Individual Research Consultant –for Baseline and Facility Readiness Assessment

About FHI 360: Family Health International (FHI) 360 is a non-profit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff include experts in health, education, nutrition, environment, economic development, civil society, gender, youth, research, and technology — creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today's interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 70 countries and all U.S. states and territories.

FHI 360 leads the implementation of the USAID funded Ethiopia Community Nutrition Activity. The Activity focuses on enhancing multisector coordination and accountability; improving nutrition practices and health-seeking behaviors; and strengthening delivery of quality nutrition services within USAID’s Feed the Future Zones of Influence. 

As part of Community Nutrition Activity FHI 360 is implementing supplemental funding in Tigray region. The purpose of the supplemental funding is to restore nutrition services in selected conflict-affected FtF woredas in Tigray, ensure the availability, accessibility, and quality of the nutrition services provided, and improve the well-being of conflict-affected and displaced populations in Tigray to contribute to the objectives and results of the Community Nutrition activity. These objectives will be realized through increased community mobilization and utilization of community platforms, improved readiness of PHCU facilities to provide quality nutrition services, improved Multisectoral Food System and Nutrition Coordination and Governance Capacity and improved access to nutrition services to IDPs.

FHI360 Community Nutrition Activity is seeking a skilled and experienced individual Research Consultant to lead a comprehensive Facility Readiness Assessment in 42 Woredas across five zones of Tigray Region, Ethiopia. The assessment aims to determine the readiness of healthcare facilities to provide quality Nutrition services, spanning from Primary Hospitals to the Health Post (HP) level, with a focus on recovery in the aftermath of the recent crises. The assessment will cover Health, Nutrition, and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs. The assessment will include both quantitative and qualitative data collection from the community, health posts, health centers, primary hospitals, and officials from regional, woreda and kebele level as appropriate. The assessment will serve as formative research that the result will provide inputs for project interventions such as rehabilitation of health facilities, WASH interventions and training needs and gaps on regional and woreda level nutrition coordination status as well as community health and nutrition service platforms and inputs for the monitoring and evaluation of the project by serving as baseline.

Role and Responsibilities:

• Review the project documents, including the M&E matrix, to understand the task and determine the information required.
• Conduct a rapid desk review of existing national and regional published and unpublished relevant literature to understand the nutrition and other health situation in the intervention woredas.
• Design the assessment methodology/protocol and ensuring that is comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and aligned with the objectives of the project.
• Develop/adapt and pre-test (as necessary) survey tools, questionnaires, and data collection protocols tailored to assess facility readiness in Health, Nutrition, and WASH Programs.
• Lead a team of enumerators and field researchers during data collection, providing guidance, training, and supervision as necessary.
• Coordinate the data collection process and install a mechanism to collect quality data throughout the assessment. 
• Lead the data cleaning, coding, and analysis processes, utilizing appropriate statistical methods and software.
• Conduct in-depth analysis of findings, identifying key trends, challenges, gaps, strengths and opportunities to improve the capacity of health facilities to provide quality nutrition services across the continuum of care (or life course).
• Prepare comprehensive reports, presentations and databases and other deliverables documenting the assessment findings, analysis, and recommendations.
• Collaborate closely with project stakeholders, including government officials, healthcare professionals, and community leaders, to ensure their active involvement and buy-in throughout the assessment process.
• Present assessment findings to relevant stakeholders in a clear, concise, and engaging manner, fostering dialogue and discussion around potential solutions and next steps.
• Provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to local partners and stakeholders to facilitate the implementation of recommended interventions and strategies.
• Ensure adherence to national and organizational ethical standards, data confidentiality, and quality assurance protocols throughout the assessment process.

•  Advanced degree (Master's or above) in Public Health, Epidemiology, Nutrition, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in conducting similar assessments, health-related research, assessments, or evaluations in low-resource settings, preferably in Ethiopia or similar contexts.
• Demonstrated expertise in quantitative and qualitative research methods, including survey design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation preferably experience of leading similar assessments and generating reports.
• Excellent knowledge and skill on Microsoft offices especially strong skill on excel is required.
• Skill and experience on electronic data collection tools such as Comcare, survey CTO, ODK etc. 
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in statistical analysis software (e.g., SPSS, Stata, R)
• Knowledge and skill of qualitative data management and analysis software such as Atlas-ti, NVIVO etc.  is a plus
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to convey complex technical information to diverse audiences in a clear and accessible manner.
• Proven leadership and project management skills, including the ability to effectively plan, organize, and coordinate field activities and manage a multidisciplinary team.
• Familiarity with the health system and institutional landscape in Ethiopia, particularly in the Tigray Region, is highly desirable.
• Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in Amharic or Tigrinya is an advantage.
• Commitment to principles of equity, inclusion, and community engagement, with sensitivity to cultural norms and local context.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, adapt to changing priorities and deadlines, and deliver high-quality results under pressure.
• Willing to travel project sites.
• Experience on health and nutrition is a plus.
• Experience of conducting assessment in a similar context is a plus. 

Deliverables:

• Comprehensive assessment work plan
• Survey Tools (both quantitative and qualitative) and Protocol.
• Training Materials
• Cleaned and Coded Data
• Analysis Report
• Comprehensive Assessment Report
• Presentation with findings, gaps, challenges and strengths.
• Ethical Compliance Documentation
• Finalized Deliverables Reviewed and Approved