Research Assistants job at Oxfam

ABOUT US

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty. This means that we tackle the inequality that keeps people poor. Together we save, protect and rebuild lives. When disaster strikes, we help people build better lives for themselves and for others. We take on issues like land rights, climate change and discrimination against women. And we won’t stop until every person on the planet can enjoy life free from poverty. We are an international confederation of 22 organisations (affiliates) plus the Oxfam International Secretariat, all working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 70 countries. All our work is led by our core values: Empowerment, Accountability, Inclusiveness, Courage, Solidarity and Equality.

Oxfam Novib Uganda is looking for Research Assistants

CONTEXT

Oxfam in Uganda started work in the 1960s delivering development and humanitarian support as part of the Oxfam confederation, a global movement of people fighting to end inequality and injustice. Today, we continue to tackle the inequalities that make and keep people poor. We save and protect people’s lives in times of crisis. We work with people to build their resilience and rebuild their livelihoods. We enable vulnerable people’s voices to be heard and campaign for genuine, durable change.

OBJECTIVE OF THE POSITION

Oxfam, in partnership with PELUM Uganda, ESAFF Uganda, and CIDI (for CCiWW), is implementing two complementary food systems and climate resilience initiatives: Rooted in Diversity (RiD): Partnerships for Food Security and Livelihoods, funded by NORAD, and Cultivating Change in a Warming World (CCiWW), funded by SIDA. RiD is implemented in Iganga, Serere, Kalaki, and Amuru districts in Uganda, and in Malawi and Niger, while CCiWW is implemented in Adjumani, Apac, Amuria, and Soroti districts in Uganda. Together, the initiatives seek to strengthen resilient, inclusive, and gender-transformative food systems by empowering small-scale food producers, particularly women, with the knowledge, skills, and capacities to adopt agroecological practices, conserve and sustainably utilize agrobiodiversity, strengthen climate resilience, improve food and nutrition security, enhance access to markets and sustainable livelihoods, and promote collaborative learning, policy engagement, and biodiversity stewardship in the face of increasing climate variability.

To generate evidence on the effectiveness of these interventions, Oxfam and its partners are undertaking an Evaluation of Quality Declared Seed (QDS) and Evidence Generation for Farmer Variety Registration. The exercise seeks to engage smallholder farmers, QDS producers, community seed actors, local government officials, and other relevant stakeholders to understand their experiences with QDS and document the changes resulting from project interventions. Specifically, the assessment will examine farmers' access to QDS, affordability, seed quality and performance, adoption patterns, market reach, inclusiveness, and household decision-making related to seed acquisition and use. It will also identify system-level opportunities and constraints affecting both the production and utilization of QDS, while generating evidence to support the registration and recognition of farmer varieties.

The findings from this assessment will provide robust evidence for adaptive project management, inform advocacy aimed at addressing systemic barriers within the seed sector, strengthen farmer-managed seed systems, and guide targeted improvements in seed production and distribution.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Data Collection:

• Identification and locating sampled households and individuals within the identified locations
• Conduct face-to-face interviews, surveys, and focus group discussions with community members and stakeholders.
• Utilize electronic devices or paper forms to record responses accurately.
• Ensure data is collected following the established protocols and guidelines.

Preparation and Planning:

• Review and understand survey questionnaires and data collection tools.
• Plan and schedule field visits to meet data collection targets.
• Coordinate with supervisors and team members to ensure efficient data collection.

Community Engagement:

• Build rapport with community members and explain the purpose and importance of the survey.
• Address any concerns or questions from respondents in a respectful and professional manner.
• Ensure confidentiality and obtain informed consent from participants.

Data Quality Assurance:

• Verify and validate collected data for accuracy and completeness.
• Identify and resolve any discrepancies or errors in the data collection process.
• Maintain organized records of collected data and submit them in a timely manner.

Reporting and Feedback:

• Prepare and submit regular progress reports to the supervisor.
• Provide feedback and insights from the field to improve data collection methodologies.
• Participate in debriefing sessions to discuss challenges and suggest solutions.

Compliance and Ethics:

• Adhere to ethical standards and guidelines for data collection and OXFAM’s Code of Conduct
• Respect cultural norms and practices of the communities being surveyed.
• Ensure the privacy and confidentiality of all respondents' information.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

• Of course, you have at least a minimum of 1- 4 years of experience in data collection, research, assessments, surveys, or fieldwork is preferably from NGO sector.
• You have a minimum of Diploma in any field of study.
• You have strong Knowledge of digital data gathering tools, particularly Kobo Collect, Survey CTO, and Survey Monkey.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and attention to detail and accuracy in data recording.
• Proficiency in using electronic data collection tools (e.g., tablets, smartphones) and basic computer applications.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team and good organizational and time management skills.
• Fluency in the spoken local languages; Madi, Acholi, Langi, Ateso, Lusoga and Kumam in the targeted project locations and encourage the applicants to be residents and locals of these districts.
• Willingness to travel to various locations for fieldwork and ability to work flexible hours, including weekends if necessary.
• Physical ability to walk and stand for extended periods during field visits and the position involves significant fieldwork and interaction with community members in diverse environments.
• It may require traveling to remote areas and working in challenging conditions.
• Opportunity to contribute to a meaningful project with a positive impact.
• Professional development and learning opportunities.

WORKING AT OXFAM NOVIB

• All our work is guided by our core values: Empowerment, Accountability, Inclusiveness, Courage, Solidarity and Equality.
• At Oxfam Novib, we work according to the Feminist Principles - Oxfam Policy & Practice.
• Oxfam Novib is based on the power of difference. That is why we aim to attract a diverse mix of talented people who share our standards, values and principles, and who are committed to prevent and eliminate any type of misconduct.
• We have an active policy against sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, any form of abuse of power or lack of integrity and financial misconduct. This subject will be covered in our application and selection process.

• Identification and locating sampled households and individuals within the identified locations
• Conduct face-to-face interviews, surveys, and focus group discussions with community members and stakeholders.
• Utilize electronic devices or paper forms to record responses accurately.
• Ensure data is collected following the established protocols and guidelines.
• Review and understand survey questionnaires and data collection tools.
• Plan and schedule field visits to meet data collection targets.
• Coordinate with supervisors and team members to ensure efficient data collection.
• Build rapport with community members and explain the purpose and importance of the survey.
• Address any concerns or questions from respondents in a respectful and professional manner.
• Ensure confidentiality and obtain informed consent from participants.
• Verify and validate collected data for accuracy and completeness.
• Identify and resolve any discrepancies or errors in the data collection process.
• Maintain organized records of collected data and submit them in a timely manner.
• Prepare and submit regular progress reports to the supervisor.
• Provide feedback and insights from the field to improve data collection methodologies.
• Participate in debriefing sessions to discuss challenges and suggest solutions.
• Adhere to ethical standards and guidelines for data collection and OXFAM’s Code of Conduct
• Respect cultural norms and practices of the communities being surveyed.
• Ensure the privacy and confidentiality of all respondents' information.

• Strong Knowledge of digital data gathering tools, particularly Kobo Collect, Survey CTO, and Survey Monkey.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Attention to detail and accuracy in data recording.
• Proficiency in using electronic data collection tools (e.g., tablets, smartphones) and basic computer applications.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Good organizational and time management skills.
• Fluency in the spoken local languages; Madi, Acholi, Langi, Ateso, Lusoga and Kumam in the targeted project locations
• Willingness to travel to various locations for fieldwork
• Ability to work flexible hours, including weekends if necessary.
• Physical ability to walk and stand for extended periods during field visits

• Minimum of 1- 4 years of experience in data collection, research, assessments, surveys, or fieldwork is preferably from NGO sector.
• Minimum of Diploma in any field of study.