data quality, is required.
  • Experience with community mapping, household numbering, and random sampling is strongly preferred.
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently in Gombe state, including visiting households in remote areas while carrying anthropometric equipment, including height boards and digital scales, is required.
• Data cleaning and analysis skills, including experience in data cleaning and monitoring digital data, including extracting data from ODK or KoboToolbox forms and performing data quality checks, is required.
  • Proficiency in Excel is required.
  • Proficiency in ENA and R is preferred.
• Experience with data collection for human subjects research, including knowledge of informed consent processes and compliance with ethical requirements and standard protocols, is required.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work effectively and independently in a multicultural and resource-constrained environment is required.
• Flexibility to work over the weekends is required.