Background

“Mapping for Health (M4H) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)” is a new initiative, led by the DRC Ministry of Health (MoH), aimed at strengthening routine immunisation provision across DRC. As part of this wider initiative, Flowminder Foundation has been commissioned to provide a range of technical assistance and data inputs.

One such input, co-developed with the WorldPop Research Group at the University of Southampton (UoS), will combine traditional and novel datasets to estimate the size and structure of a population in the absence of recent census data. This component will entail a primary survey operation in seven provinces of DRC. The survey will enumerate the resident population in a series of pre-selected sites, gathering data on household composition, characteristics, and seasonal fluctuations in household membership. The resulting data will be combined with satellite data to permit model-based population estimates to be generated beyond the sampled sites. The objective is to generate population estimates capable of informing routine immunisation plans at the local level. The survey design will be developed in-house, with implementation undertaken by a DRC-based survey organisation.

Role summary

The consultant will act as liaison between Flowminder Foundation and the DRC-based survey organisation, responding to any queries, issues, or difficulties in a timely manner. The consultant is responsible for coordinating and supporting the implementing organisation throughout the different stages of the survey exercise. S/he will provide technical inputs as needed and will ensure international survey standards are followed. The consultant will be responsible for ensuring quality of survey data collection activities, overseeing the logistics and trouble-shooting as/when required.

Activities

Under the overall supervision of the Flowminder Senior Project Manager, or otherwise allocated during the timeline of the work, the Consultant will be responsible for the following activities:

• Review the instrument design (micro-census questionnaire)

• Lead the design of field data collection logistics and provide oversight

• Coordinate field data collection

• Design data quality control, monitoring, and evaluation mechanisms

• Coordinate data cleaning as well as ensure secure and timely delivery of data to UoS

• Ensure secure and legal data transfer / storage / archiving / retention

• Document the microcensus design and process (limited to aspects covered in the preceding responsibility lines)

• Write reports / report sections on microcensus design, implementation and results

• Provide technical and managerial support to the in-country implementing organisation across the different survey stages (including but not limited to survey configuration within CAPI software).

• Ensure that all survey-related documents and deliverables (questionnaires, training guidelines, materials and manuals, reports, datasets, and data dictionaries) are fit-for-purpose throughout the survey stages;

• Input into the development of contextually appropriate training materials for survey supervisors and enumerators;

• Deliver contextually appropriate training sessions for survey supervisors and enumerators;

• Directly oversee each stage of the survey process, including field data collection, and ensure that the provided protocols are being followed and the required survey standards are being met by the implementing organisation;

• Undertake monitoring and quality assurance;

• Communicate regularly with Mapping for Health’s Senior Project Manager, or other nominated contact person/s, and notify of any difficulties or issues in a timely manner;

• Prepare written survey progress reports and submit to Mapping for Health’s Senior Project Manager, or other nominated contact person/s, at key points of the survey process;

• Coordinate feedback and response between Mapping for Health’s Senior Project Manager, or other nominated contact person/s, and the implementing organisation;

• Ensure that all survey-related documents and deliverables (questionnaires, training guidelines, materials and manuals, reports, datasets, and data dictionaries) are properly archived throughout the survey process;

• Ensure that lessons learned, problems encountered, and good practices are documented throughout the survey implementation process.

• Participate in meetings as and when required

• Outputs

• Weekly progress reports

• Specific reports at the end of each of the following survey activities: Survey scheduling and logistics, Survey publicity and communications, Questionnaire translation and back translation, Training material drafting, Questionnaire configuration, Pre-testing I, Fieldwork training I, Piloting, Pre-testing II, Fieldwork training II, Data collection and quality audit, Data cleaning and processing

• Training materials (co-developed with implementing organisation and Flowminder Foundation)

  (Report templates will be issued by Flowminder Foundation)

Experience & Qualifications

Essential

• Advanced university degree in Statistics, Epidemiology, Public Health, Demography, or a related field

• A minimum of five years experience in senior coordination and/or management roles for face-to-face mode, representative household surveys

• Prior experience of survey coordination and/or survey management in DRC or similar context(s)

• Knowledge of international standards and guidelines for survey design and implementation

• Knowledge of international research ethics and governance standards

• Experience of computer aided personal interviewing (CAPI)

• Experience of organising and delivering survey training

• Experience of survey report writing

• Fluency in French and English

• Ability and willingness to undertake travel throughout DRC

• Evidence of ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships

Desirable

• Formal qualification(s) in survey design, survey methodology, and / or research methods

• Experience of configuring questionnaires in survey software; knowledge of JavaScript (JS), SQL

• Experience of coordinating / managing geo-coded surveys

• GIS training

• Fluency in Swahili

• Time-frame

  Post to be active between October 2020 and April 2021

Reporting linesThe consultant will report to the Mapping for Health Senior Project Manager, or a designated substitute. The consultant will work closely with the survey implementing organisation, likely to be based in Kinshasa.