Position Description
Senior Research Specialist, USAID/Sahel Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Project, Dakar, Senegal
Location : Senegal
Job Type : Local Staff
Job Classification : Proposal (conditional)

Senior Research Specialist, USAID/Sahel Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Project, Dakar, Senegal

Proposal Summary:
MSI is anticipating a follow-on project in early 2021 for our current monitoring and evaluation project which supports the Sahel Regional Office. The follow-on would continue providing USAID/Sahel Regional Office with research, performance measurement and management support activities such as monitoring and evaluation (M&E) design, program evaluation design and implementation, sectoral assessments, surveys, special studies and target setting. This contract would improve performance management at all levels to help the Sahel Regional Office meet Agency requirements, make better informed strategic and management decisions, and advance Agency learning.

Position Summary:
The Research Specialist will work closely with the Senior Evaluation Specialist and technical teams to provide research support to the USAID/Sahel Regional Office (SRO). They will be responsible for supporting all research tasks received by the SRO in support of research guidance and support. The Research Specialist will also work closely with the Data Analyst in the regular data entry of the project database system as well as initial analysis to support research and assessment teams. They will support initial research and development of research design, tools, data collection and analysis. The anticipated full-time position will be based in Dakar and is contingent upon funding and USAID approval. The position will require travel through the Sahel Region to provide quality control and oversight on research activities.

Responsibilities:
• Guide the design and implementation of all research tasks received by the project.
• Support all research teams in preparing initial background research and draft narratives, including development of annotated literature reviews, and in dissemination of surveys, data collection and initial analysis.
• Support technical consultants in data quality assessments and in preparing presentations, reports and briefings.
• Provide quality control over enumerator training, fieldwork and data entry.
• Guide data analysis and support all research technical teams in their development of research reports and presentations.

Qualifications:
• A minimum of 7 years’ experience leading field research.
• Experience developing and implementing research tools including surveys, questionnaires and other data collection tools.
• Experience designing and conducting field research in Burkina Faso and/or Niger.
• Experience in developing and implementing strong quality control measures over field work data collection and entry.
• Experience working with smartphone data collection systems.
• Degree in statistics, demography, social sciences or a related area.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills in working with other organizations.
• Ability to travel as necessary throughout the Sahel.
• Ability to work well in a support role as part of a larger team.
• Fluency in French and other local language required.
• Working knowledge of English required.

Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

MSI is an EEO/AA/ADA Veterans Employer.
MSI is dedicated to hiring an inclusive workforce. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations during the application process, please email ... with “Reasonable Accommodations” in the title. Our recruitment team looks forward to engaging in an interactive process to provide reasonable accommodations for candidates.