IPA Research Associate (Nutrition) Job in Kakamega, Kenya - WASH Benefits Project

WASH Benefits Project
 

Position: Research Associate - Nutrition
 

Deadline to Apply: December 8, 2014
 

Start Date: January 5, 2015
 

Location: Kakamega
 

Eligibility: Position open to local and International hires
 

About Innovations for Poverty Action: Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a non-profit research organization that creates and evaluates approaches to solving development problems. IPA disseminates the results of its evaluations to policymakers, practitioners, investors and donors around the world.
 

About the project: The Nutrition RA under the general supervision of the Nutrition Manager and within the limits of Innovations for Poverty Action-Kenya policies and procedures, coordinates the facilitation of Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Benefits activities and functions within IPAK.

Below is a list of some of the general duties and responsibilities of the Nutrition RA, to be carried out as needed according to the determination of the Nutrition Manager.

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) seeks a qualified applicant for the position of Nutrition RA for the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Benefits Project. Currently in the midst of a five-year study, WASH Benefits is collecting rigorous evidence on the health impacts of improved water, sanitation and hygiene practices, alongside improved nutrition in rural Kenya. 

Low-cost technologies and behavior change communications strategies are being implemented to promote drinking water treatment, good sanitation practices, handwashing with soap and improved nutrition. 

The position offers an opportunity to gain on-the-ground experience as part of a high-profile water, sanitation, hygiene, nutrition and child health impact evaluation project. 

This position is located in Western Kenya, and the principal investigators (PIs) are Clair Null and Michael Kremer
 

Description of Work: The Nutrition PA will work closely with the Nutrition Manger to perform variety of Nutrition tasks across the two WASH Benefits offices (Kakamega and Bungoma)

• Work closely with the Nutrition manager in all nutrition related activities of the project and ensure all aspects are handled with highest quality using Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) as the reference point.
• Directly supervise senior field managers, and field assistants and provide mentorship to all staff including holding regular meetings and debrief meetings.
• Logistical planning for nutritional supplement delivery by tracking inventory, quality assurance and control procedures across offices.
• Ensure proper deliver of behavior change and communication messaging and trouble shoot any field challenges.
• Manage Nutrition staff performance appraisal and provide recommendations to project management on all aspects of HR.
• Coordinate with Senior Field Managers during field logistics in order to maximize on the organizational resources (Motor bikes).
• Assist with training of field staff and frequently contribute in the development and review of field protocols for all nutrition activities.
• Coordinate the referral process for study children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (under direction by the Nutrition Manager)
• Aid with reporting of Sever Adverse Events
• Supervise anthropometric measurements conducted by other teams and aid with training
• Handle other nutrition activities as directed by the Nutrition manager

The WASH Benefits project will be spread over a relatively large geographic area, so willingness to travel and ability to manage across project sites is essential.
 

Qualifications:
 

Required

• At least two years of project management experience, preferably a large scale project in a developing country
• Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field such as Public Health, Nutrition, Economics, or relevant Social Sciences
• Excellent management, organizational, critical thinking, attention to detail and interpersonal skills
• Able and willing to supervise and provide guidance to teams in the field
• Flexible, self-motivating, able to work in a team managing multiple tasks and meet deadlines efficiently
• Demonstrated proficiency using excel and other MS Office applications
• Strong written and oral communication skills and complete fluency in English is required. Kiswahili proficiency is preferred.

Desired

• Experience working on nutrition issues in developing countries (particularly sub-Saharan Africa)
• Experience with anthropometric measurements and child development indicators
• Proficiency in other softwares such as MS Access or Stata
• Familiarity with randomized controlled trials
• Knowledge of statistics

We are looking for a commitment period of 1.5 years for this position with the possibility to extend.
If you are interested in applying, please follow the instructions below:

To Apply:

Please send a cover letter, CV, 3 references, daytime phone number(s), and email address. Your CV should include your scores or grades and other measures of academic achievement, and details about any relevant work experience.

Applications can be submitted to any of our branch offices, or by email to jobs-kenya@poverty-action.org, if you submit by email, please ensure that the subject line reads: “RESEARCH ASSOCIATE – NUTRITION REF NO: WASH-2014-11-01”. 

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted by email for an interview. 

Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as applications will be reviewed on a ROLLING BASIS.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the Research Associate. The statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs as necessary. Please note that IPA will never request any form of payment from an applicant. Applicants are encouraged to confirm the information listed above with IPA prior to releasing any extensive personal information to the organization. Please direct questions to jobs-kenya@poverty-action.org.