Child Wellbeing Matters Research Consultant at the International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Child Wellbeing Matters Research Consultant

Requisition ID: req42632
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employment Type: Part-Time
Employment Category: Consultant
Sector: Child Protection
Open to Expatriates: No

Background of the Project

• To date, little rigorous research has examined the effectiveness or the implementation of best practices in case management for child protection.
• In part, challenges may exist in conducting rigorous research with a hard-to-reach and highly sensitive population of children affected by conflict and displacement, alongside the tailored approaches of case management that rely heavily on the caseworker-child relationship.
• Filling this evidence gap through a flexible, mixed methods research methodology that prioritizes the voices of children and is delivered through appropriately trained child protection staff and ethical research will add scientific credence to the case management approach in humanitarian action.
• To address this gap, the IRC is undertaking a USAID - BHA funded research project running between October 2022 and March 2024.
• The goal of the project is to inform case management practice in humanitarian settings through research on the perceived effectiveness of case management at improving child wellbeing.
• The project is implemented in four stages beginning with an inception period and selection of the two pilot countries (completed), a mixed methods research study, and the last stage before the close of the project will be the development of practical measurement tools based on the findings of the research for frontline case management teams to conduct on-the-job monitoring and assessment of improvements in child wellbeing.
• For the research component, the IRC has contracted Universidad de los Andes as academic partner to co-design and co-lead the study with the IRC.
• This includes rigorous and ethical implementation of a mixed-methods longitudinal research study to examine the components and best practices of case management that lead to improved outcomes for children.
• Universidad de los Andes will be responsible for overseeing the overall study in Colombia and Nigeria. In Nigeria a research consultant is being hired to support local research activities.

Project Location Context:

• In Nigeria the study takes place in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council where IRC provides child protection services. 
• IRC's child protection staff provide psychosocial support activities to children aged 6-11 years old, and adolescents aged 12-18 years old, parenting skills classes for caregivers, together with case management individual services for children at risk of abuse, neglect or other concerns (I.e. child labour, etc.).
• In addition, the child protection team works closely with the nutrition team to ensure that caregivers of malnourished children are supported and know how to support their children.

Scope of Work

• The research consultant is responsible for the coordination of research activities in the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council in collaboration and under the supervision of Universidad de los Andes, the IRC Child Protection Researcher and the Child Protection Coordinator in country.
• Universidad de los Andes will oversee research design in both study locations (Colombia and Nigeria), including seeking and obtaining ethical approval in Colombia and reviewing ethical protocols developed by the research consultant in Nigeria, coordinating and liaising with the research consultant in Nigeria as needed, develop and deliver data collection procedures and data management in both study locations with input, support, and agreement from the research consultant in Nigeria and IRC’s Child Protection Researcher, Research Director, and country programs’ child protection teams.
• The study will include a longitudinal quantitative and qualitative approach. Surveys will be conducted at baseline and at two follow-up points with a sample of around 80 children in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council area. Surveys will be implemented by trained IRC caseworkers in the context of regular case management interactions with children.
• A sub-sample of 10 children (and their caregivers) in each study country will be selected to additionally participate in qualitative interviews. 10 caseworkers across both countries will also participate in qualitative interviews and focus group discussions.
• All implementation decisions/challenges that have budgetary, logistical or security implications must be discussed with IRC before a final decision is made and action is taken.

Specific responsibilities to be led by the Research Consultant in Nigeria will include:

• Developing and adapting qualitative and quantitative consent and assent forms, data collection instruments and research protocols for use in the Nigerian context.
• Translating and pilot testing research tools in collaboration with IRC country program.
• Drafting and submitting ethical protocols to appropriate review board in county and tracking approval and responding to modification requests. IRC country program and Child Protection Researcher will assist as required.
• Leading implementation of data collection activities including attending training by Universidad de los Andes, providing training of caseworkers, and providing research supervision as mutually deemed appropriate during key data collection periods, with technical and in-country logistical support provided by IRC.
• Provide feedback to data collectors on quality of interviews.
• Arrange for transcription and translation of audio recordings to ensure data is transcribed and translated to English accurately and according to protocols.
• Leading the analysis of qualitative data from Nigeria, and discussing and interpreting findings with IRC, Universidad de los Andes, technical advisory group, and other stakeholders involved jointly to develop program recommendations and lessons learned.
• Leading the drafting of a final report and contributing to academic article(s) on study findings, with input from and co-authorship with the IRC and Universidad de los Andes.
• Providing input into the development of technical tools for use by child protection caseworkers which will be led by IRC and Universidad de los Andes.
• Disseminating research findings, with support from IRC.

Deliverables
The research consultant will be responsible for the deliverables described below.

• An ethics package inclusive of research protocol, consent and assent forms, interview guides and survey tools
• Attendance to training by Universidad de los Andes and conducting training of caseworkers on research methods and study protocols 
• An inception report containing the analysis of baseline qualitative data collected with children enrolled in case management, their families and case workers and a summary report of baseline survey data collection.
• A final study report containing analysis of follow-up data collected from children, families, and caseworkers throughout the study duration.
• Input into at least one academic publication of study findings and participation to validation meeting to inform development of case management tools.

Deliverables by Activity:

Qualifications

• Minimum Education Required: Master's Degree in Public Health, Child Protection, Social Sciences or other relevant discipline is required
• At least 5 years experience in leading research in Nigeria and/or other similar contexts.
• Demonstrated experience conducting qualitative in-depth interviews and or/focus group discussions with children and adolescents as part of a research project.
• Demonstrated experience training and leading data collection teams.
• Demonstrated experience working on research projects focused on violence against children, child protection concerns.
• Experience with counseling or psychosocial support or on child mental health research is preferred.
• Commitment to gender equality and other codes of conduct held by the IRC;
• Excellent oral and written communication, including proven success communicating in challenging contexts.
• Track record of academic publications
• Language proficiency in English and Hausa or Kanuri is required.

Payment Rate and Schedule
Payment will be made at the end of the research project.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.