Job: Research and Metrics Advisor

Location: Watertown, MA 

Description

Job Ref

14-19-RMU

Job Title

Research and Metrics Advisor

Job Type

Full-time

Location

Watertown, MA

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Description

Pathfinder Overview

Pathfinder International is a global leader in sexual and reproductive health. We place reproductive health care at the center of all that we do—believing that it is not only a fundamental human right, but is critical for expanding life opportunities for women, families, communities, and nations, and paving the way for transformations in environmental stewardship, decreases in population pressures, and innovations in poverty reduction. Pathfinder provides women, men, and adolescents with a range of quality health services—from contraception and maternal care to HIV prevention and AIDS care and treatment. Pathfinder strives to strengthen access to family planning, ensure availability of safe abortion services and post-abortion care, advocate for sound reproductive health policies, and, through all of our work, improve the rights and lives of the people we serve.

Program Overview

Pathfinder's Research and Metrics Unit (RMU) provides technical assistance to field offices to design project evaluation plans, operations and other research studies, survey protocols, including sample and questionnaire design, and ensures adherence to ethical data collection standards. When requested, RMU staff members also review proposals from consultants for survey implementation and other data collection activities. The focus is on data-based evaluation for program learning. Metrics are standards of measurement and the term ‘metrics' reflects the role the Research and Metrics team plays, both at HQ and in the field, in providing data for monitoring performance and progress. The team's expertise lies in developing methods, measures and tools to enable programs to collect meaningful data – data that are valid, reliable, and useful. All of these efforts aim to provide program managers with high quality data that can inform their decisions. The Research and Metrics team is multidisciplinary with expertise in sociology, demography, epidemiology, biostatistics and qualitative research methods.

Position Purpose

The Research and Metrics Advisor is responsible for collaborating with other Unit members to develop and implement Pathfinder's data collection and evaluation strategy and work plan. His/her main responsibility is to provide direct assistance to field staff in country offices and projects to ensure that the data collection and evaluation approach is implemented, developing feasible monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plans and data collection systems to enable projects to fulfill their performance management and reporting responsibilities using meaningful data, and provide evidence for program learning. This involves gaining a full understanding of PI programs with which he/she works and may involve development of new tools for data collection, communication with other HQ and field staff, planning for and selecting consultants and providing targeted training as needs arise. S/he is also responsible for collaborating with other Unit staff to design operations and other research studies.

Key Responsibilities

Works with designated Pathfinder International Country Office and project staff to:

• Develop sound M&E plans, including appropriate selection of final project indicators and data sources, and M&E team work plan to ensure effective implementation. This may include responding to questions from donors.
• Conceptualize, develop and implement an appropriate system for collecting monitoring and evaluation data to enable the project to report to stakeholders and use data to assess achievement of goals and objectives.
• Create and adapt data collection tools, as appropriate, including monitoring tools and forms, survey questionnaires, key informant interview schedules, facility assessment and supervision tools, and training materials.
• Assist project staff to develop and implement monitoring and evaluation guidelines, procedure manuals and data management guidelines for their office/projects.
• Mentor project staff to design and/or oversee implementation of project household surveys and other data collection tasks. This may include developing survey protocols and terms of reference for consulting firms, critically reviewing consultant reports and other deliverables, assisting with ethical clearance procedures.

The research and metrics advisor will also work with Unit staff at headquarters to:

• Develop and implement Pathfinder's evaluation strategy and related policies, guidelines and standard procedures for monitoring and evaluating projects
• Draft M&E plans for proposals and review proposals from the data collection and evaluation perspectives.
• Disseminate Pathfinder International evaluation policy and standard procedures, as appropriate.
• Provide relevant training to Pathfinder staff.
• Develop other data collection and evaluation resources and tools for Pathfinder staff.
• Assist project staff to disseminate information on Pathfinder project and program evaluations through written reports, conference presentations and publications.
• Perform other duties, as assigned.

Basic Requirements

• An advanced degree in demography, epidemiology, statistics, social sciences or related field.
• At least four years of progressively responsible experience in monitoring and evaluating health/development projects or equivalent.
• Experience living and working in a developing country.
• Training and experience in quantitative research methods; training in qualitative methods, health economics, or methods for costing a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with various constituencies including donor agencies and local partners.
• Knowledgeable of special challenges faced in the developing world in the areas of reproductive health/family planning, HIV/AIDS, post-abortion care, adolescent health and service quality assurance.
• Experienced user of software packages, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and at least one statistical software package (EPI-INFO, STATA, SPSS, SAS or similar).
• Fluency in both written and spoken English required.
• Proven ability to work independently and with attention to detail.
• Excellent organizational skills and proven team player.
• Ability to work well with people from different cultures.
• Ability to travel extensively (approximately 35% time).
• Must be eligible to work in the U.S.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in health information system strengthening.
• Experience in use of data for program management and decision-making.
• Additional language skills in French preferred.

Pathfinder International is proud to be an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer.

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