Junior National STTA – Research Assistant/Enumerator

Programme Overview

Evidence for Health (E4H) is a Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)-funded programme aimed at strengthening Pakistan's healthcare system, thereby decreasing the burden of illness and saving lives. E4H provides technical assistance (TA) to the Federal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Punjab governments, and is being implemented by Palladium along with Oxford Policy Management (OPM).

Through its flexible, embedded, and demand-driven model, E4H supports the government to achieve a resilient health system that is prepared for health emergencies, responsive to the latest evidence, and delivers equitable, quality, and efficient healthcare services. Specifically, E4H delivers TA across three outputs:

Output 1: Strengthened integrated health security, with a focus on preparing and responding to health emergencies, including pandemics.

Output 2: Strengthened evidence-based decision-making to drive health sector performance and accountability.

Output 3: Improved implementation of Universal Health Coverage, with a focus on ending preventable deaths.

Position Summary

Under the Evidence for Health (E4H) program, the Evaluating Effectiveness of Outsourcing of Hospitals by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Foundation technical assistance (TA) project is underway. For this TA, primary data collection is an essential step to generate evidence. As part of the evaluation methodology, the TA team has planned to collect both quantitative and qualitative primary data required as per the developed Health Facility Comparative Analysis Framework. The scope of work will include quantitative and qualitative data collection at the facility level (both outsourced and non-outsourced) in 11 districts, namely: (1) Orakzai, (2) Batagram, (3) Khyber, (4) Kurram, (5) Mohmand, (6) Chitral, (7) Kohistan, (8) Bajaur, (9) North Waziristan, (10) South Waziristan, (11) FR DI Khan. This involves collecting quantitative and qualitative data from various stakeholders using structured questionnaires, interview guides, topic guides, and other tools pre-designed by the TA team under the evaluation tools.  The Qualitative part will include In-depth Interviews (IDIs), key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). Responsibilities encompass accurate data collection and data entry, consistent tool administration, and verification of data accuracy and completeness. Maintaining confidentiality and ethical standards is paramount. The Data Collector will prepare field reports, document encountered issues, and collaborate closely with the research supervisor and team for smooth execution.

Responsibilities

·       Data Collection: Conduct field data collection (qualitative and quantitative) using structured questionnaires, interview guides, and other data collection tools from various sources including patients, healthcare providers, hospital administrators, and other relevant stakeholders.

·       Data Entry: Ensure that all data collected is accurately entered into the database.

·       Quality Assurance: Ensuring that data collection tools are administered accurately and consistently. Verify the accuracy and completeness of collected data.

·       Confidentiality: Maintaining confidentiality and ensuring the ethical considerations in the research procedures.

·       Reporting: Prepare field reports and document any issues or unusual situations encountered during the fieldwork.

·       Coordination: Work closely with the research supervisor and other team members to ensure the smooth execution of the data collection activities. Identifying and reporting any challenges encountered during the data collection process.

Key Competencies Required

·       At least three years of experience as quantitative and qualitative researcher in a well-reputed organisation.

·       Bachelor’s in social sciences or any health-related field. Candidates having Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) will be preferred.

·       Experience in data collection from hospitals and other health facilities will be given priority.

·       Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

·       Proficiency in local languages (Urdu, Pashto).

·       Strong understanding of data collection techniques and tools.

·       Proven ability to collect, organize, clean, analyse and report quantitative data using Statistical software such as SPSS.

·       Competency in conducting, transcribing, analysing, and reporting qualitative interviews such as IDIs and FGDs

·       Proficiency in using qualitative and quantitative data collection software and survey tools such as such as MAXQDA or Nvivo.

·       Ability to travel the field sites for data collection whenever assigned according to the project's workplan.

·       Excellent command over using digital platforms of data collection using an Android tablet.

·       Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Report the activities to the field manager or project manager daily. Capacity to work under the direct supervision of the field manager, project manager, and project PIs.

·       Attention to detail and strong organisational skills.

·       Excellent geographical knowledge of the mentioned districts.

Reporting/Supervision

The candidate will report to the TA team lead.

Expected Results

·       Completed surveys and interview forms.

·       Cleaned and entered datasets ready for analysis.

·       Field reports documenting challenges, observations, and recommendations

Duration

The assignment will be for a duration of 15 days including both quantitative and qualitative work. The total sample size is 12 health facilities including six outsourced and six non-outsourced health facilities. Enumerator will collect data for three health facilities on average. Number of days are calculated as; six days of data collection, six days travel and three days of data entry. Travel to various hospitals and data collection sites will be required.