Senior Field Researcher

Company Profile: 

MSI, a Tetra Tech Company, is a Washington, DC metro area international development firm with a 35-year history of delivering development results across the world. Our core expertise is in the fields of monitoring and evaluation (M&E), institutional development, public sector management, governance and anti-corruption. MSI implements nearly 100 projects in 90 countries around the world such as Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Colombia, and Mexico. As one of the leading companies in our field, MSI has partnered with more than 80 organizations across all sectors of international development with clients ranging from large bilateral and multilateral donors such as USAID, the World Bank and the UNDP to national and local governments, NGOs, think tanks, foundations and universities. 

Project Summary: 

In May 2015, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded a five-year contract to Management Systems International (MSI) to provide performance management support to USAID-sponsored development programs throughout Pakistan. The Performance Management Support Contract (PERFORM) serves as a centralized management support mechanism that provides services in (1) monitoring, (2) evaluation, (3) assessment, and (4) learning support. PERFORM provides  data and information to help USAID/Pakistan project managers improve results through better implementation, design, and learning, enabling it to better target its programming and achieve its goals and objectives.

**Please note: Only Pakistani citizens are eligible for this position. **

Position Summary:

MSI is recruiting for a year-long consultancy for the position of field Researcher to monitor implementation of the Agriculture Market Development (AMD) project. AMD aims to support upgrading, streamlining supply chains, optimizing profit margins, increasing participation of women entrepreneurs, and ultimately helping to make Pakistani meat, high value and off-season vegetables, mangoes and citrus more profitable and competitive.

The field researcher will work with a multi-person team to monitor project activities that include, but are not limited to, matching grants, technical assistance, and value-chain support; and are provided primarily in the areas of mangoes, citrus (kinnow), high value and off-season vegetables (HVOSV) and livestock. The project is being implemented across the provinces of Sindh and Punjab.

The duration of the assignment is from May 2018 through April 20, 2019. The level of effort is approximately XX days. 

Responsibilities:

·         Read background documents for the monitoring;

·         Participate in field-staff training to understand the monitoring purpose, scope, methodology, and data collection instrument;

·         Coordinate with relevant staff to develop a field data collection plan;

·         Travel to the project locations and carry out monitoring using the checklists, and interview guides as per the data collection plan;  

·         Lead key informant interviews and completing observation checklists;

·         Record comprehensive and high-quality notes during interviews and transcribe and translate notes in English in accordance with the required format;

·         Submit the completed checklists, data collection instruments and tagged photos with comments;

·         Enter the collected data into a web-based data repository; and

·         Undertake other tasks as assigned by the assignment manager for the successful completion of the assignment.

Qualifications:

·         At least a Master’s degree in a related field (e.g., agriculture, social sciences, international development);

·         A minimum of seven (7) years of experience in the collection of qualitative and quantitative data, preferably in agriculture sector;

·         Excellent MS Excel skills required;

·         Willingness and ability to travel within the country;

·         Excellent analytical and personal communication skills; and

·         Fluent in written and spoken English.

·         Proficiency in speaking and understanding local languages including Punjabi, Seraiki or Sindhi, is a plus.

*Position will be filled on a rolling basis*

Candidates that have a real or potential conflict of interest in this evaluation will not be considered for this assignment. MSI will require a written statement to this effect before formal engagement on this assignment. Conflict of interest in this context includes, but is not limited to: close and/or family relations with the individuals that are related to the project, financial interest in the implementing organization(s) or grantees, current or previous experience with the project being evaluated or the USAID requesting office, etc.

Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.