Title: Research Officer

Requirements: 2

Grade: 6

Reports To: Research Manager

Based: Kathmandu with possible travel to field locations

Duration: 6 months with possibility of extension subject to funding

We are seeking applications from qualified and experienced individuals for the position of Research Officer. The Research Officer will be working in close coordination with the project management and research team within BBC Media Action Nepal.

“The role may involve working with groups of vulnerable children and adults. For the successful candidate, mandatory training will be provided on BBC Media Action’s safeguarding policy and staff code of conduct. A police background check may form part of the recruitment process. BBC Media Action operates a zero-tolerance policy concerning all forms of abuse and exploitation of vulnerable people.”

Job Purpose

The Research Officer will be accountable for the overall planning, management and delivery of research activities of the project. S/he will undertake research to support and meet requirements of project and production teams. S/he is also responsible for contributing on impact reports to donor and for ensuring the research is technically well designed and implemented. The role includes regularly synthesizing, analysing, and sharing research findings with teams, supporting the design and piloting of research instruments, qualitative and quantitative fieldwork, analysis and interpretation. 

Main Duties

• Support the commissioning of audience research in coordination with production and broadcast schedules
• Implement and deliver audience research in order to ensure that activities meet quality standards and are completed within budget and deadline requirements.
• Analyse and synthesize audience research results, applications and innovations with a view to define best practices and support producing contents that are tailored to local audiences
• Moderate focus group discussion, collect data, monitor and control the quality of fieldwork/data collection, and analyze and present them into standard format for further decision making
• Assess the impact and outcomes of the project’s capacity building component to ensure that project objectives have been met and that it has enhanced journalism, editorial, technical, issue related knowledge and capacity of the staff of the partner stations
• Design research tool and implementation plan to understand the consumption, engagement, and impact of the programmes produced by partner stations on the project targeted communities
• Be involved in formulating research design and using interactive data to inform business development/new opportunities
• Work with other research team members to design and draft research instruments for quantitative as well as qualitative work (pretesting/ piloting/ formative, evaluation)
• Analyse SPSS dataset as required and requested to support project planning and development
• Support line manager and research team to help disseminate the analysis of key findings and the strategic recommendations
• Support the review of latest trends and developments in research methodologies related to behavior change, impact assessment and communications research, and evaluating the same for adoption in the Research and Learning work
• Participate in Research and Learning workshops and represent BBC Media Action in other knowledge sharing workshops related to our project activities and project partners. Train and share knowledge with the research assistant where appropriate
• Support reporting requirements in terms of providing analysis and recommendation for quick understating and decision making. This includes designing ways of reporting figures in an effective and strategic way
• Understand and comply with the Safeguarding policy and the staff Code of Conduct
• Participate in relevant mandatory training on Safeguarding and Respect at Work
• Report any Safeguarding concerns immediately, either to the Country Director, or using the Whistleblowing Policy
• Another research and learning task as per requirement

Essential Skills and Experience

• Minimum University degree in relevant field with progressive 5 years of experience in managing research of similar nature
• Strong experience in qualitative and quantitative market/social research
• Experience using qualitative and quantitative research methodologies
• Strong computer skills, including Excel and PowerPoint, and experience with data analysis software packages such as SPSS or Atlas
• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken Nepali and English
• Strong report writing and presentation skills, communicating complex technical ideas using non-technical language to a wide range of audiences from journalists, production staff and development practitioners
• Ability to plan and conduct work with minimal supervision
• Track record of delivering research findings to deadline

Competencies

The following competencies (behaviors and characteristics) have been identified as key to success in the job. Successful candidates are expected to demonstrate these competencies

• Strategic Thinking – Can identify a vision along with the plans that need to be implemented to meet the end goal. Evaluates situations, decisions, issues, etc. in the short, medium and longer-term
• Analytical Thinking – Able to simplify complex problems, processes or projects into component parts, and to explore and evaluate them systematically. Able to identify causal relationships, and construct frameworks, for problem-solving and/or development
• Decision Making – Is ready and able to take the initiative, originate action and be responsible for the consequences of the decision made.
• Imagination / Creative Thinking – Is able to transform creative ideas/impulses into practicalreality. Can look at existing situations and problems in novel ways and come up with creative solutions
• Planning and Organisation – Is able to think ahead in order to establish an efficient and appropriate course of action for self and others. Prioritizes and plans activities taking into account all the relevant issues and factors such as deadlines, staffing and resources requirements
• Resilience – Can maintain personal effectiveness by managing own emotions in the face of pressure, setbacks or when dealing with provocative situations. Can demonstrate an approach to work that is characterized by commitment, motivation and energy
• Influencing and Persuading – Ability to present sound and well-reasoned arguments to convince others. Can draw from a range of strategies to persuade people in a way that results in agreement or behaviour change
• Communication – The ability to get one’s message understood clearly by adopting a range of styles, tools and techniques appropriate to the audience and the nature of the information
• Self-Development – able to identify and apply opportunities for learning and development