Lead Methodologist Full-Time

Forcier Consulting is a dynamic, research consultancy firm operating across Africa since 2011. Our core services include research, capacity building training and strategic planning for development actors, governments and private sector clients operating in post-conflict contexts and challenging environments. Forcier currently works in South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Nairobi and Sierra Leone and is supported by its administrative, financial and training headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

We offer a dynamic working environment with highly motivated and talented Mozambican and international peers who share a passion for conducting research in challenging environments and a competitive salary based on your experience and qualifications.

Reports to: Director of Research

Description of Main Duties:

• To lead in the conceptualization of qualitative and quantitative research questions, sampling design and respondent selection procedures for all data collection;
• To adapt research methodologies to ensure their implementation is feasible and sustainable in the current context of Mozambique;
• To support the Research Officer (RO) and Research Manager (RM) with conceptualizing and operationalizing the research design, including the development of data collection instruments/tools;
• To assist and advise the RO and RM on appropriate quality assurance and control measures for data collection;
• To maintain communication with the client on all pertinent issues related to research design and tool development;
• To work alongside the business development unit in drafting appropriate and innovative research designs for proposals;
• To attend client interviews for (potential) business opportunities and represent the firm according to the company’s brand identity;
• To provide additional training and support on project-specific methodologies where required to Researchers and ROs;
• To support and assist in data cleaning and quality control;
• To support and assist in data analysis and report writing;
• To work closely with the Director of Research in developing structures and mechanisms that enhance the ongoing (on-the- job) building of research capacity among researchers, ROs and RMs;
• To expand the breadth of research methodologies beyond Forcier’s current most commonly used options;
• To work with other departments (business development, analytics, operations, etc.) to ensure a continuity of systematic improvements of workflow, with the objective of improving data quality.

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Understanding how to read and interpret the methodological requirements stated in a Terms of Reference document or Statement of Work;
• Ability to explain/clarify technical details of research design and sampling to non-experts;
• Practical understanding of how technical choices about research design impact project timeline and budget;
• Proficiency in research design and operationalization (drafting tools based on indicators that can be linked to specific research questions and objectives);
• Ability to draw simple random, stratified random, and PPS samples, preferably using STATA;
• Ability to use, merge, and clean datasets, code variables, generate appropriate sampling weights and perform other necessary aspects of data management and manipulation to create a sample frame with the necessary characteristics to draw a sample;
• Experience with using a statistical software is required. STATA is preferable.
• Ability to moderate focus group discussions (FGDs), conduct key informant interviews, and 
transcribe, code and analyze qualitative data;
• Experience with (on-the- job) training and capacity building on research methodology, data collection techniques and ethics of research;
• Ability to identify potential design weaknesses and threats for data quality, and familiarity with how these can be mitigated using quality control strategies;
• Preferred candidates will bring specific skills to the Mozambique office, including experience with some or all of the following: participatory/interactive approaches to monitoring and evaluation, GIS mapping, ethnographic (participant) observation, experimental design (including RCTs);
• Ability to pro-actively and constructively contribute to the standardization and systematization of workflow and procedures;
• Ability to assess the feasibility of a given research strategy or data collection tool with regard to practical/logistical/security constraints and the cultural and socio-political context of Mozambique.

Skills Required:

• Master’s degree in any of the social sciences (sociology, anthropology, psychology, economics, etc.), PhD preferable;
• Coursework or experience in designing quantitative and qualitative research to high academic standards;
• Minimum of 3 years’ professional experience working in research or M&E;
• Written and spoken proficiency in English required. Written and spoken proficiency in Portuguese is an advantage.
• Experience living and working in a developing country is required. Working experience in Mozambique is an advantage.