JOB OPPORTUNITY Internal/ External Reference No:  REC/090/23Job title:           Health and Nutrition Research Advisor Number of vacancies per Area Offices       Addis Ababa (HO)Reports to: Head of Health and Nutrition Number of Posts1 (One)Closing date:   October 12, 2023

About GOAL

GOAL’s mission is to work with the most vulnerable communities to help them respond to and recover from humanitarian crises, and to assist them to build transcendent solutions to mitigate poverty and vulnerability.

GOAL is a non-for profit organization that has been working in Ethiopia for over 30 years across all the region of the country towards ensuring the poorest and most vulnerable in our world and those affected by humanitarian crises have access to the fundamental rights of life, including but not limited to adequate shelter, food and livelihoods, water and sanitation, nutrition, healthcare and education. GOAL implements a range of multi-sectoral development, resilience, recovery and humanitarian responses Programmes by being sensitive to cross-cutting issues including gender, accountably, child protection, HIV/AIDS.

We envision a world where poverty no longer exist, where vulnerable communities are resilient, where barriers to wellbeing are removed and where everyone has equal rights and  opportunities. GOAL Ethiopia’s main donors are Irish Aid, USAID/OFDA, EHF, ECHO and other private donors. 

GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE ROLE 

GOAL Ethiopia conducts nutrition research in several contexts across different locations in the country. The Health and Nutrition Research Advisor will have overall responsibility for the planning, coordination, and execution of all aspects of the health and nutrition research project. These projects are focused on the development and testing of solutions to expand the coverage of acute malnutrition screening and treatment. The research portfolio includes both rigorous clinical trials as well as operational research projects. The operational research study aims to address critical gaps in linking knowledge to effective action on acute malnutrition, including how to scale proven innovative approaches to treatment as well as their implications for the broader policy-level environment. As such, the study will focus on two specific innovations in the management of acute malnutrition.

Family MUAC. Family MUAC is an approach that consists of equipping caregivers to measure and monitor their own children’s MUAC, given the provision of training and MUAC tapes. Caregivers are taught to self -refer their children for treatment if or when they are identified as acutely malnourished. The goal of this approach is to achieve early detection and treatment for acutely malnourished children. She/he will collaborate with Grants Team to facilitate and manage the Grants Management Meetings, that will be conducted on a monthly basis as per the internal guidelines.

MAMI: Malnutrition in infants under 6 months of age (u6m) is an increasing global problem. An estimated 4.7 million infants u6m are impacted by moderate acute malnutrition, while severe acute malnutrition affects ~3.8 million infants u6m worldwide [1]. This demographic group is still frequently overlooked when it comes to the identification and management of acute malnutrition. They are excluded from surveys and community screening, as there are no easy-use, field-friendly anthropometric tools with certified cut-offs for this age group. This results in the late presentation of infants with acute malnutrition, a higher risk of death, and more protracted and complicated treatment plans.

In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) released updated guidance for the identification and management of severe acute malnutrition in infants, including, for the first time, outpatient management of uncomplicated cases. In order to operationalize the WHO guidance, a MAMI toolkit was developed in 2015. GOAL was the first organization globally in early 2016 to trial the integration of care for infants under 6 months into standard community-based management of acute malnutrition programs (CMAM), targeting older children under 6 months. The integration of C-MAMI into CMAM has been piloted in two large refugee camps, supporting in excess of 126,000 South Sudanese refugees in the Gambella Region of Ethiopia. In addition, we are conducting management of small and nutritionally at-risk infants: research, innovation, scale, and evidence generation in the Oromia region. Meta-wereda with RCT clinical trial of the longitudinal study.

In late 2017, an evaluation of the C-MAMI tool was undertaken; in 2018, GOAL was heavily involved in the revisions within version 2.0, released in September 2018. During 2019, GOAL trialed a number of new initiatives to help simplify, streamline, and support the more effective management of this pioneering project through the use of Drobox funds. This role will continue these initiatives during 2020, leading a number of research studies to investigate the impact and outcomes of the pilots and to utilize the digital data that has been gathered.

We are seeking an experienced health and nutrition research advisor to support field-based implementation and operational research studies across our health and nutrition portfolio and play a meaningful role in helping us drive forward our research agenda. The S/he will be technically responsible for the production of evidence, including crafting analysis plans, performing analyses, and writing up peer-reviewed manuscripts, as well as contributing to the development and set-up of new studies.

 Summary of the role:

• Act as the MAMI research program lead, with oversight of all technical aspects of research initiatives and adaptive program development, in consultation and coordination with the GE Refugee Program Manager, Head of Health and Nutrition Programme, DPD, PD, and GOAL HQ Program Quality team. The project implementing teams will be based within Ethiopia, with in-country support from the officer.

• Act as a technical resource to support the implementation of GOAL’s MAMI and other research initiatives within all operational sites to ensure program quality and efficiency and assess impact. 

Build national technical capacity in MAMI.

• Oversee the collection of routine and longitudinal digital data, analysis, and generation of reports, providing technical support as required to ensure rigorous data checks and corrections are regularly conducted, in collaboration with the MEAL team in Addis.

•  Provide in-country technical support to the MAMI project staff. The incumbent will act as the main contact point for all progressive research work.

• Work in close collaboration with existing GOAL Ethiopia managerial nutrition staff to oversee the planning and implementation of all research and progressive MAMI actions.

• Capacity building in MAMI for national nutrition staff involved in MAMI work, including conducting training and on-the-job coaching, among other capacity-building initiatives Where applicable, capacity-building initiatives will also extend to external partners.

• Support the evolution of MAMI tools for use in more generalizable contexts, including within the Eleanor Crook Foundation MAMI RCT within Ethiopia, as well as through partner organizations and ministries.

• Initiate new lines of operational research to fully investigate all elements of the MAMI approach being implemented in Ethiopia, generate reports, and share findings face-to-face, through webinars, etc.

• Support, as required, for the implementation of the MAMI RCT within a rural Ethiopian context. In line with the above, generate learning papers and articles for publication in Field Exchange and, prospectively, a peer-reviewed publication. Develop presentation material for inclusion in global meetings and forums. Liaise with the GOAL HQ Learning and Communications team to maximize visibility around achievements, research findings, etc.

• Time permitting, support the GE team on any other technical nutrition actions that are associated with the wider nutrition program, with a bearing on GOAL’s curative and preventative nutrition work.

• Undertake any other technical nutrition support actions agreed upon in coordination with the program technical team. 

Key Responsibilities:

Support of Family MUAC research implementation and other research activities

• S/he will support the design and implementation of the Family MUAC research on a day-to-day basis in Ethiopia, as well as other project-specific research activities as required. This function is expected to include:

• Collaborating with the technical teams to design and implement the Family MUAC formative research, including the development of focus group discussion guides key informant interview guides, and the Family MUAC study protocol.

• Aggregating and collating existing country-level evidence, guidance, and tools on Family MUAC, including guidelines, training materials, and secondary data.

• Facilitating the set-up for key informant interviews with country-level stakeholders leading Family MUAC projects, including Ministry of Health representatives and operational partners.

• Supporting user-entered qualitative activities with caregivers, community health workers, and other influencers to uncover relevant insights into Family MUAC (co-creation, qualitative research, prototyping tools, and services and field testing with users)

• Hiring, training, and managing data collection staff, and monitoring data collection to ensure a properly informed consent process, quality data, and fidelity to the protocol.

• Working closely with community health workers and clinic workers to identify and enroll participants.

• Collaborating with the research team to analyze and contextualize the data, highlighting key results.

 Partnerships and Engagement

• Alongside the Head of Nutrition/Health and MEAL, s/he will engage with strategic partners in support of the project. This is expected to include:

• Engaging in partnerships with the Ethiopia MOH and UNICEF as implementing partners of the project.

• Participating in country-level nutrition coordination mechanisms (e.g., Nutrition Cluster, technical working groups) to represent the project and ensure alignment with project activities.

• Identifying and developing strategic collaborative relationships with other government, academic, and NGO partners implementing simplified approaches throughout Ethiopia.

 Existing MAMI program sites

• Align progressive changes made in Gambella within the context of Ethiopia.

• Build capacity of MAMI teams to achieve quality program delivery and the best outcomes for mothers and infants and to strengthen GOAL’s role as MAMI technical focal point for Ethiopia.

• Oversee routine digital data collection for enrolled and managed cases.

• Support GE with progressive change of automated dashboards compiling project data and performing real- time analytics for project staff to use to support adaptive, high-quality program management.

• Oversee longitudinal digital data collection of all cases at 1, 2, 6, and 12 months post-discharge. Use the data to determine any potential ‘risk markers’ for vulnerable cases, including anthropometry, feeding status, clinical status, and maternal status.

• Support the GE team in Gambella, prospectively in Afar and the MEAL team in Addis in the use of digital data gathering for MAMI through the Commcare platform, ensuring data is of high quality and regularly analyzed to feed into program improvements. Analytics dashboard using PowerBI should be modified to best serve the operational team to understand how to adaptively manage their program.

• Oversee in Gambella the piloting of a new design mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) tape for infants 06 months (MAMI-MUAC) in conjunction with the standard MUAC design on the reverse side for older children 6-59 months + PLWs. MAMI-MUAC cut-offs are based on existing evidence that indicates a heightened risk of death.

• Oversee the trial of “real-time” beneficiary feedback in Gambella, to support standard adaptive program management during the project lifecycle. Work with GE Refugee Program Manager to determine how findings will be used, to further identify any problems flagged, and subsequently how to ensure responsive programming.

 Research and Learning

MAMI Gambella 

·       Review the use of the MAMI-MUAC tapes in discussions with health workers and communities. Using the training and data collection materials developed, collect data on numbers trained (as % of total HHs with u6m), sensitivity of measurements, referral caseload, sensitivity of case-referrals (correct case identification using MAMI-MUAC) and increase in case-load. 

·       Evaluate the impact of the use of Global Health Media educational videos as an alternative medium of communication to support behavior change through qualitative feedback and quantitative data collection.

·       Ascertain changes in knowledge, attitude and behaviors.

·       Lead the analysis of longitudinal data (1,2, 6 and 12 months) to identify ‘risk’ factors associated with infant malnutrition and track outcome status of MAMI beneficiaries over time, to assess future risk of relapse with associated causes, risk of death, bouts of serious illness that required medical intervention, at what age, how long post-discharge, causes etc.

·       Lead the analysis of the digital MAMI database to review the impact and outcome of the MAMI program, supported with qualitative data collection as needed

·       Support the use of real-time feedback data to inform improved programming

·       Review the use of PowerBI dashboard by programmes and MEAL teams and update with any graphics missing that would support the team to adaptively manage the services.

·       Initiative new lines of operational research as appropriate, to fully investigate all elements of the MAMI approach being implemented in Gambella, generate reports and share findings through face-to-face, webinars etc.

 Eleanor Crook Foundation Randomized Control Trial

·       Support with the adaptation and trailing of the revised MAMI Toolkit for use in the study project areas

·       Support qualitative research to feed into the inception phase and process review in consultation with the project Manager.

 Document learning

·       Conduct a learning review with the Gambella MAMI Team to document successes, challenges and ways forward.

·       Document success stories in collaboration with the Media team in Addis for use in internal and external publications.

 Communication and Publications

·       Lead on the documentation of findings with publications in trade/academic peer-reviewed journals as appropriate, including article(s) for Field Exchange

·       Present GOAL’s MAMI work at relevant conferences and meetings, as requested.

·       Prepare internal learning updates for the GOAL website or other PR purposes as requested, in collaboration with GOAL HQ Learning & Communications dept.

·       Undertake internal communication through webinars or face-to-face presentations within GOAL, to maximise visibility and understanding around this new and progressive area.

Support to global MAMI initiatives

·       Support to MAMI SIG, including collaborative updates with STC Global MAMI Advisor

REMUNERATION and BENEFITS:

·       GOAL will pay a competitive basic salary based on the salary grading with addition benefits.

·       A chance to develop tangible experience.

·       Being part of a team who continue to make a real difference to the lives of the most vulnerable people.   

Commitments:

GOAL’s recruitment procedure is fair and transparent which is also in line with the organization’s commitment to its integrity, honesty and culture. GOAL is committed to ensure that, its performance complies with the terms and conditions of relevant agreements, applicable laws & regulations. Hence, pre-employment background checks will be conducted, and employees are required to read, understand, sign and implement different polices including safeguarding and child protection policy, Protection from Sexual Exploitation and abuse policy, sexual harassment policy, code of conducts and any other policy, rules and regulation of the organization. GOAL is committed to safeguarding and protection from sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (PSEAH). Staffs, partners and other who are in contact with GOAL work are expected to adhere to GO’L's PSEAH Policy and make ethical decisions to ensure the protection of people particularly children and vulnerable adults from sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment.

Job Requirements

Do you want to join an exciting organization that brings high level impact to the community and add value to your professional advancement?  Then join us if you have:

• 5+ years of professional experience and 3+ years of relevant experience in the field of clinical and operational nutrition research, field research coordination, and management

• Experience organizing and participating in field-level data collection as part of a research study or program monitoring and evaluation.

• Training in and proven knowledge of acute malnutrition programming in Ethiopia; preferred experience in Family MUAC programming and/or reduced dosage programming or research

• Knowledge of MS Office Suite required and comfortable working with computers with minimal IT support.

• Experience with qualitative research design and implementation

• Experience with user-centered design activities (preferred but not required)

• Experience with mobile data collection tools (e.g. Kobo) (preferred but not required)

• Fluency in English is a requirement; Amharic and any other local languages are desirable

• Possess strong organizational skills and attention to detail

• Ability to take initiative and prioritize multiple tasks with minimum supervision

• Genuine interest in and commitment to the mission and principles of Action Against Hunger

• Excellent interpersonal skills, and ability to work both independently and as a member of a team.

• Experience in community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) would be an advantage.

• Strong data analysis skills including data manipulation in statistical software (STATA or R), statistics, sampling, and epidemiology.

• Good coordination and communication skills to collaborate with scientific advisors in the development of protocols and write-up of peer-review manuscripts.

• Ability to make decisions and advance in situations with potentially diverging opinions.

• An understanding of MAMI work globally, technical progress within the MAMI domain, research initiatives underway, and research questions that remain unanswered.

• Technical familiarity with MAMI tools and programming

• Proven research and analytical skills including quantitative and qualitative analysis.

• Good database management and software skills including proficiency in CommCare and PowerBI

• Proficient in the preparation of reports, with good writing, communication, and computer skills.

• Strong communication skills and ability to work with multi-disciplinary teams.

• Experience and skills in staff training and capacity building of individuals/teams

• Experience organizing and managing assessments.

 Desirable quality, skill, and competence

·       Experience in community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) would be an advantage.

·       Training in and proven knowledge of acute malnutrition programming in Ethiopia; preferred experience in family MUAC programming and/or reduced dosage programming or research.

·       Good database management and software skills including proficiency of CommCare and PowerBI.

·       Knowledge of the MS Office Suite is required, and you must be comfortable working with computers with minimal IT support.

·       Experience with qualitative research design and implementation.

·       Experience with mobile data collection tools (e.g., Kobo) (preferred but not required).

·       Fluency in English is a requirement; Amharic and any other local languages are desirable.

·       Passionate, strongly dedicated, and highly committed to working for the improvement of the poor community.

·       Resilience: maintains focus and intensity and remains optimistic, persistent, and professional even in

·       adverse, stressful, or difficult situations.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified applicants need to submit ONLY once their non - returnable application with CV for one vacancy. The vacancy reference number along with the title & Duty station need to be written in the application letter.

Applicants can directly apply via THIS LINK

GOAL strongly encourages female candidates to apply!

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview and exam.

Shortlisted candidates will need to submit other supporting documents upon request at later stage.

GOAL is not able to contribute towards any costs incurred by candidates during the recruitment process.