Research Project Officer

Job Title: Research Project Officer

Organization: Action Against Hunger / Action contre la Faim – Canada

Report To: Project Manager, Research, Innovation and Technology

Location: Fully Remote (based in Canada or Internationally)

Job Type: Full-Time, 1-year contract with a possibility of extension

Start Date: May 2022

Work Hours: 37.5-hours per week.

Salary: CAD 55K – 60K per annum

ABOUT US

Founded in 1979, Action Against Hunger is a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger. Our mission is to save the lives of severely malnourished children while helping communities become self-sufficient. Recognized as a world leader in the fight against malnutrition, Action Against Hunger has pursued its vision of a world without hunger for almost four decades, combating hunger in emergency situations of conflict, natural disaster, and chronic food insecurity. With more than 8,000 staff in nearly 50 countries, our programs in nutrition, food security, livelihoods, water, sanitation, and hygiene, reach more than 20 million people each year.

ABOUT SMART

Since 2007, Action Against Hunger Canada has provided leadership on the development and implementation of one of the world’s leading nutrition survey methodologies: SMART (Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transition). The project has built the capacity of over 1,500 health workers around the world on how to apply this methodology when conducting nutrition and mortality surveys. The SMART global project works closely with the Global Nutrition Cluster membership to ensure the accessibility of a wide range of tools, technical guidance and learning on the methodology. All SMART initiatives are targeted towards humanitarian and development stakeholders conducting surveys using the methodology.

ABOUT TST

Action Against Hunger Canada is the co-host of the Technical Support Team Coordination Unit of Global Nutrition Cluster Technical Alliance. The Technical Support Team (TST) of the Global Nutrition Cluster (GNC) Technical Alliance is an initiative to support practitioners in improving the quality of nutrition in an emergency (NiE) preparedness, response, and recovery by providing coordinated, accessible, and timely technical support, through multiple channels when requested.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Research Project Officer will be responsible to support the development of key background research which contributes to a greater understanding of issues impacting malnutrition.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical support

• Act as the technical focal point for nutrition meta-analysis with a lens on gender as well as other research studies.
• Perform complex statistical analyses and modelling to respond to various research questions.
• Support the development of research protocols, analysis plans, manuscripts, conference abstracts, posters, and slide presentations.
• Perform detailed systematic reviews and scoping reviews, organize reports and compile summary information
• Prepare Research Ethics Board protocols submissions and maintain other necessary regulatory documents.
• Develop an in-depth understanding of the intersectionality between nutrition and gender.
• Provide support in identifying and standardizing information sources that would inform meta-analyses.
• Prepare comprehensive outlines/protocols for primary data collection processes.
• Support the development of surveys for scoping exercises to determine data availability at the country level.
• Manage databases and carry out analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.
• Support the development of criteria that will be used to evaluate the quality and applicability of the data.
• Co-lead discussions with various stakeholders to determine the appropriate analytical framework and methodology.
• Lead and support the write-up of technical reports and papers, research summaries, abstracts, and articles.
• Provide technical feedback on produced reports.
• Identify new research opportunities and support proposal writing.
• Facilitate the dissemination of findings and coordinate knowledge management and learning.

Coordination

• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders and collaborators and coordinate the primary data collection process from various countries.
• Collaborate with communications team members to identify relevant content and opportunities related to meta-analyses.
• Collaborate with the SMART Global Team to identify priorities for further technical advancements.

General

• Attend planning sessions, nutrition department meetings and annual performance reviews as required.
• Keep up to date with technical nutrition developments within the humanitarian sector and share information with the program team.
• Pro-active exchange and collaboration with Action Against Hunger Canada team members.
• Identify gaps, resource needs and work closely with the line manager for revision of plans.
• Ensure an ongoing process of personal professional development and learning.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s Degree in Epidemiology/Statistics/Public Health or a combination of relevant study and work experience.
• Minimum 3 years of research experience and a track record of publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.
• Strong expertise in statistical analysis and coding with the following preferred software: R, STATA.
• Demonstrated experience in submitting research articles to peer-review journals.
• Demonstrated experience in data management.
• Demonstrated experience in using online data collection tools such as, but not limited to, Open Data Kit, Kobo toolbox, ONA.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND OTHER ATTRIBUTES

• Fluency in written and oral English (fluency in French will be considered an asset).
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Advanced knowledge of epidemiology and statistics.
• Ability to solve intellectual problems of appreciable variety and complexity using originality and ingenuity.
• Ability to assess priorities and competently complete a variety of activities with a high level of accuracy and timeliness.
• Ability to work independently and under tight deadlines, and to multi-task.
• Ability to exercise appreciable latitude for independent judgment and action.
• Excellent communication skills with a proven ability to effectively interact and coordinate with all levels of employees.
• Ability to work successfully in a team environment and develop relationships with co-workers through effective communication.
• Positive attitude and demonstration of cultural awareness, diplomacy, and tact.
• Experience working in complex environments with a high degree of organizational effectiveness.
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to humanitarian principles and gender equality.
• Excellent knowledge of MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Action Against Hunger Canada is committed to the creation of a diverse and inclusive workplace. We actively welcome applications from Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, women, persons of all sexual orientations and genders. If you are invited to continue the selection process, please notify our human resources representative of any accommodation or special measures that you may require.

Action Against Hunger Canada is committed to promoting the well-being of people around the world and focuses its efforts on saving lives through the elimination of hunger. To that end, we uphold the principles of independence, neutrality, non-discrimination, unrestricted access to assistance, professionalism, and transparency in all our operations. We have ZERO TOLERANCE towards any behavior violating our Code of Conduct, including workplace violence, harassment and sexual harassment, any form of exploitation and abuse, corruption, fraud, and any behavior lacking integrity.

Action Against Hunger Canada is committed to safeguarding children and adults in the communities where we work. Our safeguarding commitment is to ensure that children and adults are protected from both deliberate and unintentional harm or abuse caused by Action Against Hunger staff, including the Prevention from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA).

In an effort to safeguard children and adults in communities we work, our offers of employment are conditional on successfully clearing background checks that may include, but are not limited to, criminal records, vulnerable sector screening, and employment references.