With funding from USAID, Breakthrough ACTION will provide technical assistance to the USAID-supported Rwanda Social Marketing Program (RSMP) in formative research and the planning, design, implementation and monitoring of social and behavior change (SBC) interventions. The Research and Monitoring Advisor will work side-by-side with RSMP staff and implementing partners to impart skills to track and assess SBC activities focused on maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH), family planning/reproductive health, and malaria.

The Research and Monitoring Advisor will contribute to project(s) supporting strategic health communication programs with an emphasis on capacity strengthening of country-based partners.  The Research and Monitoring Advisor will, among other tasks, provide technical support and substantial recommendations to the design and methodologies used for research and monitoring efforts and will provide technical assistance around data collection and management, as well as the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results activities.  The Research and Monitoring Advisor will require specialized and advanced knowledge, education and/or training in qualitative and quantitative research methods, as well as program monitoring.

Specific duties & responsibilities:

The Research Advisor will work with the research team and other relevant staff to provide technical assistance in effectively researching and monitoring SBC activities for MNCH, FP/RH and malaria. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: providing technical assistance and capacity strengthening for qualitative and/or quantitative research and monitoring activities to inform the design of SBC activities, creating innovative and replicable monitoring tools that will capture the reach and impact of SBC activities (especially in real time), and expanding access to behavioral research conducted by Breakthrough Action and other partners through the establishment of knowledge management and coordination structures, led by the government of Rwanda.

Minimum qualifications (mandatory):

• Master’s degree in related field (e.g., public health, marketing, or the social sciences)
• Five years of experience in public health, epidemiology, behavioral or social science, demography, or related background.
• Experience conducting research and monitoring health promotion activities
• Experience in strengthening research and monitoring capacity

Preferred qualifications:

• Ten years of experience in international health and development projects
• Master or doctoral concentration in research and monitoring
• Experience conducting research and monitoring for SBC and capacity strengthening activities
• Familiarity with a range of approaches for research and monitoring SBC and capacity strengthening activities.

Special knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to strengthen capacity in developing, testing and mainstreaming effective research, monitoring, and quality assurance/continuous quality improvement approaches across large SBC projects or organizations
• Familiarity with a range of approaches for monitoring and evaluating SBC and capacity strengthening activities.